Management of Hospitals
I believe individuals will do the work of investigation better than committees; in all cases the individual worker can secure the co-operation of some fellowworker, should the inquiry lead him into ground with which he is not familiar.
Abstract
a report without the fictitious aid of the other eminent men whose names were associated with them in. this inquiry. All who have been on committees will agree with me that, as a rule, the work falls upon one or two of the willing attenders. The Committee, I am pleased to see, recognise this truth, as the report states " that the success will much depend upon the energy, perseverance, ability, and judgment of the secretary". I have no doubt the largest share of work will fall upon him; and he ought to be an histologist, physiologist, physicist, therapeutist, hygienist, for such a position. I do not desire to offer any captious criticism; but I would respectfully urge the following considerations on this part of the scheme. Admirable scientific work and original research have been done in England by private workers, without subsidy from any fund. Stimulated by ambition or love of science, men such as Ferrier of London, Ross of Manchester, Allbutt of Leeds, have contributed to the elucidation of problems of disease at their own expense, and have published the results of their researches on the usual marketable terms. Other workers have done the same; and in the future, as in the past, there will always be found men ready and willing to throw themselves into scientific work, in order to clear up some of the problems which disease opens out. Private workers will be handicapped by the devotion of the funds of the Association to such a scheme as the one now proposed; and private effort will be to a certain extent discouraged. This certainly is not the aim of the Association. I believe individuals will do the work of investigation better than committees; in all cases the individual worker can secure the co-operation of some fellowworker, should the inquiry lead him into ground with which he is not familiar; where information has to be collected, he can send out circulars, as was done by Dr. Crichton Browne when he wished to gather some data upon left-handedness. Upon these grounds I object to the scheme. If the Association is financially in such a good position as to be able to afford a permanent outlay of from /300 to /6oo a year, I think the money might be better expended by giving three prizes annually, of /ioo each, and a gold medal, for the best essay on any of the subjects they desire to have cleared up, as osteo-arthritis, the origin of contagious diseases, the incubation of infectious diseases, cancer, tubercle, etc. Thus they will encourage private workers; all members of the Association will have a chance of distinguishing themselves; and they will obtain even better refults, because they will secure competitors stimulated by a love of science and research, or by ambition, and will not have to depend upon the ser6ice of a paid officer, who may not have his heart in hisMwork.-I remain, yours faithfully, I-lorton House, Halifax, June 17th, IS8i. T. M. DOLAN.