A VISIT TO WOUNDED SOLDIERS. 175 their Royal Highnesses should have become impressed with the value of the facilities afforded to the people of England, and especially to the members of the middle classes, by the London Fever Hospital. His Royal Highness presided at an annual festival, on 14th June. It came to his knowledge that this most useful Institution, which provides excellent accommodation for the non-pauper class, had had to sell nearly £5000 of its limited invested capital to meet expenses, owing to the recent great strain upon its resources. It was represented to the Prince that many direct and indirect benefits would result from his patronage, amongst them being the wider circle of supporters which would in consequence be gained, and the greater appreciation of the Hospital arising from the increased use which would be made of it. His Royal Highness at once assented to the request that he should preside at the festival dinner, which proved so successful that the whole of the capital expended was replaced. It is an interesting fact, in connection with the London Fever Hospital, that 492 medical practitioners and nurses who have contracted fever in the discharge of their duties to the people at large have been treated within the Institution, and that of this number about 13 per cent., or 82 persons, have died. Once again the Prince took occasion to show his personal sympathy with the defenders of our country and nation, by visiting the wounded soldiers who had recently returned from Egypt, and who were under treatment at the Military Hospital attached to the Regent's Park Barracks. In the same connection, and with the same object, he went to Chelsea in June, in order to be present at a Garden Fête held at the Royal Hospital in that place, the inmates of which have been so graphically portrayed by Mr. Hubert Herkomer, R.A., in his famous picture, "Sunday at Chelsea Hospital: the Last Muster". Another trifling but pleasant incident of the year was the visit paid by His Royal Highness and the Princess to the Ascot Cottage Hospital, a small but useful institution, where many a favourite rider has passed from pain, through convalescence, to recovery. No better example of the considerate and thoughtful kindness of their Royal Highnesses could be adduced, as it proves that when pursuing their pleasures they are mindful of the needs and sufferings of those who minister to their enjoyments. The children came in for a large share of patronage this year, the Prince presiding at a festival dinner at the Victoria Hospital for Sick Children, in March; and both being present at the opening of the Brighton Children's Hospital, in July; at the laying of the foundation stone of the great Ormond Street Hospital, in the same month; and at the opening of the St. Leonards Convalescent Home for Children, of which they became patrons. There are no class of sufferers who should enlist the earnest sympathy of all healthy and thoughtful people more than those who are afflicted by incurable diseases. Unfortunately, owing to the very few institutions established in England for the relief of this class, and the consequent pressure upon the beds, the existing system of admission is, as a rule, only obtainable by election: that is to say, HOMES FOR INCURABLES. 177 before any candidate, however urgent his needs, can be admitted to the benefits which the institutions afford, a very considerable number of votes must be obtained from the governors who support these charities. The result of this system is that friends have to incur much expense in postage, printing, canvassing, and in other ways; and so, almost inevitably, the sufferings of the incurable case are increased. It not infrequently happens that, owing to the very serious delay which is entailed by this system, and through the undue proportion of the applicants as compared with the vacancies, the patients die before admission can be procured for them. It is much to be wished that some benefactor of the race could have his attention directed to the very serious state of affairs arising from the circumstances alluded to. Then we might soon have a large and well-found Hospital for Incurables, which would be free to urgent and deserving cases, whilst it provided adequate pensions for those whose friends could afford to pay something towards their treatment and maintenance. At one time or another assistance has been received by the two chief Institutions for Incurables-that at Clapham, and that at Putney. The Prince is connected with the former, the British Home for Incurables, which he visited in July, 1882, and of which he subsequently became patron. In the course of 1888 a Danish fête was held in England for the benefit of this Institution, which received the support of their Royal Highnesses, and resulted in the addition of some thousands of pounds. to the funds of the charity. The Prince and Princess attended the opening ceremony, at which His Royal Highness pointed out that the exhibition had been promoted as a compliment to themselves, in commemoration of the anniversary of their wedding-day, because the Institution in aid of which it had been established was the first with which the Princess became connected after her arrival in England. The British Home for Incurables is most meritorious and useful, and it is worthy of remembrance that the King of Denmark sent over one of his war-ships in honour of the occasion. At a dinner held in the evening £5000 was subscribed. At the time of the Prince's first visit, the British Home for Incurables was in very great pecuniary distress, and it is pleasant to be able to record, on the authority of one who takes an active interest in its welfare, that the benefits of the Prince of Wales' patronage have proved to be very considerable, and that the career of prosperity and development which the Institution has enjoyed was opened up from that time, and has continued to the present. One feature of the work seems specially to have commended itself to the Prince, and its practical usefulness and many advantages cannot be questioned. It is the system of maintaining out-pensioners, by which pensions are provided in certain cases for those who have friends who are willing and able to have an incurable invalid with them, provided that a small annual sum is regularly forthcoming to defray the extra expenses incident by the care and treatment of the patient. This practice has been found to work admirably, and is very greatly appreciated, not only by the patients who become pensioners, but by their friends and relatives. In the autumn of this year the Smoke Abatement Exhibition was opened at South Kensington, at which manufacturers were invited to show and explain all the appliances which were then available for the purpose of removing or lessening the evils arising from the aggregation of buildings on limited areas, in crowded centres, and resulting directly from smoke. There can be no question that every year the atmosphere becomes more and more unbearable when the Fog-demon asserts his presence in the Metropolis. Nothing daunted by these experiences, or possibly because of them, the Prince of Wales visited the Smoke Abatement Exhibition, and found occasion to express his sympathy with the objects of the promoters, and his sincere wish that they might be crowned with success. Alas for poor human effort! Despite the enthusiasm which the Exhibition evoked, and the innumerable writings upon the subject which appeared at the time, London, as we have already remarked, still suffers, and seems doomed to go on suffering, in an ever-increasing degree, from the baneful and depressing influences of fog and smoke. Among all the varied impressions produced by travel on different minds, there is one which seems always to be felt by all who have visited foreign cities all agree in saying that the opportunities possessed by residents of all classes in foreign cities for outdoor amusements are in marked contrast with those which are available at home. It has been our misfortune to be obliged to inspect extensive districts in |