New-York tribune., 1873-03-14
PHYSICIANS TO THE POOR.

THE CITY.
Nev-york has wide-reaching reputation
n, v,eledness aud the deduction Is seldom made lnat
a. 4. the worst city the Union simply because II ~ the
targes and that virtues are as marked as It's wees
An charitable aud philanthropc enterprises il IL uuri-
led and vet IT'S good works done so quietly through
an. agency Of old and well organized institutions that
they almost escape notice The public has vague dea
for instance that the poor mnistered unto IN hous
M .icsness but II fails realize how well this work Is
aone for chariys sake by the dspensaes and kndreu
,p,tutops in various paris Of the city There are more
than twenty-five Of these institutions in this city, AT
which over 25O0O patients received treatment aS' !c'
=, an expense to the public treasury Of only S'V~
Abost 1000 poor people treated last year by the
xesident district physicians OF whom there are lS The
Legislature OF 1869 created this body. These disuc'
Khyscians receive 5000 year. The services oil tueSe
phvseiaus are iu hte demand, the majority not having
on an average one patient day. Where apph''u'S ."
for medical aid the superintendent OF thc ou'uVo pVO
tssues an order 20 the resident physician o 'ne
Go visit the patient The patient. in order 10 on'So
.oaioira is obliged 10 send 10 Of the three meuelhe
Sepots at Centre-st, Bellevue Hospital ana inc NeS
ninth-st Hospital, the resident. physicians ha'"s O
.toek OF medicines. Very much more Saocohpisnou" ny
,ne Rpreau of Medical and Surgical Relief, under the
.pspices Of the Commissioners OF CsaHtes ana Coi-
~,,on in the dlspensary at Bellevue Hospital
nearly oooO patients are treated during the year.
and more than 5OOO prescriptions are olS
vepsed Work is also done by the OspenSafles
attached TO various churches, but still the greatest part
nj the good accomplished is 10y the regular dispensare
These institutions are situated different parts OF the
aty and are generally under the control OF boards o
trustees They have rule, full boards OF attending
whiting and consulting surgeons. The attending pnySl'
sjans are at the dspeusaTes during specned hOus anu
attend, TO all cases brought before them The visiting
phy scans the homes Of poor patients VINO are uh
able 20 call at dspensaries The services OF consult
ing phy sicans secured in difficult cases The physi
attached TO the dspensares are generay men oi
culture and ability and OF good standing III the pro
fession With the exception Of the house ana visiting
physicians they render service gratuousy An apothe-
cary connected with each dispensary prepares
the medicines prescribed by the physicians Inc
average cost per patient at wen feg~
lated dispensa5y does not exceed 20 cents
II the destitute sick whom dspeDsares minister were
compelled to thrOug hospitals and almshouses, the rate
of disbursements Of these institutions remaining as at
present expense would amount 70 $5OOGO annually
But advantages Of these institutions in the presefVa
ton Of general health OF the city are due 10 te
bass OF their organization The diSpensary physician
from his fre6ucnt visits 10 the abOdes OF the destitute
sek ia among the first TO discover the presence OF an
.pidemic The diseases which are most TO be appre-
hepded first appear the abodcs where the dispensary
physician is wont to go, and bis opportunities Tor OBJ
scrvaon precede those Of other guardians OF the
public health
The dispensary system OF this city began with the
establishment Of the New-YOrk DspensaTy in l79o For
laBy years the officers of this institution were able TO
attend all the sick poor; but as the city grew the
Number of its destitute sck increased, and now there
are more than these institutions, treating an
uuay over 100000 patients. The prominent facts
connected with nearly every dspensary Of this city VIII
~ found below.
THE CITY's DIsPENsARIEs.
The New.YOrk Dspenssry. at Center and Whitests, Is
tbe Oldest this class of medical charities not only 10
the city but in the state 1t established in 1890 and
incorporated April g. 1925. The whole number of pa
t1ents treated last year Js45 Of whom Sl269 we're
indoors, while 74OO3 prescriptions were hied
There treated 1853 OF dental surgery and 2n4
persoDs we're vaccnsted and virus was furnished for
the vaccination OF lOsS1 persons The vaccine matter
Il obtained from stock farm owned by the dispensary.
and is sent all over the country The dispensaIy y stn
Abe number of It's patients Is continually increasing from
"a physicians, four visiting physlclans nouse pg
seaR and assistant, and dental surgeon Inc ulsPeh-
n1s and te SSo@e from its real estate Its affairs are
economically managed by board of trustees, Of whom
The Northern Dspensary, at waverley-place and
Nov @ ISIS During The past year 1883 patients were
treated and 23970 prescriptions were nled Inc ,neol
cal staff consists OF one house surgeon iGur e0nsulng
visiting aud eighteen attending physelahs, one
apOhecary and his assistant The income OF tne usen-
say derived largely nom pTfate gts auu .ne ,
esf permanent fund. II was among the nrst 10
classify patients ana to place them under the charge
physicians educated in special lines IT rs governed
dent
The Eastern DspensaTy. Grand and Essex sts, was
founded in 1872 and incorporated April 25 OF the same
eouests and by the interest on its Investments. The
number OF treated during the past year was
a5el0 among winch 67A vaccinations Vaccine
matter was supplied for over 100000 patients. Thirty
nine thousand prescriptions dispensed IL Is gov
srued by board OF trustees VIM Coolidge being the
President, aud is working among crowded population
attending, house, and three visiting pbys
eiaHs, - well as apOtheCary.
The DemiH Dspensary, founded by association Of
benevolent in 1851 and Incorporated under the
law In March, 1851 Is situated at SecOndaNe ana
Twenty hIdst during tne past year zoovz edses W.
treated indoors, while 5l2l3 prescriptions were
ehed ana gil persons were AZ - ue d @ e
charge Oi house ply yean eghteeh attehung anu t"o
visiting physicians and an apOthecaTy
The Northwestern DisPensary was incorporated under
the general law July 2, 1882 IL Is situated at west
ThiTtysi1thst and Ninthave. Its property has been
sequired largely by private gifts During the last year
vaccnsted and u s prescriptions were dispensed
Its medical stah consists OF house physician, eleven
attending and three visiting physicians ana an apOth
The Bond-st Homeopathic Dispensary was founded 10
1855 aud incorporated IN 1861 IL is situated IN BOndst
near the BOweTy, and has a branch at No. 265 East
Fourth ST. established in 1868. During the past year
1891 treated 7319 prescriptions filed,
6l73 visits made. Its medical stan consists OF IL
phyeicaus. The institution Is supported entirely by
bate and municipal aid. IL receives hardly any gifts
from private sources.
The German Dspensary, which was established aud
incorporated In 1885, is situated az No. 65 st. Marks
and se54 prescriptions dspenssd ls medical stan con
icons and an 'apOhecaTy As in all wellreguated dis
pensaIes the diseases classified, and each class is
treated by men Of special qualifications. In the
diseases alone eight physicians who
made this class OF diseases speciality; and so with
The other departments. The magnificent German hos
ptal this city ; offsbOOt Of this dispensary
Although called German dispensary yet its charity is
general The afflicted of all nations and residing in any
part Of the state, are entitled TO It's aid.
The Homeopathic Medical College DispensaTy, az
aud incorporated IN December 1865 Its income is de-
y1ved from the College fund aid from state apprOpria
tons IL has full medical stah whose services are gra
tutOus. During the past there treated 37l2
eases OF which the majority were indoor; 9l3 prescnp
mems were nled It's nedsa stan consists OF Twelve at