The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-03-11

&1n NEW hV8A Whot mNoA&h
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Ehs sixsy-dirh Annual Report-Interesting
Statement I'm Reference to the Poor or New
York.
The annual report of this valuable institution has
lust boon Issued, and it contains many facts and
suggestions In reference to the condition Of the Ia
boring classes in our city, publish 1t this morn
Ing In full The propristy Of making the dissrio,
physicians perform the duty Of Health Wardens, il
q suggestion that merits attention.
New York has five dispensaries, all arranged upor
the same plan, and which have increased In number
as the CITY extended IT'S limits in order that the sich
poor may, without Inconvenience be supplied with
medical care. The perfection Of the system is the
admiration OF strangers, and the amount of good
done is immensei yet we believe that 1t Is Little
their connection with these insttu lions, have be-
come familiar with the quality and extent OF their
usefulness
The mother institution is our own--"the New
York Dispensary." She has now reached her sixty
fifth year. and has annually between forty five and
fifty thousand patients under her charge, viz:
Attended at Dispep sary. .2S,336
Attended at their homes. Observation-Disclosures. 1888
Number ysccinated. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1858
Cupping and dentristry patients. .......... 6,lS5
Total. Observation-Disclosures. .46,052
The announcement of this fact ia suggestive Of its
Importance, aud we would ON this occasion. give
some general outline Of its abors in order to satisfy
our patrons, and, possible, excite ge neral inter
est In its gu ppor which it's quiet benefcenca Is not
calculated to attract At this period OF srcial
disaster, when provisions are high, the winter So
we're, and many deprived Of employment, and &c.
neral movement is manifested by the charitable TO
aid the needy i is appropriate that We should show
the good work the Dispensary is engaged in.
Undoubtedly we shall have lar yely increased
number thrown upon our bounty who, in ordinary
times would have been able to provide their own
Situated at the corner Of White and Centre streets
the New York Dispensary Is designed to furnish
medical attendance to the poor In this thickly set
tied portion Of the city. The building Is three-sto
rie6 In height. The first floor is divided for two
large reception rooms, one for the male and the
other for the female patients, who are able to come
to the dispensary not being i'll enough to require
attendance at their homes At the northera side Of
this floor Is the apothecarys shop, which has win
dow looking into each reception room, through
which prescriptions are passed and medicines re-
ceived. Communicating with the reception rooms
are smaller roomR-the consulting rooms where the
south side of the first floor is the dentistry cuppng
and bleeding room, and adjoining this, large room
called the house physicians room, where the regis
ter for district patients Is kept and where the vac
cinati0n Ia performed. The rest of the building,
with the exception Of the trustees on the &C.
cond -four, and small part Of the base ment, which
is occupied by the person who has the care Of the
building Is rented and is one Of the sources Of profit
to the institution.
The medical staff consists Of twenty physicians,
fo0ows:-The house physician and assistant house
phSeician, ten attending physicians and six district
physicians. In addition to these, there are two
other attending physicians, who are not appointed
to any particular post, but who stand ready at mo-
ments warning, to ill any vacancy that may occur.
Besides these there are an apothecary and an assist
ant sp0thecary.
The house physician has the general superntend-
ence Of the Dlspensary, and, under the trustees is
the chief executive officer. His especial business IL
to enter In the register the names Of all app ,ants
who require medical attendance at their houses; to
report TO the trustees monthly and also at the exp
ration OF every year, to have charge Of the vacoina
ton, and always keep on hand full supply Of vac.
cine matter for the use Of the Dispensary and for
sale.
During the last year it was directed tina. the sum
Of twenty five cents should bs demanded from each
patient vaccinated as guaranty OF their return to
The DBpensary the seventh day after the operation
was performed, when the sum should be refunded;
but in the person vaccinated did not return il
was to be forfeited to the Dispensary. The rule
became necessary from the indifference Of parents
or from their prejudice against having matter taken
from their children; so that the house physician, to
his great Inconvenience, was obliged to seek for
them at their dwellings,, in order to keep sufficient
supply for the demand made upon him. This regu.
lation has ,Iked WE'LL and ought to be continued.
The vaccination department Is one Of the most
important that can bs established in any large city,
for 1t Ia the only safeguard against that most terri
BILE Of all calsmities, the ravages Of the smallpox
NO one can lsll 70 appreciate sne goou done, Wnen
informed Of the extent to which it is practosd aud
the care here taken in its performance. This de.
partment alone, 30 beneficial 10 rich and poor,
ought to interest every individual Of the community
and make the Dispensary popular.
A statement OF O few facts will show that our
encomiums are not exaggerated The present
house physician, Dr. Parkinson, has now held
this office for thirteen years. during which time he
has fitted himself for the post by acquiring know
ledge Of the French, German, and Danish Ian
guagee 90 a to be able to converse with the pa
tients in these different tongues. For the last nine
years he has introduced system of lettering in the
register, opposite to the name Of ca III person vac
cinated. 80 as to be able TO account for all the
virus used, aud trace it back from patient to pa
tient through this long period of time =
Ao,>u mid Dienens1ry