DOCTORS' EARNINGS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 24, 23 October 1907, Page 2

DOCTORS' EARNINGS.

Tho average income of tho medical man. inF,,Xi.d; according to .tho "British Medical Tour al'' works out. at something between : C°2o and £250. A case is given of a general ' practitioner, who claims', that'ho has/espw-. . oi cod tho average fate of his. class m an; nSrinl centre." Ho states that, aftir hay-;; in.' been in practice for ten years, lie.has ;, secured for himself a fair connection inw* ; of numbers. .Uis average receipts work put ' at £220 poi" annum, out, of which no-lias to defray the expenses of his surgery and ■'; practice'before he can claim anything for his; home. Of his earnings, 31.6 per cetit. was ■ paid at his surgery, 37 .percent, was paid-,, in weekly instalments'to the collector (twothirds of the accounts being paid at a rato of over 3d. a week and oiie;third. at lesa / than 3d. a week), 12 per cent, had' to bo. . regarded as had debts, and the balance, 20 '. per cent., is being recovered under '..pressure ._.. through the coiinty court. The''. reason' for;.'.'. this inadequate return for fill |tli'e ..skill,, , 1; patience, and labour of the medical' practi-,. tioneris not to bo found in the pvcrcrowdinß ■ of the profession alone, the "British Medical..,. Journal" says. To a cortaiu extent, practi-.,' tioners . th6mselves are to blame,. inasmuch " as in tho past they have, through.' the want of unity and through the action of rivalry".■•"; in the struggle for existence, consented to .; accept fees which aro. not. only unworthy of. tho work done, but which'aro too low:when', , regarded in tho light of. the means of-thbso..., who have to pay them. .'.,'■',.'■'