The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1883.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4638, 15 November 1883, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1883.

The rote of the Hospital Committee yesterday in rejecting the rescisaion of Mr Renshaw's resolution, by which the present holders of the offices of Surgeon, Dispenser, and Secretary are declared appointed for life, ad vitam aid culpam, goes far to gratify the truth of rumor, which averred that a large number of rotes were created at the annual meeting of subscribers for the purpose of choosing a committee favorable to the return of one of the candidates for the office of what has been pleasantly termed Eesident Surgeon. We are led to this remark by the utter disregard of law, of the interests of the Hospital, and of decency, shown by the majority of the Committee throughout the whole of the proceedings by which they sought to carry out an arrangement which has been shown to be utterly inefficient for its purpose—a result which must have been anticipated by any person who should take the trouble to examine the question for a moment. In a mining district accidents must be numerous, therefore, to provide against ■uch casualties is the main object of the Thames Hospital; but how, we ask, is this to ba accomplished by a Surgeon who has a large private practice, quite sufficient to occupy the whole of his time ? The suppositions simply absurd -, accordingly, in all Hospitals, except those in small places,' the Surgeon is obliged to live in the Hospital, and is not permitted to practice privately. The only objection which has J

been raised to the adoption of this plan at the Thames, is the extra cost which the change would involve, but it can easily be shown that it has no weight whatever. The salaries now paid to the two medical officers of the Institution, and that to_ the Dispenser, would more than pay the salary of a resident Surgeon; his board would not cost more than that of a dispenser, and as to his lodging the 'same remark would apply. But supposing that the appointment of a Resident Surgeon should be more costly than the present plan, are we, in such case, to set the matter of £50 or £100 a year against the safety, the comfort, and the well-being of the unfortunate patients who now may linger in agony for hours, because/the Surgeon is engaged with a case of midwifery, or something else that pays as well. The fact is, the surveillance of a qualified surgeon would effect a considerable savipg : it is not pretended that there is any watchfulness exercised now, except by subordinates. Fortunately, the resolution passed by Mr Renshaw and his friends can have no effect, for the following reasons: —Ist. The rule under which appointments to the offices in question have been made for the last ten or twelve' years has not been rescinded. 2. Had it been so, the new law could not be applied to appointments previously made for a specified time. 3. Therefore, the action of the Committee in this matter is ultra vires, and no change can be made in the conditions under which the appointments are held, until they become void by effluxion of time, or by resignation. Moreover, in a matter of this nature the Government as well as the subscribers, must be f consulted, and the interests of the hospital considered, by throwing open the appointment to public competition. On the whole question we have no hesitation in saying that the action of the committee is no less contrary to the true interests of the Thames Hospital; than it is to the opinions and wishes of the subscribers at large, and of all those who although not subscribers, have a real and substantial interest in the good management of the institution.