New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-14
CHARITY'S BEST MEDICINE.


PAUPERIsM
For many years past ladies whose experience
has been very large and extended the sick poor
IN large cities and eminent physicians who have studied
the public health OF large communities, have hed the
opinion that the providing Of suitable medicines ana
their distribution from great dspensare was not more
important than that sick and convaescent should
have those delicaces which add to the strength ana
assist SO much in patients restoration TO health
poor treated by dispensary physicians nave
money wherewh TO buy the delicate iuxuries tha'
might tempt the appetite OF the sick. and In many
cases where they money enough to purchase the
material they ignorant OF the proper method OF
preparing the prescribed food. Drs. Stephen Smith,
E isha Harris Willard Parker Austin Flint, Frank H.
Hamilton. j. Marion Sims, Alonzo Clark. william H.
Van Buren, T. GIard Thomas. and many other dis
tnguished PHYSICIANS expressed their Willingness 10
assist In carrying plan that might fulfill TINS
great object. After fully discussing the many plans
that suggested. Mrs. A. H. Gibbons, daughter OF
T. Hopper, philanthropist recommended that
II be made wonan's work. II decided to try the
experiment the Dsmilt Dspensary district. II IL
succeeded then the good work could be extended
throughout the entire city.
Dr. stephen smith and Dr. Elisha Harris called upon
ars residence No Ill West Forty fourth
ST. on Sunday evening last and 1t was then decided at
the recent report (which has been pubshed) had
shown that the experiment Of the diet kitchen" had
been such an unqualified success, and productive OF so
much good to many the Dcmit district that u SIM
liar institution should established immediately ID
Waverley-p place, the Northern Dspensary.
Rooms were hired IN No. 40 East rwenty-third-st.'
and on April ~ they occupied. The establish
ment was called the New-York Diet Kitchen. The OBJ
iects the Society commended themselves 80 hyoraD
to the public first appeal for pecunary ana was
responded literally, and $500 placed at the com
mand the Society for establishment and support OF
the kitchen competent attendant employed by the
al tha
OF the house and visiting physicians under the super
VISION of dircctress and Their duty was
visit the kitchen daily, coming IN contact Win tue
patients learning their circumstances, and reporting
all cases board Of visitors. To these visitors were
allotted the different parts Of the district for the pur
pose Of making inquiries into the real necessities Oh
each family and of aiding IN the general purposes oil
the Society by distributing hannes and other articles OF
cothng-lfts Of the bcneyoent-lecessaTy III sickness.
The experience of the year has more than Justnei
the ancipatiOns OF the managers as to the praclcM
nature the charity and the benecent character OF us
work Before this kitchen established many
mother with a large family recovering from tedious
sickness was compelled give up and become an IN
valid for life for want Of those delicate articles Of food
which she needed The cOnsumptIve's home has Deen
cheered and many have come 90 the knowcdGeoI
the Society where the father large family has been
brought back to health and placed in condition 10
support those dependent him, wncn without TINS
assistance, tnc cntlft IdulG must uaNc btth
upon the public charities and supported paupers for
many years at large expense. Aside from the suffer
ing and want that have been aleviaed IL Is the opinion
Of Drs Harris and Stephen Smith that the pauper eie
ment of the district in which the dletntchen has
been In operation has been greatly diminished As
an economical the dlet-kiichens have saved
more than enough TO pay all necessary running
expenses IL Is considered much cheaper 70 assist the
head of family 60 recover his health that he
work and support himself aud those dependent upon
him than by Withholding thar assistance TO have that
family thrown upon public charity paupers for many
years.
In one instance a and his wife, with six chill dren
lived a tenement IN the Demt district Soon after
seventh child born the mothers convalescence
WAS very slow and the hot coming she grew
weaker weaker, until she could no longer nurse
her child She had assisted in the support of the
lily by taking in washing, and this resource was
cut off by her weakness. To add 10 their troubles
her husband taken sick aud was oohgeu
10 be sent Bellevue Hospital. The Dispen-
sarv physician saw that The mother needed good
food far than medicine. BE ordered from the det
kitchen fresh boiled morning ana night chicken
and plenty of fresh vegetables f0r dinner anu pint vi
Dublin stout morning night one of the assistants
went over from the kitchen and Instructed the oldest
child how to boil the eggs by OF small apparatus
bcated IN an alcoholic lamp The other food was cooked
IN the kitchen and fresh and hot at the proper
time The woman began TO gain strength at once
In three weeks she was able TO scOnthue
her washing, and she soon gained perfect
health. BY this treatment large family were saved
from becoming permanent dependents upon the public
charities besides the restoration OF health OF mother
who would have become a confirmed invalid even II
she had lived This IL not uncommon ease. Wnere
the patients would be better on in the hospital they arc
sent to the suitable and admission Is at once
procured Anything in the way Of luxures ana delca
cies that may thought necessary for the patient by
a..g nrafIV uuIf n
ample quantities
The antcipated cost OF the kitchen estimated by
the managers was 5000 year The Treasurer report
the current expenses have been considerably
within that The entire amount that was paid out
during the past year has been S.9j7 o. This incIuded
many expenses incidental to the establishment OF the
Kitchen which will recur and ought not TO he en-
braeed in the annual current expenses Of maintaining
kitchen The receipts have sufficient after paying
this sum 10 the treasury at the end OF the year
t39s &C.
The cost Of medicines in the New-York Dspensary
during the past year not far from $1,000 IL NAN
of that had been expended for the diet Kitchen
said Mrs Gibbons, there would have been quicker re-
coyeries and 1t would taken much less medicine
That is Mrs Gibbons believes that the Of the
kitchen in the Demlt district for the past year mas
shown cOncluslvely that good food is better FOR tue
sick poor than medicine. and that the al
dlton 10 the kitchen of the dispensary VIII lessen IN
stead OF its current expenses Inc SICK poor
are furnished with suitable food to give them strength
and restore them TO health by the cooperation of the
diet Kitchen while without that auxiliary the patients
remain much longer upon the physicians hands. and
thus the expenses for medicine largely Increased
The managers purpose in the coming Autumn 10 en-
large their list Of annual contributors and this VIII en-
able them 70 start kitchen in each district In the cry
Nv the socieys rules any person may become member
by contributing g.. They believe that their true pocy
is 20 rely mainly upon annual contributions OF members
A. the safest best and most enduring basis which TO