THE SIXPENNY DOCTOR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1051, 14 February 1911, Page 9

THE SIXPENNY DOCTOR.

- WHERE LIFE IS WORSE THAN ""' , DEATH. In the whole tragic, story of the terrible affray in Hounc!sditcK no incidentals more dramatio than tho visit of Dr. Scallan in the dead cf night to tho house of tho murdered man in Grove .Street, sum-' tnoned thither by the two young foreign women, whose - incoherent mutteririgs gave him no: duo'to' the scene, at which he was to assist, says the "Telegraph." ! Attention is inevitably directed to th 4 lives of those medical practitioners, called up to undertake duties in' such startling circumstances. The medical , profession has at nil times contained heroic men who havo flinched from no sacrifice, and from no danger, and-in tho mean streets of the metropolis largo numbers of them daily pursue their vocations unmindful of externals, disdainful of dangers, and un-concerned-as to consequences. If it bo heroic to attends the haunts of low class criminals,, they oro indeed heroic, for they never troublo to innuiro as to the nature of tho house they nro! called upon to visit, yot they will tell yon thcro is no heroism in" their work, and when they give their -reasons you admit they are right. ■ As far as the.East-End is concerned, the doctors who practise there aro' agreed as to the law-abiding character of the residents. They will tell you there aro desporadccs and criminals, but they aro exceptions to tho rule. But it is not in this that tho safety of medical men lies. It is in the inherent respect entertained by. the inhabitants for men called 'in to combat nain and disease. The poor havo a hard life. They are not given to exaggerate, thoir'ailments. Illness ; is a. luxury in which they ; cannot afford to indulge. ■; When, therefore, they are constrained to call medical aid, suffering has generally, reached an acute stage. Tho doctor is then regarded as a missioner as well r.s a doctor, & messenger, of hope and moroy, as well as a curer of ailments., -As such he is looked upon almost with. awe,, and . the',.respectful salutations ho always receives is eloquent of tho'esteem in which he is held; -.- /Nor is it correct to tissumo that the practices of East > End doctors are unremunerative.- /On the contrary, they are often tho means by- which handsome ia«. comes aro obtained.' - There is one wellknown instance of a medical practitioner in Whitechanel who made between JE3OOO and £3000. a year, from his patients, though his,fees wero often as-low as 6d. This, sixpenny, fee is ouite a common one, though generally the remuneration is is. '. ; How, .it tnay;be asked, can such small fees produce, so largo e.n income, especially as they.inoludo. payment.for medicine? Tho renly is to be found in tho qUmbcr of patients with which doctors -have to deal. .. At their surgeries many of them attend to, as many as CO and <0 per evening, between.tho hours of IS and ,9. iSFharb'parftiino -badvdebts, and, thero is no sending in of accounts. Ono invariable custom - everywhere -prevails—payment is made at tho timo of .the visit.

"Tit it,"is. fL "strenuous life , which',\the doctor" leads,- for' difficult and sevore is tho tension of''examining and' treating such large numbers at: his surgery. Jew and Gentile,' native and . foreigner, all alike to him-' are .interesting." .'His 15' a game of 'lifo and do.ith: ' But too frequently, ho'stands with them in the land of -deepening; shadows. He. knows i the struggles-of those' whoso lifo: is ' often worse -than -'death. Why need ho fear? Why speak ill'-of his East End?',