Although we complain about the NHS we all have access to medical treatment Things were so different in Victorian days. It depended entirely on whether you had money and if so, how much. Life threatening illnesses affected everyone, but the treatment depended on your social class.

The wealthy would receive private medical treatment, middle classes could either pay for their treatment or go to one of the specialist hospitals. The working classes may receive treatment from charitable hospitals but for the poor the only option was the workhouse infirmary.

The average length of stay in hospital was for six weeks. Three meals a day and plenty of bed rest was better than any medicine. These patients were the lucky ones who qualified for charity hospitals. Others were turned away as they either had enough money to pay for a doctor or were receiving poor relief so they were sent to the workhouse infirmary.

This continued to be a common problem of the working and middle classes well into the 1930's but it did not mean they could afford to pay for treatment; women and children went without until it was too late for a cure.

Most hospitals operated the same policy with a ticket system for a length of stay for six weeks. This ticket could only be renewed by the surgeon or physician who was looking after you. In many cases patients went from hospital to convalescent homes.

There were rules for both patients and visitors and strict visiting hours which were operated by a ticket system at most hospitals which entitled a patient to receive no more than two visitors.

Now we do not have to worry about finding the money to go into hospital as since the introduction of the NHS everyone is entitled to treatment.