Physicians, medical relief and sickness funds in Belgium in the nineteenth century. In the nineteenth century a large part of the population was dependent on medical relief as well as on sickness funds for access to medical care. In both cases medical doctors were confronted with similar problems as far as organisation and payment were concerned. However, the major grievance of the medical organizations and the medical press centred on their relation with the sickness funds. Physicians felt that sickness funds posed a serious threat to their market situation, first because the number of funds was growing rapidly and they could count on political support Second, the sickness funds threatened to reduce the number of private clients in those towns and regions were there was already an oversupply of physicians. Last but not least, doctors felt the working conditions offered by the sickness funds were poorer and their autonomy less than in medical relief. Only strong medical unions could counter the growing power of sickness funds. This article begins with a general overview of the extent of poverty and the organisation of poor relief in Belgium in the nineteenth century. Secondly, attention is focused on the development of the sickness funds. The position of medical doctors within both sectors is outlined briefly. The article concludes with a comparison between attitudes of doctors towards medical relief and sickness funds at the turn of the century.