The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-11-06

All OK the teaUtES ColieScS eh1ouSu oue Sne
State will send contestants on "Wednesday
next, and an effort will be made to render
the occasion so successful that those OF the
colleges which have not already ratified the
constitution may be induced to do so in
time to enter the second annual contest in
1877. Three distinguished gentleman OF
this State have been chosen as Judges, and
handsome and expensive gold medal will
be awarded by them to that orator who in
their estimation shall excel in point OF de-
livery, subject-matter, and general style.
The occasion will probably be one OF the
most pleasant intellectual treats which the
people OF Lynchburg have ever had an OPP
portunity OF enjoying.
Concerning Medical Charities i'm tho
City or Richmond.
Editors of Dispatch: The number Of sick
in our city who are unable to pay for the
services OF physician and who cannot OBJ
tain necessary medicines is at all times very
great. After careful consideration and no
little inquiry the writer is OF the opinion
that at least one fifth OF our population eX-
lists amid such precarious circumstances as
to be continually liable TO be placed in
the class of INDECENT sick. II this
estimate be conceded to be fair
one, we have good reasons for con-
Guiding that in Richmond there are an
nually among the poor eight thousand cases
of disease of all kinds requiring treatment ;
for good authorities state g that for every
death there are at least twenty-five cases Of
sickness sufficiently serious to call for medi-
cal treatment" Now, for the year 1875 the
number of deaths in our city was LOST,
which is evidence OF the existence Of very
nearly forty thousand cases OF important
sickness during the same period. Or these
forty thousand at least eight thousand
would be met with among the very poor
eight thousand sufferers for whom the city
should certainly provide means OF obtain
ing relief.
that of call the ills that flesh is heir to" 4
large proportion are Of such nature as moi
to incapacitate the afflicted from ayailing
themselves Of medical advice and assistance
offered to them outside Of their own homes
Numerous diseases Of the eye, ear, nose,
throat, lungs, heart, liver, and OF other i'm.
portant organs Gncluding the affections pc
cuiar to women), dyspepsia, intermittent
fever, scrofula, syphilis, debility, skin dis
eases, neuralgia, certain forms Of rheuma.
tisn, &C., besides assesses, ulcers, slight
injuries, &C., specially in the domain o.
surgery, could be as well treated, and, IN
many instances, much better, in good dis
pensary than at the homes Of the patients.
1t is impossible to ascertain the exact nu
mericai proportion which patients, able te
walk out. bear to those necessarily confined
to the house; but, by reference to the re.
mort OF a large and well-administered in
stitution in New York city, it is ascertained
that in a year seven times as many patients
were treated at the dispensary as were WIS.,
tied at their homes-that, too, when large
number of vaccinations and Of dental ope.
rations, performed at the dispensary, is eX'
cluded from the calculation. Now, although
this does not prove that out OF every eight
cases of sickness among the poor in this
city seven patients would be able to walk tc
and would visit the dispensary, it does
show that very large proportion could ano
would do so; and it requires no stretch OF
the imagination to believe that fully five
thousand cases would be annually treated
atthis institution.
AS has been shown in previous article,
the expense OF conducting the dispensary
weuld be comparatively trifling, while it
must be apparent that the good accom-
plshed would be very great; for it is not
alone in the cure OF disease that the physi.
clans best work is done, but to an equal de-
gree does he confer benefit in its prevention
and avertion. How many children in the
early years CT life are sacrificed through q
failure to promptly check what seems at
first but trivial aiIment! How many Wo-
men suffer torture through weary exist
ence as q consequence OF a neglected diSor-
der which, If early attended to, might have
been cured! How many OF all ages and
conditions are yearly swept away by yari-
Gus insidious diseases through not having
received iudicious treatment until the pos
sibility Of cure had been already annihi-
lated. ....
To the poor, these considerations apply
with double force, because in addition to
their liability, in common with others, to
delay taking disease in hand, they are
often deferred from seeking the aid Of q
physician, through unwillingness to ask for
services which they cannot rcquite; and
thus the golden opportunity for cutting
short the disease is lost, and the patient may
in consequence thereof suffer for weeks,
and perhaps never regain good health.
The writer's attention having been called
to communication in the Dispatch Of
October 30th, over the signature Of J....,
it is deemed proper to state that no opposi-
ton Is either offered or intended to any
established charity of this city. Moreover,
the proposed dispe1sary meets with the ap-
probation OF large majority Of the faculty
of the Medical College Of Virginia. In the
petition for the establishment OF this
charity presented to the Council, its
location is not even suggested by the
petitioners, nor is there any obligation,
on adopting the scheme, to appoint any
particular physicians or surgeons to take
charge. But in reply to the query by J.s.,
"Who are the physicians who propose to
take charge Of the dispensary it is pro-
per to state that Drs. Levin S. Joynes,
Howell Thomas, and 0. Fairfax have con.
sented to act as consulting staff, and Drs.
Richard G. Crouch, NJ. NJ, Walker, Chris
topher Tompkins, and II. Ii. Levy as dis
pensary staff. Whether or not they are
Inexperienced, skilful physicians and sur
geons" is left to their professional bre-
thren and the public to determine.
Certain 1t is that the scheme is fayorably
regarded by associations and individuals
whose character renders their opinions
worthy OF great consideration. It has the
written endorsation OF the Richmond AGA
denny OF Medicine, the Richmond Pharma-
ceuticai Association, the executive officers
af,the State and City Board OF Health, the
Virginia Medical Monthly, the Mayor, the
Coroner, and the Attorney Of this city; the
Surgeon OF Police, for himself and the Chief
OF Police; OF DR.. J.sS.D. Cullen, Judge A.
b. Guigon, and Poiice-Justice j. j. White.
The insinuation OF j 49,. as to the philan-
thropic motives OF those engaged in pro.
noting this enterprise are not deemed
worthy OF attention: outstanding that he
@ Han x@tsk RI. T. h. q