254 Public Establishment for 



lists provided for that purpose. For the inspection 

 of the poor in each district, a respectable citizen was 

 chosen, who was called the commissary of the district 

 (abtheilungs commissaire) ; and for his assistants, a priest, 

 a physician, a surgeon, and an apothecary, all of 

 whom, including the commissary, undertook this service 

 without fee or reward, from mere motives of human- 

 ity and true patriotism. The apothecary was simply 

 reimbursed the original cost of the medicines he 

 furnished. 



To give more weight and dignity to the office of 

 commissary of a district, one of these commissaries, in 

 rotation, was called to assist at the meetings of the 

 supreme committee ; and all applications for alms were 

 submitted to the commissaries for their opinion, or, 

 more properly, all such applications went through 

 them to the committee. They were likewise partic- 

 ularly charged with the inspection and police of the 

 poor in their several districts. 



When a person already upon the poor list, or any 

 other in distress, stood in need of assistance, he applied 

 to the commissary of his district, who, after visiting 

 him and inquiring into the circumstances of his case, 

 afforded him such immediate assistance as was abso- 

 lutely necessary ; or otherwise, if the case w r as such as 

 to admit of the delay, he recommended him to the 

 attention of the committee, and waited for their orders. 

 If the poor person was sick or wounded, he was carried 

 to some hospital, or the physician or surgeon of the dis- 

 trict was sent for, and a nurse provided to take care of 

 him in his lodgings. If he grew worse, and appeared 

 to draw near his end, the priest was sent for to afford 

 him such spiritual assistance as he might require ; and, 



