The "Medical Relief Disqualification Removal Bill" is in a rather
critical position at the present moment. The Govern- ment, who took care to overbid Mr. Jesse Collings in the Bill they brought in, have this week been pulled up sharp, either by Lord Salisbury, or by some capricious qualm of conscience in the spirit of Mr. Arthur Balfour ; and on Tuesday night, or rather on Wednesday morning, they refused to let their Bill cover food or stimulants ordered by the parish doctor and paid for out of the rates, though it is to cover strictly medical relief. In fact, they drew a distinction without a difference between medical relief and medical comforts,—as though chemical food or cod-liver oil, for instance, could be classed as anything but medicines, and yet they are medicines which contribute more to feed those whom they happen to suit, than bread itself would. However, on Wednesday morning the Parnellites, who are of course bound to support in England the relaxations of the Poor Law which they insist on in Ireland, were persuaded to leave the House before the division, and the Government triumphed by a majority of three. But on Thursday this majority of three became a minority of fifty, Mr. Jesse Collings carrying his clause by 180 to 130.
