Our aged poor : a plea for Gillespie's Hospital : being a lecture delivered at a conversazione of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, on 21st April 1865 / by by James D. Gillespie, M.D.

  • Gillespie, James Donaldson.
Date:
1865
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Our aged poor : a plea for Gillespie's Hospital : being a lecture delivered at a conversazione of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, on 21st April 1865 / by by James D. Gillespie, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

    8/22 (page 6)
    The total annual income of these eight institutions is about L.40,000, and this is steadily increasing. The total number of children deriving benefit is about 877, so that, if we were to take a very general view of the matter, we might say that these 877 children were educated and fed at the expense of about L.45 a-year each, without taking into the reckoning the rent we might legitimately add for living in such very costly struc- tures. But L.45 a-year is above the average of what an ordi- nary working man can earn to support himself and family, so defunct benevolence bestows on 877 children, for seven or eight years, more than the parents of many of them can earn for the support of large families ! I have avoided instituting invidious comparisons between the outlay of the different hospitals, for many circumstances, doubtless, concur to render the average higher in some than in others, as, for instance, a more expensive course of education, and large allowances made to children on leaving the establishment. All I wish to indicate is the fact, that the children brought up in these institutions cost annually a large sum per head; and when we come to consider the amount of charity bestowed on the aged poor, I trust I shall be able to show how much more requires to be done now for their behalf than for the already too much benefited classes of children, who enjoy the benevolence of their deceased patrons. I have stated, that a rough estimate of the annual income, devoted to these children, gave an average of about L.45 per head; but it is reduced to about L.40 by a compu- tation, which leaves out the expense of working the trust funds, and any other items of expenditure, which are not directly connected with the education and maintenance of the children. Let us consider now what has been done for the aged. There are a good many Societies in Edinburgh, which under- take, in a small way, to assist the aged, and by their timely interference and support add much to their comfort; while in some instances, perhaps, they enable them to struggle on inde- pendent of the workhouse; but I do not purpose alluding to these further, for they are supported mainly by voluntary con- tributions, and I would trespass far too long on your time were I to enter on such an extensive subject. I shall confine my-