Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Industry, Medical Practitioners, Medical Treatment, Crime, Patronage

    Condemns the guardians of poor law unions for failing to provide adequate resources for medical men attending workhouses. Notes the 'homeopathic' (i.e. miniscule) pay given to a Holborn Poor Law Union medical man and the 'homeopathic' (i.e. miniscule) amounts of medicine with which he is supposed to treat paupers. Expressing no surprise that deaths occur through inadequate treatment, insists that the poor law guardians rather than the doctors should be charged with 'manslaughter', and defends the doctors' ability to discern genuine cases of illness among paupers. Concludes by arguing that 'humanity demands that good treatment be procured' and that this requires 'good pay'.