New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-04-13
ABUSES OF FREE DISPENSARIES.

DISCUSSION OF NEW PLAN FOR MEDICAL RELIEF
"Between 30 and 35 per cent of the popu-
lation Of City ia receiving medical attendance
gratuitousy" said Dr. Joseph last evening" at the meet
ing Of the Public Health Association, at No IL west
Thirty-rsst. Such great evil az this should be Grad
icaed" opinion OF another speaker who declared
that four fhs of charitable service was enjoyed by
persops able 10 pay for the attendance Of physician
"Our five dispensares and medical hospitals shame
fully imposed upon Applicants for RELIEF ana medcies
are in majority Of cases, from being objects OF
charity in order to few dollars they pretend
to be paupers" said Dr. Ward Yes, that fact sau
physician attached to free dispensary. ut was only
Yesterday that fashiOnaby dressed man, who gave MS
occupation as broker called at our institution for treat
ment explaining that times were duh In Wa-st, ana
that thought 1t well to economze In the way OF doc
tors bill" physician also related an instance OF
lady owning valuable property near Washngtonsquafe
who called at the dispensay for medical assistance on
the plea Of hard times Dr. Agnew Thought tlat this
state OF affairs was seriously nurng public morality An
old gentleman in the back part OF the hall could only ac
count for it on the theory that great many people
would sooner lie and 81 than tell the truth.
Asa remedy for the evils growing out of the abuse OF
the present system Of free dspensares and pbc nos
pitals J. c. Bailey, from the committee appointed to
consider the introduction OF the Provident Dspensary
system to this city, read a paper, In which the
defects the present and the advantages OF the pro
posed system of rendering medical assistance to the
deserving poor, set forth The Provident Dspeh
sary system he described similar to an accident aso
eiaton By paying a small Of money weekly the
poor could enjoy medical treatment nj their homes In
England where the system after 40 years trial had
from the poor TO conduct the dispensary and pay
cOmiOr, able salaries Ia tine medical stan Inc dlspen,
sares soon became sefSuppOrting The speaker ASKED
his audience TO imagine that portion OF THIS city con
tanning 5000 really poor persons had organized PiOyl
dent DispeuSary. The district would be divided INTO
five wards with 900 persons in each ward ny each OF
these persons paying five cents week $4,000 would be
realized in year. wOud be ample 10 have physic-
ans attached To the dspcnsary call upon and receive
pan would IN great measure do away with mpostors,
and addition physicians. by their frequently coming
into contact with the low classes or society, could pre-
vent disease. The old gcnem in the rear of the room
here interrupted with the assertion that physicians would
b. working against their Interests by trying TO prevent
disease; money only in by curing sick people.
Me- Baieys paper discussed at length by members
visitors, and In general met with approval; d..
hgnew however. spoke against Ii. tue groun Is hat IL
would be- Injurious 10 the medical profession There was
already he said physician t. every 500 people IN TINS
city, and 10 place physician charge of larger num-
Der tlan this would he Iuanfesty unjust lay member
of the society feared that every doctor in the city would
organize small aispenslry Of his own, and attend his
patients mach week. medicines Included hut the
old gentleman In the bac6 part Of the hal hdstened 10
assure HIM that physician could conduct such scheme
which was only three cents pound, whereas other
medicines very expensive. committee was al-
pointed To invite the trustees stas aud Physicians con
nccted with the free dspensarles ana hospitals OF te
city tn meet Association at subsequent meeting Tor
Of the evils OF the present dlspchsir