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THE "HOMES" OF THE POOR IN WINDSOR.
643
(Southport) two cases, one of acute and the other of subBoth are taking antipyrin. In both acute rheumatism.
Corporation complacently certifies that " there are complaints"; and the clergyman is a busybody and a the pains in the joints have been much relieved by the drug. babbler who arraigns these cursed things. I hope, Sir, that The fear of making too great a demand on the space of your you will never cease from the righteous work in which you have engaged until the emancipation of the white slaves of columns deters me from now giving notes of these cases. Literature.-Till quite recently I could find no reports of Windsor from all such "homes"at last is achieved. Lenhartz1 I am. Sir. vour most obedient servant. cases of acute rheumatism treated by antipyrin. ARTHUR ROBINS, M.A. seems to have been the first to advocate the use of the drug Holy Trinity Rectory, Windsor, Sept. 26th, 1885. for this disease. Pusinelliz doubts whether antipyrin has any anti-rheumatic action at all. Demme3 reports three cases. Neumann4 gives a full report of seventeen cases. "CIRCULAR WARDS." I am,
Sept. 16th, 1885.
Yet the no
Sir, yours truly, J. C. VOIGT, M.D. Edin., Res.
Surg., Southport Infirmary.
SIR,—On my return from the Continent, I find a letter from Mr. Saxon Snell, kindly drawing my attention to his THE "HOMES" OF THE POOR IN WINDSOR. paper, a copy of which appeared in THE LANCET of-the 26th ult. Mr. Snell reminds us that his experience as an SIR,—The Corporation of Windsor, in Council assembled, architect has been chiefly confined to the erection of buildhas, as you point out, refused to have anything to do with ings for workhouse and Poor-law purposes. It is not surthe house-to-house visitation which was proposed by Sir prising, therefore, that the influence of this connexion, over a period of many years, may have biased Joseph Devereux. Thus the scandalous and demoralising extending mind in his favour of the retrograde belief that the irrecondition of our slums, against which King William IV., ducible minimum, and not the maximum of efficiency, is late THE and the Prince Consort, the Builder, LANCET, many the best gauge upon which to construct a hospital intended others, have all successively, but hitherto none of them suc- for the treatment of cases of acute disease and recent accicessfully, protested, will probably still continue in the dent. I am not concerned to defend any particular plan of Royal borough to be, as aforetime, our danger and our dis- hospital construction, because I desire that every form-grace. The "interests"that are ranged behind these slums rectangular, circular, hexagonal, octagonal--shall be fairly all go in terror of public opinion. They whimper and whine and practically tested. The enthusiasm of Mr. Snell has, 4’hush it up." If you, Sir, will not let them hush it up, however, carried him from the firm standpoint of fact to they are bound in the end to be beaten. There is to be no the regions of fancy. This is proved by the knowledge that " indignation meeting" to denounce THE LANCET—not, at any he has selected hospitals with 500 and 1000 beds as the basis rate, until some of our whited sepulchres can be prepared of his calculations. Now, as a matter of fact, there are only, and warranted to be safe for public show. Neither has it yet so far as I know, six hospitals in the United Kingdom which transpired that Windsor is to have a hospital for the isolation have 500 beds and upwards, and there is not a single of infectious diseases. The medical officer of health here has hospital in this country which possesses 1000 beds. I might had in this business a great deal of latitude in very many go further, and show that the circumstances which have directions. First of all, he said that your Special Commissioner prevented the erection of the huge buildings that Mr. Snell wasimposing" upon the Editor of THE LANCET; then he bases his calculations upon prevail pretty much throughout wrote of "the somewhat damaged credit of THE LANCET’S the world, and that, for the present at any rate, we must report" ; and, finally, with a flourish, he bade us all be content to regard Mr. Snell’s views on the subject of in Windsor, upon his own authority, believe that your rectangular and circular wards as wholly theoretical, because Special Commissioner is "an unknown man, and not qualified there seems no possibility of our being able to test them for any important sanitary office." Perhaps, Sir, this practically by the hard measure of fact. There is, no gentleman has had all this rope allowed him that the doubt, a convincing ring about the sound of hundreds proverbial result might follow. Certain it is that with of thousands of pounds of expenditure saved, which is him all the Corporation, with the honourable exception of calculated to win the suffrages of those who have to Sir Joseph Devereux, are now fast enough in the noose. The provide the funds for the erection of hospitals, and fifty "souls"in the houses in South-place, at whose doors I especially of Poor-law infirmaries. I am sorry, therefore, am charged to knock to declare " the beauty of holiness," for Mr. Snell’s sake, that the non-existence of these vast who are without any closet or privy or any such thing of hospital buildings in this country, and generally throughout their own, but with thedisputed right"to saunter, if they the world, compels us to thank Mr. Snell for the theoretical dare, about their neighbours’ sanitation, are it seems, in problems and figures which he has prepared for our edificastraits more horrible than any even you or I supposed. The tion, while at the same time regretting that for any pracother day I asked what these poor creatures did in certain tical purpose in guiding us to the right conclusion as to the awkward urgency ; and this is the relative advantages of circular and rectangular wards they agonising times of very " What do we do ?-why we use our pans are of no avail. answer that I got: The subject is, however, one of considerable interest, and and pails." That men and women are, after this sort, left to promenade promiscuously over other people’s privacy, to I propose, therefore, to deal with it in detail in a future seize clandestinely upon some asylum as best they can, communication. Indeed, I regret that my absence from is, perhaps, on the whole, a little demoralising and rude; England has prevented me from doing this in time for it to but that state of life, without any regard to the sexes, is appear with this letter.-I am. Sir, vours faithfully, HENRY C. BURDETT. surely scarcely redeemed from barbarism pure and simple, The Lodge, Porchester-square, W., Oct. 1st, 1885. even by "fireplaces and sash windows," that cannot cry "decency forbids!"that has no other refuge in time of trouble than in pans and pails. Which, Sir, is the worst, "A SPECIAL FORM OF NUMBNESS OF THE from any standpoint of humanity, a raid upon other people’s EXTREMITIES." or a retreat upon your own pans and pails? This, closets, To the Editor of THE LANCET. nevertheless, is the current civilisationin some of the protected slums of Windsor in 1885. These, Sir, are our "human homes." SIR,—I am sure Dr. Saundby will not object to such a This is how the lives of men and women, old and young, are full discussion of the subject treated of in his paper as may soiled; for within and without, their dreadful doom is all alike-they are made filthy and foul. If they have " fire- lead to the discovery of the real cause or causes of the places," it is also inexorably decreed that, tied and bound symptom referred to; and I am equally sure that he need together with the cords of contamination and without the not be afraid to trouble you with any remarks that may common decencies of life, in their lusts and passions, one conduce to the attainment of that desirable result. I must with another, they must burn." If they have " sash say that I am not quite satisfied with his mode of reasoning, the in the of the windows," only change dreary nor monotony do I think that the method of diagnosis by the result of outlook is that between indecency and unconsciousness. treatment is one to be relied on so implicitly as he seems to havedone in some of the examples he has given. Of course 2 1 Deutsche Med. Wochenschrift, 1884, No. 31. Ibid., 1885, No. 11. I can only base my own judgment on the cases I have seen, 3 Fortschritte d. Medicin, 1884, No. 21. 4 Berl. Klinische and in these, as I have said, anaemia was always present, Wochenschrift, 1885, No. 37.
(Southport) two cases, one of acute and the other of subBoth are taking antipyrin. In both acute rheumatism.
Corporation complacently certifies that " there are complaints"; and the clergyman is a busybody and a the pains in the joints have been much relieved by the drug. babbler who arraigns these cursed things. I hope, Sir, that The fear of making too great a demand on the space of your you will never cease from the righteous work in which you have engaged until the emancipation of the white slaves of columns deters me from now giving notes of these cases. Literature.-Till quite recently I could find no reports of Windsor from all such "homes"at last is achieved. Lenhartz1 I am. Sir. vour most obedient servant. cases of acute rheumatism treated by antipyrin. ARTHUR ROBINS, M.A. seems to have been the first to advocate the use of the drug Holy Trinity Rectory, Windsor, Sept. 26th, 1885. for this disease. Pusinelliz doubts whether antipyrin has any anti-rheumatic action at all. Demme3 reports three cases. Neumann4 gives a full report of seventeen cases. "CIRCULAR WARDS." I am,
Sept. 16th, 1885.
Yet the no
Sir, yours truly, J. C. VOIGT, M.D. Edin., Res.
Surg., Southport Infirmary.
SIR,—On my return from the Continent, I find a letter from Mr. Saxon Snell, kindly drawing my attention to his THE "HOMES" OF THE POOR IN WINDSOR. paper, a copy of which appeared in THE LANCET of-the 26th ult. Mr. Snell reminds us that his experience as an SIR,—The Corporation of Windsor, in Council assembled, architect has been chiefly confined to the erection of buildhas, as you point out, refused to have anything to do with ings for workhouse and Poor-law purposes. It is not surthe house-to-house visitation which was proposed by Sir prising, therefore, that the influence of this connexion, over a period of many years, may have biased Joseph Devereux. Thus the scandalous and demoralising extending mind in his favour of the retrograde belief that the irrecondition of our slums, against which King William IV., ducible minimum, and not the maximum of efficiency, is late THE and the Prince Consort, the Builder, LANCET, many the best gauge upon which to construct a hospital intended others, have all successively, but hitherto none of them suc- for the treatment of cases of acute disease and recent accicessfully, protested, will probably still continue in the dent. I am not concerned to defend any particular plan of Royal borough to be, as aforetime, our danger and our dis- hospital construction, because I desire that every form-grace. The "interests"that are ranged behind these slums rectangular, circular, hexagonal, octagonal--shall be fairly all go in terror of public opinion. They whimper and whine and practically tested. The enthusiasm of Mr. Snell has, 4’hush it up." If you, Sir, will not let them hush it up, however, carried him from the firm standpoint of fact to they are bound in the end to be beaten. There is to be no the regions of fancy. This is proved by the knowledge that " indignation meeting" to denounce THE LANCET—not, at any he has selected hospitals with 500 and 1000 beds as the basis rate, until some of our whited sepulchres can be prepared of his calculations. Now, as a matter of fact, there are only, and warranted to be safe for public show. Neither has it yet so far as I know, six hospitals in the United Kingdom which transpired that Windsor is to have a hospital for the isolation have 500 beds and upwards, and there is not a single of infectious diseases. The medical officer of health here has hospital in this country which possesses 1000 beds. I might had in this business a great deal of latitude in very many go further, and show that the circumstances which have directions. First of all, he said that your Special Commissioner prevented the erection of the huge buildings that Mr. Snell wasimposing" upon the Editor of THE LANCET; then he bases his calculations upon prevail pretty much throughout wrote of "the somewhat damaged credit of THE LANCET’S the world, and that, for the present at any rate, we must report" ; and, finally, with a flourish, he bade us all be content to regard Mr. Snell’s views on the subject of in Windsor, upon his own authority, believe that your rectangular and circular wards as wholly theoretical, because Special Commissioner is "an unknown man, and not qualified there seems no possibility of our being able to test them for any important sanitary office." Perhaps, Sir, this practically by the hard measure of fact. There is, no gentleman has had all this rope allowed him that the doubt, a convincing ring about the sound of hundreds proverbial result might follow. Certain it is that with of thousands of pounds of expenditure saved, which is him all the Corporation, with the honourable exception of calculated to win the suffrages of those who have to Sir Joseph Devereux, are now fast enough in the noose. The provide the funds for the erection of hospitals, and fifty "souls"in the houses in South-place, at whose doors I especially of Poor-law infirmaries. I am sorry, therefore, am charged to knock to declare " the beauty of holiness," for Mr. Snell’s sake, that the non-existence of these vast who are without any closet or privy or any such thing of hospital buildings in this country, and generally throughout their own, but with thedisputed right"to saunter, if they the world, compels us to thank Mr. Snell for the theoretical dare, about their neighbours’ sanitation, are it seems, in problems and figures which he has prepared for our edificastraits more horrible than any even you or I supposed. The tion, while at the same time regretting that for any pracother day I asked what these poor creatures did in certain tical purpose in guiding us to the right conclusion as to the awkward urgency ; and this is the relative advantages of circular and rectangular wards they agonising times of very " What do we do ?-why we use our pans are of no avail. answer that I got: The subject is, however, one of considerable interest, and and pails." That men and women are, after this sort, left to promenade promiscuously over other people’s privacy, to I propose, therefore, to deal with it in detail in a future seize clandestinely upon some asylum as best they can, communication. Indeed, I regret that my absence from is, perhaps, on the whole, a little demoralising and rude; England has prevented me from doing this in time for it to but that state of life, without any regard to the sexes, is appear with this letter.-I am. Sir, vours faithfully, HENRY C. BURDETT. surely scarcely redeemed from barbarism pure and simple, The Lodge, Porchester-square, W., Oct. 1st, 1885. even by "fireplaces and sash windows," that cannot cry "decency forbids!"that has no other refuge in time of trouble than in pans and pails. Which, Sir, is the worst, "A SPECIAL FORM OF NUMBNESS OF THE from any standpoint of humanity, a raid upon other people’s EXTREMITIES." or a retreat upon your own pans and pails? This, closets, To the Editor of THE LANCET. nevertheless, is the current civilisationin some of the protected slums of Windsor in 1885. These, Sir, are our "human homes." SIR,—I am sure Dr. Saundby will not object to such a This is how the lives of men and women, old and young, are full discussion of the subject treated of in his paper as may soiled; for within and without, their dreadful doom is all alike-they are made filthy and foul. If they have " fire- lead to the discovery of the real cause or causes of the places," it is also inexorably decreed that, tied and bound symptom referred to; and I am equally sure that he need together with the cords of contamination and without the not be afraid to trouble you with any remarks that may common decencies of life, in their lusts and passions, one conduce to the attainment of that desirable result. I must with another, they must burn." If they have " sash say that I am not quite satisfied with his mode of reasoning, the in the of the windows," only change dreary nor monotony do I think that the method of diagnosis by the result of outlook is that between indecency and unconsciousness. treatment is one to be relied on so implicitly as he seems to havedone in some of the examples he has given. Of course 2 1 Deutsche Med. Wochenschrift, 1884, No. 31. Ibid., 1885, No. 11. I can only base my own judgment on the cases I have seen, 3 Fortschritte d. Medicin, 1884, No. 21. 4 Berl. Klinische and in these, as I have said, anaemia was always present, Wochenschrift, 1885, No. 37.