1796-] 
‘ Ween “ 
tives they profefs to be. Be it with 
them to confider this. Alb that can be 
expected from individuals is, to promote, 
as far as they are able, the interefts of 
thofe charities which are within the 
‘reach of their humbler powers. 
Lf we look round, we flia!l find, that 
there is {carcely any one of the various ills 
to which human life and nature are fub- 
jet, for which this noble difpofttion has 
not endeavoured to provide a remedy. 
We have hofpitals for the reception of 
the infirm and difeafed ; afylums for the 
blind and the infane: and difpentfaries 
for the adminiftration of medicines to 
the fick. Wherever nature or art have 
furnithed us with the means of procuring 
relief to the infirmities we are liable to 
be afiicted with, the rich endeavour to 
make the poor and the unfortunate par- 
takers in the benefits they themfelves 
derive from them. There is fcarcely a 
bathing place in the kingdom where a 
fund, provided by the more Wealthy fre- 
guenters of it, does not enable the moft 
indigent to enjoy, almoft in the fame 
degree, the advantages derived from the 
falubrious properties of the waters. 
Equally as the good intention is to be 
eommended, it is a queftion of fome 
doubt, whether, in this laft inftance, all 
the benefit is produced by thefe laudable 
endeavours which might be expeéted. 
The fupporters of this fund are, in_ge- 
neral, only temporary refidents on the 
fpot. They are here to-day and gone 
to-morrow. Of courfe, they are lefs 
likely to difcovey any deficiencies in the 
conduét of this eharity; and if they do 
perceive them, have lefs the power of 
remedying them. ‘Through your excel- 
lent Magazine, [ will take the liberty of 
ftating a few circumftances attending the 
conduct of one of thefe charities, which 
appear to admit of eafy improvement. 
It is ufual for each of the vifitors to 
Baxton to fubicribe a fhilling towards 
the fupport of a charitable fund, fuch 
as I have mentioned. ‘rifling as this 
fum may appear, from the number of the 
frequenters of this fafhionable watering 
place, a pretty confiderable fund is by 
this means procured. Out of this, fi: 
fhillings per week each is allowed, for 
‘one month, to 14 poor people, on ef 
bringing a certificate from the minifter 
of their parifh, and their medical atten- 
dant, that they are proper objects of this 
charity. “They are alfo furnifhed with 
fuch medicines as*their cafes may re- 
quire; and are permitted to bathe, gratis, 
in a bath allotted te the purpofe., “This 
Charity at Buxton. 
784 
is the general plan of the inftitution ; 
and nothing can be better defigned. 
The improvement I with to fuggeft, is 
in the bati-room they make we of. The 
bath is ina {mall room, about four or 
five yards {quare: on three of its tides 
it pafies up to the wall; on the fourth 
fide thére is a {pace of a yard and a half 
or two yards, betwixt it and-the wall. 
This is the place where the bathers drefs 
and undrefs ; and along the wall, on this 
view 
1 
fide, runs a cold ftone bench, which is 
the only place they have to fit down on. 
“Their ‘clothes, whtle they are in tne 
bath, if not hung ona few folitary pegs 
there are inthe wet wall, muit neceffa- 
rily be laid on tlis bench, or on the 
ground ; and each of thefe being con- 
ftantly wet, they have not oaly to drefs 
on the cold wet ground, but muft, of 
courfe, put cn their clothes in the fame 
wet and uncomfortable condition. 
fe, that thefe cir- 
umftances muft, to fay the leaft, con- 
fiderably diminifh, in many inftances, the 
benefit that might otherwile be derived 
from the ufe of the bath. Rheumatifm 
is one of the moft frequent complaints 
for the relief of which thefe baths are 
reforted to. We all know that cold and 
wet are the moft tfual cau‘es of this 
complaint: and it is not probable, thaz 
what produces a diforder can contribuce 
to the rernoval of it. A poor neigh- 
bour of mine, who had been advifed, a 
few weeks ago, to feek reliei at Buxton, 
for a rheumatic complaint, was fo forci- 
bly ftruck with'this idea, that though 
he had procured the neceffary certificate 
‘and recommendation, and, from a va- 
cancy might have been admitted on the 
charity, he rather chofe to expend the 
fmal! jum he was poffeifed of in fupport- 
ing himtelf, and in paying for the ufe 
of the gentleman’s bath, as it is called, 
than be indebted to a charity from 
which, as he faid, common fenfe told 
him he could receive no benefit. 
Thefe inconveniences might furely be 
eafily remedied. It could be attended 
with no great expence to add a {mall 
dreifing-rvom to the preient bath-room, 
which might be furnifhed with a few- 
wooden chairs or beaches, and with a 
matting on the floor. Yo thefe a few 
towels, which the poor bathers are at 
prefent totally deftitute of, would be a 
moft comfortable addition. Thefe would & 
readily be fecured againit dithonefty, 
without ‘adding the expence of an at- 
tendant. 
‘I am ignorant ho 
ee ee 
a 
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