The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-13
NEW YORK DIsPENsARIEs.

Work Accomplished by These Institutions
During the Past Year-I2esuIts ms COM
pared with the Year Previous-Decrcasing
Mortality and Its Causes-New Institutions
Organized.
Prominently renowned as is our city for its mag
nifcent charities it has none more noble and de-
serving than its dispensaries; none more noble for
the principles Of broad and universal philanthropy
upon which they are based and conducted; none
deserving the practical sympathies and foster
ing OF the public for their devotion to the
OF INDECENT humanity, and the vast and almost meal
culabe benefits resulting from their combined efforts
to administer needed succor to the impoverished sick
and thereby preventing not only increasing morta
ty but securing to the ciy-ther grandest and high
est mission, which they have most successfully ac-
omplished-exemption from contagious diseases.
Through these channels medical attention and medi
cnes daily furnished free Of cost to OF thou
sands who otherwise would have to become inmates
Of our almshouses IN order to secure such needed
attentions, which they are unable to pay for, and
thus become an expensive burden to the city. With
the enlargement OF our city boundaries, and with
the expansion Of our population and trade and
wealth and commercial importance, these charities
have multiplied The fact speaks volumes for the hu-
name benevoence OF private citizens for except
ing paltry annual donations from the city and State
they are wholly supported by private contributions.
IL Ii not to be expected that our Common Council
with all its greed for gain, our State Legislature
with the same pcrverse pecuniary procvities, will
bestow much attention upon matters Of charity. 1t
h gratifying to know that Notwithstanding this
however, these institutions do exist; that our Inn
poverished sick are not neglected. and left to perish
IN their crowded tenement abOdes and miserable
atIcs and damp Easements for want Of the medicines
and care that would keep them alive, and that for
all such there are hearts pulsating With sympathy
and purses ever open for their benefit. There are
Most have their hands fall OF business-more,
In fact than they can really attend to, which &C.
class. The last published reports, though some Of
the new institutions have not yet published any re-
ports, show an aggregate OF is4, 72l sick persons
visited ana attended upon last year, including
oOss vaccinated ana $685. f4e as the number OF pre-
Scorpions issued. For the present year there win
happily be decrease In these aggregates Not only
the statements or tue surgeons In charge Of the var
0us institutions show this, but the returns made by
the registers OF vital statistics Of the. Board or
Health also show It, The vigilance OF these insttu-
lions and the energetic action Of the Board Of Health
during the past year to preserve the public health
contributed TO this gratifying result. Too much.
therefore, cannot be said for these institutions They
do their work promptly and well.
All our city dspensares are similarly conducted,
aud the daily scenes presented OF each counter
part Of one another. Some, OF course, have fine
buildings and better appointments but at the same
hours begin and close tie days work, and those
the same classes OF patients thin-featured old men
and women with deeply wrinked faces and bent
forms tottering the borders OF the grave; young
girls, the hectic blush whose cheeks betokens the
consuming fires OF internal disease; pale, weakly
mothers whose cares will soon be ended, bearing
clacated children In their arms; men OF middle
are, shorn by lnsidious disease OF their manhood
vgor soldiers OF the war, whom the fatigues OF long
marches and privattOns and exposures OF proracted
army life, though sparng their lives and limbs have
broken down In heath servant girls with nexplicabe
stitches In their Sides young men rendered almost
breathess and exhausted by the least physical
cise young children VINO cannot tell their ailments,
but whose prematurey old looks tell 'an DER true
tale' OF lack OF sustaining food and kindly care.
The name. address, age, nativity and occupation OF
each are recorded with the treatment. AZ they de-
part numbered card In given them, stating the day
and hour they must return, so that the history OF
every case and their progressive condition can DO
carefully kept Most Of these classes are attended
TO during the forenoon. Meantime visiting physi-
clans, having taken the names and addresses OF
those requiring TO be visited, set out on their
missions OF mercy 10 the abodes OF sickness.
From one till two In the afternoon is given to
mothers with infants There are long rows Of these
mothers and aing infants-the most pitlful speota-
Gle Of all TO be seen. As two O'Clock approaches the
number OF patients greatly increases. Al this hour
physicians are present 10 prescribe for diseases OF
women, the eye and ear, the skim the head and
bowels, and TO operate insurgery. The house phys-
clan Ia employed In the reception rooms In classify
ing the patients aud directing them to the room ap
propriated to their complaint The scene presents
10 the visitor confused medley OF ago. sex and ala
orders, ret 70 systematized IL Tue whole that each