Medical Reform.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 267, 22 December 1874, Page 7

Medical Reform.

A system advocated by a Miss Beedy, at the British Association Meeting at Belfast, would appear particularly to recommend itself to such districts as our own. Speaking on medical reform, Miss Beedy made some suggestions which, it is said, roused the ire of some of the doctors ; but they are none the less worthy the consideration of the people and medical men. She wished, she said, to abolish the whole system of fees by visits, and to introduce the practice of paying a physician an annual stipend to keep a general look-out over your health and that of your family. He would call every now and then in a friendly way, warn you if your habits were injurious, if your treatment of your children was mistaken, if your house was in any way unsanitary. He would detect the germ of insipient disease, and apply the proper treatment in time to arrest it, and would, in short, be ready with valuable advice of all kinds. At present the doctor's incomeis dependent on the illness and not the health of his clients. "Of course under such a system," says the correspondent from whom we quote, "the lady practitioner would have a larger scope in dealing with mothers and their children." Dr Farre, Registrar General, en dorsed the suggestion, and said that several medical friends of his in London would be quite willing to enter upon such a practice if there were any families who desired to make the experiment. "It was, in fact, only one step further in the direction of the change which lias been made when a physician began to charge for his advice, instead of making his living off the price of his drugs."