Access To Doctors for the poor In Victorian and Edwardian times access to medical help cost comparatively large amounts and as such was beyond the means of poor people. For this reason many home cures , that are described on other pages on this site, were in common use. Doctors were given a high place in the local hierarchy and often became comparatively wealthy. Until the General Medical Council was formed in 1858 many of the Doctor's had virtually no training and perhaps even more surprisingly many Doctor's has no previous experience in Hospital or with other Doctor's. As the period passed more and more free access to medicine became available due to local philanthropists although there was little free access in Eastern Essex. Most Doctors would vary their charges according to the wealth of the patient hence a bill of 5 shillings to the Parson would probably be 1 shilling and 6 pence to a farm labourer. In 1911 the National Insurance Act saw access to health available to the mainly male workers although there was still no assistance for their families. The Local Picture One of the implications of the Poor Law Act in 1834 was to require work house to provide sick wards. In practice this meant that parishes provided medical assistance to their inmates. There is some evidence that some poor people who were sick went into work houses to access this medical help although of course if poor people were unable to work they would quickly become destitute and need to enter 'the house'. In some cases the Parish would assist with home nursing costs either paid for by benefactors or provided from the Parish fund. As overseers at workhouses were required to keep public accounts we can gain an insight into the care of the poor.
	Rev Herbert Brown in his book  ' History of St Lawrence' has provided details of the care of some of the poor people in St Lawrence in the early 1800's Dr Hackblock from Southminster was contracted to provide assistance by the Overseers of St Lawrence . His bill for supply of medicines  between 18 July 1809 and 24 September 1809 is reproduced below Treatment cost in £ sh d Repellant Lotion for the leg ( quart bottle) 0-3-0 Diuretic Mixture ( pint bottle) 0-4-0 Four Boluses 0-2-0 Best Bark 0-1-6 Specific Drops 0-1-0 Curing a number of bad ulcers in both legs 1-1-0 Each 6 mile journey from Southminster was charged at 3/- The total of the bill was £10 12sh  0d The overseers seem to have considered Dr Hackblocks bill as excessive as he was soon replaced by Dr Whimper who  provided medical care until at least 1836 Dr Whimpers charges were listed as 2 sh and 6 d for the journey from Southminster to St Lawrence 2 sh 6 d for half a pint of mixture 15 shillings for midwifery 2 sh and 6 d for vaccinations ( he is recorded as carrying out 40 vaccinations) Dr Whimper appears not to have charged for routine visits but to have been paid 4 guineas as a half year salary

Home nursing cover was also provided in St Lawrence details of which are on another page on this site