Health Care and the Constitution: What You Need to Know

Medicine and Healthcare in the 1780s and 1790s 

In the 1780s and 1790s, there were physicians who used to offer medical services, although they were very few. An example is Dr. Shippen, who operated in Philadelphia (Allen, 2016). He was skilled in surgery, anatomy, and obstetrics, and since there were few medical professionals, he handled a huge number of patients. However, while patients could pay for medical services in exchange for various products, many individuals lacked the means to access adequate health care. As a result, individuals who had access to more resources could afford and access healthcare, unlike the poor. The situation was similar across the US, despite the fact that epidemics such as smallpox were frequently contracted by poor communities that could not afford the vaccines. One factor that contributed to this problem is the limited number of healthcare personnel across the entire US, given that the first medical school was established in 1765. The number of professionals was low compared to the demand for their services. 

Argument for Healthcare as A Right to All Citizens 

As a contributor, I would point out the negative effects of medical epidemics and the impact that they have on the United States population. During the American Revolutionary War, there was an outbreak of small pox, and this led to the death of thousands both in the war and across the country (Henderson, 2017) . The problem could have been solved by smallpox inoculation that was introduced to the US in the 1780s, but many citizens could not afford this medication, leading to continued death from conditions that could be avoided. Based on such circumstances, it was important that the constitution include ways by which citizens who lacked these basic medical services could have access to them. Unless this protection is included in the constitution, the chances are high that low-income earners would continue suffering from ailments that can easily be treated. 

My next argument would be to explain that the future of the country depends on the health and well-being of all its citizens. The nation requires able-bodied people who will actively be involved in the nation-building process and to fight its wars. All of these objectives can only be achieved when the nation makes it compulsory for all its citizens to have access to healthcare. 

Perception When Writing the Constitution 

At the time, many people would not understand the relationship between the prosperity of the country and the health of the citizens. According to other contributors, the main issue that was to be discussed was the structures that were required to ensure that the nation could govern itself. Up to this point, the nation relied on European structures for governance, some of which were not practical for the country. Additionally, some of the freedoms outlined in the Bill of Rights were thought to safeguard all aspects of humanity to ensure that everyone was treated justly. These include freedom of speech, religion, assembly, and free press (Cogan, 2015). 

Whether I would be considered an ethical and responsible citizen will depend on my ability to explain my argument to the other contributors. Most of them had a first-hand encounter with other aspects of the Bill of Rights, such as facing religious restrictions or being arrested for their religious views. From these experiences, they understood the importance of these rights and fought to ensure that they featured in the constitution. On the other hand, few people could foresee medical emergencies, and this resulted in the issue not being taken seriously by other contributors. I, therefore, believe that many of them would have trouble accepting that my argument was in the best interests of the country while there were more urgent matters to be handled. 

References 

Allen, E. (April, 2016). Paying the Doctor in the 18 th -Century Philadelphia. Library of Congress . 

https://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2016/04/paying-the-doctor-in-18th-century-philadelphia/ 

Cogan, N. H. (2015).  The complete Bill of Rights: The drafts, debates, sources, and origins . 

Oxford University Press. 

Henderson, D. A. D. (2017). Smallpox eradication: Leadership and legacy.  The Journal of 

infectious diseases ,  215 , 673-6.