LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
UNIVERSAL " ALL-IN " INSURANCE.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
SIn,—Your readers will doubtless greatly appreciate the publi- cation of the _Alternative Schemes for "All-in" Insurance now put forward for consideration. In each scheme there is, to my mind, a serious defect, the omission under. Medical Benefit of provision for Institutional treatment of all serious and severe injuries and -diseases the worker. is subject to. To maintain
efficiency and to prevent to the greatest possible extent
crippling results from injuries and diseases, large extensions of the hospital system as it exists to-day will be required. The present capacity of the voluntary -hospitals, those with and those without medical schools, and of all the first-class Poor Law Infirmaries of the large cities is totally inadequate to meet the present, let alone the future, demand in this direction. Large general hospitals are, and will be, needed in convenient centres, not only -to supplement the existing, but also to supplant a large number of the smaller voluntary hospitals. The adoption of a policy with the above object should, in course of time, lead to the conversion of many centrally and conveniently placed hospitals of small. capacity into maternity hospitals, the greatest social need of the day. .And assuredly, maternity hospitals in sufficient numbers and capacity would be attended with very great and incredible benefits for man, wife and child.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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