§ MR. THOROLD ROGERSasked the President of the Local Government 853 Board, Whether, since the scale of fees payable to the medical officers of Poor Law Unions was furnished many years ago by the Poor Law Board, he would consider the desirability of its revision, especially in relation to those operations for which, as medical science has progressed, the use of anæsthetics is necessary, and therefore the services of an assistant operator is required; and, if he would further consider how far, in the absence of any provision for the payment of such assistant operators, the sufferings of the poor who are constrained to undergo operations might remain, unalleviated or be increased?
§ MR. DODSONSir, I will not fail to consider how far it is desirable to revise the scale of fees for operations by Poor Law medical officers in those cases where anæsthetics are required. At the same time, it must be borne in mind that the policy of Poor Law administration has always been, not to encourage difficult operations by Poor Law medical officers, but to endeavour to induce the sending of such cases to public hospitals, where they can be treated with the best attention and skill.