How the Poor Die (George Orwell)

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(13) “How the Poor Die”

(George Orwell)

GENERAL INTRODUCTION:
“How the Poor die” is a very interesting and thought provoking essay written by
George Orwell. He is a famous British essayist, novelist, critic and journalist. He is a keen observer of
social deprivation and injustice. This is a fine example of the objectivity of his art.
Main idea of the story:

(theme)
In this essay, the writer has described the horrible conditions and
inhuman atmosphere in the public wards of the hospitals and especially a French hospital. His tone is
satirical and ironical towards the doctors and the behavior of the staff. This essay is based on his personal
experience of his stay in a French Hospital for several weeks.
Summary:
We can discuss the main points of this essay in a following way:
(1). Writer’s admission to the hospital:
In the year 1929, the writer spent several weeks in a French Hospital of Paris. The clerk put him through
the third degree at the reception desk. He had to answer different questions for about 20 minutes. After this
interview, he could not stand on his feet. Many other patients were waiting for their turn. At last, he was
admitted to the hospital for the treatment of pneumonia. First of all, he was given bath because it was a
complete routine for all the new comers. His cloths were taken away and he was made to sit in 5 inches of warm
water. Then he was given a night shirt and a dressing gown’s no slippers could fit his feet, he was taken in
to the ward barefoot which was 200 yards away. He was shivering with cold.
(2) The condition in the public wards:
The condition in the public ward was very poor. The long room was ill-lit and the beds were too close. A
doctor and a student were applying cupping to a poor patient to draw blood. Then the doctor came to the writer
and treated him as if he were an animal. The operation of cupping was also performed on the writer. Poultice
was placed on his wounds by a nurse. It was removed after few minutes and a water proof pillow packed with ice
was placed beneath his head. He could not sleep throughout the night. Nurses came woke the patients up and
took their temperature. At 8 o clock, they were given vegetable soup as breakfast. The doctor attended the
patients only to teach the students. As the patients in the General Ward were very poor and could not pay any
money, they were not treated like human beings. The two medical students nearly killed the patient by on
operation on him. The death of a patient was announced by calling his number. The writer thinks that death by
violence was far better than by disease in such a hospital.
(3)Public Wards in English Hospital:
The writer compares the public wards in English Hospital and in French Hospital. The condition in English
Hospital is much better, Patients are well attended and they do not die like animals. In English Hospital, the
nurses are well disciplined and large in number. The condition of rooms is also quite satisfactory here.
CONCLUSION:
In the end, we can say that writer has very beautifully and realistically described his own experience of a
French Hospital. He has very sincerely narrated this essay to throw high on the miserable plight of the
patients especially in French Hospital. He has also described the difference between French Hospitals and
English Hospitals to prove that English Hospitals are quit advance

UNIVERSITY QUESTION:
Q: How does the writer was a difference between the hospital in the 19th century and those in the 20th
century?
(OR)
Q: The hospital where the writer was admitted was the hospital where the atmosphere of the 19th century had
survived?
Explain:
Answer: G.I or Theme + The writer as admitted to the French Hospital for the treatment of pneumonia. He was
terrified to see the miserable condition of the patients there. He concludes that it was hospital where the
condition of the 19th century had survived.
Before the latter part of the 19th century, hospital was regarded as a dirty and underground prison. It was a
place of filth, torture and death. Only the poor and helpless people would have thought of going to such a
place for treatment. The whole business of doctoring was looked on with horror by ordinary people. Surgery was
believed to be the cutting up the parts of the body; it was even confused with necromancy. Even the kings were
afraid of surgeon’s knife. In the literature of the 19th century surgeons were called butcher and sawyers.
Operations were performed without chloroform or anesthetics and antiseptics area turning point in the field of
medicine and surgery. Now the poor people of working classes can get proper treatment

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