THE GOLDEN BOOK OF
First and foremost in King Edward's desire for the betterment of his poorer subjects, stood the ancient question of Hospitals—always over-full, always under financial difficulties. The establishment of the "Prince of Wales' Hospital Fund for London" was the noblest and surest memorial of his mother's Diamond Jubilee. Inaugurated in 1897 this fund in three years had reached a total of about £367,000. "It's fundamental idea was to raise the standard of Hospital work," and to improve the general efficiency of certain institutions through systematic inspection by visiting committees of recognised business ability. And the vast improvement which has been wrought by these means is entirely due to the originator of the Fund. For, perhaps, of all King Edward's wise and witty sayings, none is more forcible than that regarding "preventible diseases." "If preventable, why not prevented?" There is the King's philosophy in a nutshell.
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