, 1864-12-02
OUR SICK POOR,
Precision Msde and Needed for tho Ca1e Of
faapefd slt1ness In Cbteagc--Rspart
Of Committee Appointed by the He'd
feal Society to Heuollslize tho
Board OF Supervisors.

1-~> f~Nk
has been instructed by the Society 10 present 1t TO
the Board Of Supervisors OF Cook county. md will
probably do 80 IT the quarterly session held dur
Ing the ensuing week.
One of the distinguishing traits Of Christian
eivi1zadon and government is. that municipal
provision ts made for the protection and gecuritv
not 1y on1y Of TIC life md property Of those more
charity are thrown round the hurnblest and viIest
children OF want and sin. In great commercial
center sueh as this ctty, NTH lis immense railway
nest, and not unfrequcntly reckless energy, the
casualucs. Incident must be many, and tie dis
ttcse growing put Of them, grent indepcndent of
the much larger class that porery, yfce and crime
cast npon the tender mcIcics Of the public.
Our Orphan AEylum, Homo for the Fdendlcss,
Soldiers Home and other kindred institutions, are
standing monnments to The individual Christian
charity and libcra1ity uf our cItizeue and admou-
ish the public authorities having this matter in
charge. Of the necessity for cooperation on their
faithful economical and humane relief Of the home
less frleualeae and poverty stricken sick poor OF
or cty; Individual cd35t alone, falls tsr short
necessity for founding Aims Houses, DI9psnssries
and Hospitals for this nccessItous class Of human
beings Their example, our duty 3s ,hianthro-
nlsts a1d levers Of eood order and styl progress.
great community like this, aboanafng in every
Thing that males life desirable, In al the elements
., q, nessed Win peace nd
Prostdcace, Wou1d be recreaut to that Protecting
Power Y come suitable acknowledgment Is not
b,n be 1es y o. cF
The aid heretofore granted hy your honorable
Board will fill far short Of the requirements OF
the present, az well as OF all future time. One
Of the elck poor OF this city, who cannot avail
themselves Of my other nedica aid Is totally in
adequate, as will be shown hereafter in this ms
uior1a1 IT Ia not within the power OF one man to
give the requisite medical attention, cycn with
horse and ,ea511sge 70 Tie sick s. poor syithln The
indpee hyaiean % n to s dcvots hts whoIa @e to as 81
a1evdntfon Of tlesc suffering Eick, hut how far
$50 VII 60 toward securing the services ofa iai4-
ful and competent man, NC leave your honorable
body to Infer.
A cheap ehur:tr, that grudglnsly provides for
the wants Of the needy, when 1t has the power to
iully relieve. ia nothing but q nockcry, and un-
worthy Of an intelligent board Of municipal off,
cers. Cheap doctors, too, like dealers In cheap
fabrics. generally get f1ll vaoe for their stock IN
and the employers get--,shat they oasht to expect
when they avail themselves OF the services of
charlat:n- :n-dlsarpolntment damage 70 their pltse
Election npon he County Physician. heretofore ap
pointed by the County Board
In conclusion, ne would respectfully urge that
poor Of the community the services Of consider
uous and well educated physiclans and surgeons,
should also furnish such hospital and dispensary
facilities shal enable @ item to discharge their
the representatives. Of the people Of this city and
county; md for tho furthcrance OF this object We
beg leave 70 report for your deh6eraie and serious
consideration and adoption, the following plan:
.,lst; To establish Dispensary in each Of the
divisions Of tue city, consisting u suitable room
for the reception Of the sick; carefully selected
| cnse OF medicines, and board Of fattcnding physi
cians, one Of whom, at least, should be IN attend
| auce In the Dlspens.ry room for the purpose O.
examining and prescribing for such poor person:
as may resort there for advice, one hour each
ID. To provide one visiting physician for eact
divie1on Of the city, whose duty 1t shall be TO at
eick 10 rrtort 70 the Dszpensasy, and whose IN
| ability to pay physician shall he certified to b,
thc sapc1sisor 81 the ward in which they live, q
Such IN arran:e1Itrt wou1d he efficient and rrlE
ab1e for bringing aid within tho reach of oil wEt
might require It, aud YET ns economical a. any tina
he 5 and
require no pas-the collateral advantages dcriFc'
f;om the position being eutlclent to fnl}y compeu
to he e
Items Of expenditure attached 10 the dispcnsaric
| wouaA be tEe rent Of suitable rooms and the sup
ills supply, for one dispensary in each division Q
the city, would require very moderate apP:oprl
alton annually.
| The Visiting Physician for each division Of th
Oily shall prescribe 1er such ~ he MY caN 10 81.
at their homes, and the prescriptions for such n
tieEts shall be filled ut the 1ispcnsasy Of the al
ytsisa IN which thss I've and eash rhys!etss
expense Of keeping horse and carrtase-that Il
about 500 per annura- This amount OF compen
cation with he necessary medicines Furnished a
services Of perfectly faithful and competent yis
it!ng PHYSICIANS in each division OF The city, an
| would render the Office Of County PAysician, a
The Plan here proposed, which is sub.tsntia1l:
York md other older eeities for half century
ofthe city-except snch as have no home and mus
be provided for in hospitals-perfect1y rc1iabl
medical and surgical aid, AT the smallest possibl
e,an IN % Zach d ,!ie thrce divisions d fhe 1t
| Wou1l make an aggregate Of but tribe more tina
the S:5o now paid TO one county physician for tni
| city: while the additional expense of fornishin
medicines, 6e.. for three disptnaarics tone In eac
division} would scarcely increase the assta:ct
| expense of the whole system to more thaa s., %
or g. ECO annualfy.
Ihat eotncthius should he done by the Board g
Supervisors. is apparent to the most careless ot
server. The simple appointment Of Count
eick poor, and jurntsA his o,cn tn4diciats on
salary Of stfen 1und-td ard atty doI!e-.. Is tiE
ply amockery-thc sura paid him not being suh
nothing Of having one 1aaa within Tho reach Of Ii
sick poor Of puul1t3on Of lta ooo, scattered ovt
FL hs5s 1 s9 Ct soas %
tons.
The first is In re.ation to such aick pnar a. hay
neither home nor friends to take cs,cc of then
For such tonae kind Of hospital accommodation
The ps
sending such persons OF this class as are too efc
10 be safely removed to the a1r1shunse to the Me
e. hospital, to be gcated and earsd ;oE at stips
| point Of view this arrangement is better than
would bc to n1aintain general hospital At publ
expense. But how t. avo!d outlay and eIpvns
/ NT7I mot HnEY mn fan n
ton; but how, within the range Of specified pow
ers and financial ability: to effect the creates
amount Of eooc; For shis end, then, ~e woa,
to procure under the auspices OF your Board,
hospital building Of rEitah1o Dimensions, and tl,s
provision be made for the faithful aud economic.
at the fnetancc OF the Board Of Health, erected
large and commodious Hospital at IN expense Q
$4o0a which is now diverted to the use Of h
| Cuited States Government We have reason to be
licsc that it can be procured By yon+ for the p9s
poscs OF the country until such time az statc lcgis
laion can ehnpc and authorize apolicy, IA relation
Intnsutate with the wants. md worthy Of IN Undue
tsioue, entcrprtssng md Christian community. Bu
II the present arrnngementis to be continued. SON
more systematic and liberal provision should b
made for the care Of those who are transferred Il
| the Almshousc. Suitable roons for sick ward
should be set apurt in that establishment espccl
ally for The sick placed under the superintendent
Of competent person, and supplied r~ith pro
/ pcrly selected coac OF medicines. The Idea tina
| the visftfng physician to the Almslouse shoult
va Fl Gh s not apPny Pn:yTcy s a
q great Injustice 10 tue paucfRs. 1tie not posi-
D}e for physician either to carfJ IN adequate rs
q xn th n Or t.
| until he examines them. Hence It often happen'
that patients are passed by from time to time with
ont treatment o. sEc supplied With medicines ba
they are the best the doctor happens to have will
| him at the time.
| The remaining topics to which re wonld call yo9'
| aminatfons and give evidence before coroncr'f
/ juries md other courts. Such examinations AMI
| subsequent testimony alaayE consume mnch val
| unble time which the educated physician can NJ
/ more afford to loose without just Compensation
II Fl sf the I'll ay s
s eaaai1s veil I per per!ermea y either of The yisitta
proposed. Or that the ends Of Justice might b
! better ecrvcd, the guilty punished and the lnno
cent shielded, yonT board might appoint annual
astiv1 aaatoaist M and IN Experienced patholosis
as mcdicolcgal examiner for Cook county, who's
duty it shall be to make all necessary examin.
Shsn s1ad 1sep
cac6 ca-e, in a book furnished for the purpos.
For each post Horten he shall receive - DO
1nrH; provided, that not more than--dousi
Justice and public honor both require that
fair compensation should be h1cd ~ 5o1r n0no
| ahie hoiy for each examination. The duty pc
formed is always an unpleasant ono, and otte
dangerous from contact with animal polsons. az
rho1id receive a. fair and cheerful q compens
lion as is afforded for the services Ct the Legal pr
fees,on in matters Of equal respcnsibiI{{t.: "
ns s;S Plsa sel q
M 1i shs s ncdieal profession or tue sttY ask TO-
honorable BODY to gise II that T. csrsinl @ consider
hod " tSe plSn itsclf shonld meet your approx!
such eolla1srn! details, As TIE node Of selee,nE
heGniuc proper records, and the rendering OF re
nioi onartcrfy reports, 80 to guard against
, abuscs or negligence, eau easily be arranged
Ali oi which ie respectfully sabtnitted.
! r. C. HAuuL, hi. D. n. S. DAVIS, n D.
A. Il. THOMPSON, Il. D. g. c. PAoL1, II. D.
, JouN BAErLET1, II. d.