Medical Care—More or Less?

Edward Long Fox, B.A., D.M., F.R.C.P. was born in 1832 in Brislington. His father was a doctor, and both his uncle Henry Hawes Fox, and grandfather, Edward Long Fox, had been physicians to the Bristol Royal 'nfirmary. His grandfather founded an asylum in Brislington and was interested in mesmerism, but also achieved fame by having 22 children! With this background you will not be entirely surprised that Dr. Edward was elected to the staff at the age of 25, the year in which he qualified from Oxford! Consultants a century later are seldom appointed before the age of 35, but do not have to retire until 65, whereas Dr. Fox had to retire after 20 years on the staff, according to the rules of the day. He lived lr> Church House, Clifton and became medical officer to the College. He gave the Bradshaw lecture at The Royal College of Physicians in 1882 on 'The 'nfluence of the sympathetic on disease.' He wrote articles on chorea and the spleen, central nervous system diseases and phthisis. He was an able, laborious, unselfish and generous Physician and philanthropist 'He loved his Profession and fellow creatures'. He devoted himself to stemming an outbreak of typhus in East Bristol, to the detriment of his small but growing practice. He was interested in tuberculosis and helped promote the establishment of Winsley Sanatorium. He realised the lrriPortance of a medical library and raised ?1,200 at a dinner in Queen's Hotel, Clifton in 1888. He was a Member of the Bristol Medical Reading Society which had started in 1807 and still thrives today. Not least ?t his generous actions was the annual strawberry tea Party which he gave to medical students and Practitioners. 'He had the knack of appearing to consult his senior pupils in the way which was very flattering, and even when he did not accept their opinions, he was so adroit that students frequently thought he was following their suggestions when, in fact, he was adopting quite a different line of treatment' he should have been a politician! He suffered from gout for 20 years alcohol c?uld not be blamed as he was abstemious, and President of the National Temperance League! He