14-i AROUND THE WOULD VIA INDIA. 



to pay for medical service : '"Applicants for admission 

 to the hospital shall, unless possessed of means suffi- 

 cient to pay for medical advice, make a declaration, on 

 a form printed for that purpose, to the effect that they 

 are unable to pay for medical advice, and stating 

 whether they are entitled to medical attendance from 

 any benefit society or lodge." 



That these declarations are not always in accord with 

 facts became evident to me in visiting the different 

 hospitals. Many patients find their way into the hos- 

 pitals who are abundantly able to pay the physicians a 

 fair remuneration for their services. The abuse of 

 charity is practiced here as well as elsewhere on a large 

 scale. The people are fully aware of the fact that they 

 can secure the very best medical and surgical talent in 

 hospitals connected with medical schools, and are will- 

 ing to declare and sign almost anything to avail them- 

 selves of the gratuitous services of the attending staff. 

 The Adelaide Hospital cares for many such impostors. 

 Adelaide and the surrounding agricultural and pastoral 

 country are in a prosperous condition, and many who 

 seek the shelter of this hospital rob it and the medical 

 profession annually of a large amount of money which 

 they have well earned and to which they are justly en- 

 titled. Such abuse of charity is difficult to remedy, 

 more especially in the case of hospitals connected with 

 medical schools. 



Drs. E. C. Stirling and Archibald Watson are the 

 (■(insulting physicians and surgeons. Four physicians 

 constitute the medical and three surgeons the surgical 

 staff. The present surgical staff consists of Leonard 

 W. Bickle, M.E.C.S. Eng., L.E.C.P. London, F.E.C.S. 

 Edin.; William Anstey Giles, M.B., Ch.M. Edin.; Ben- 

 jamin Poulton. M.D. Melb., M.E.C.S. Eng. Two gyn- 

 ecologists, two ophthalmologists, one surgeon for the 

 ear and throat, a bacteriologist, a dentist and two path- 

 ologists complete the list of medical officers with the 

 exception of the resident medical superintendent, Mr. 



