旧济贫法体制下英国贫民医疗救济探析

A Study of Medical Relief under the Old Poorness Law in England

旧济贫法体制下英格兰的医疗救济以教区为基本单位、以贫民为救济对象,通过为贫民支付医疗费、与医生签订承包合同、将患病穷人送往医院以及建立济贫法医院等多种并存的方式开展救济。尽管这一时期医疗救济范围较广,但仍属于一种低水平的基础医疗服务。而且旧济贫法时期的医疗救济呈现出不均衡状态,城乡之间,贫、富教区之间的差异较大。这一时期的医疗救济在一定程度上满足了穷人们的医疗需求,维系了社会的稳定。

The medical relief of the Old Poor Law in England was based on parishes and concentrated on paupers. A variety of medical relief methods coexisted, such as paying medical bills for paupers, signing medical contracts with local doctors, sending the sick poor to voluntary hospitals or dispensaries, and establishing workhouse infirmaries. Although the range was wide, medical relief during this period was still at a low level of basic medical services. Meanwhile, the medical relief of the Old Poor Law was imbalanced, there was a bigger difference among urban and rural areas, poor and rich parishes. However, the medical relief of the Old Poor Law in England satisfied the medical needs of the poor and sustained the stability of society.