The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-04-12
"A NOVEL IDEA.
The Commercial Value OF Health md
What AIny be Done to Secure it,

What hIuy be Done to Secure it.
Very few people can afford to be sick.
The rich man may not mind the expense.
the man in moderate circumstances can
neither afford the time nor the expense.
and the poor man has no right to be sick.
for his sickness must be prevented or
cured at the expense of society. The
very rich and the very poor patronize
the doctor at the slightest symptoms of
illness the one can pay the bills, the
other goes to the free dispensary. The
man in moderate circumstances avoids
the doctor as long as possible, and per-
mits harmless attacks of illness to grow
to formidable disease, and often calls in
help when it is too late. In every tbou-
sand men and women there is always a
certain number who are sick. This pro-
portion varies in different places and
seasons, but it is known factor in the
health Of cities. 1t may, for convent
ence, be recboned at, say, TWENTY-FIVE in
the thousand. This sick rate being
known, it is easy to reckon the COM
mercial value of health, and this being
ascertained, it is possible to decide the
actual money cost of maintaining health.
Suppose, says the New York 7TD,ee.
one thousand men and women in one
neighborhood paid, each, ten cents u week
to fund. In year they would have
a fund of $5,200. Suppose they paid
81, 900 to good physician for his ser
vices, on demand, for year. A good
medical man could easily undertake to
maintain the thousand people in good
health. as far as nature would permit.
and would still have left 81, 200 to pay
for collecting the money. The doctor
would hardly be expected to collect the
money, and collector, to call each week
or month in advance, would be needed.
This would only amount to $5. 20 O wear
for each one, and would entitle each one
to medical attendance for the year with
out extra charge. By such an arrange
ment the patients would be sure of help
in need they would call the doctor Mt
the very first approach of illness. and
much sickness would thus be avoided.
Everything depends on the first attack
III disease the first hour is worth
more than the second week, and the doc
tor who is called promptly is generally
the most successful. Ii the doctor felt
secure IN good income if he had his
patients III hand at all times. he could
do himself more justice, and save his
patients much trouble, delay ard pain.
A young doctor puts out his sign and
waits weary years for a deeently good in
come. His patients often have the ut
most difficulty in paying his bills. And,
with all this, by proper association, they
could get good medical attendance from
man jealous and eager to keep them
well for only few dollars year in ad-
vance, and the doctor would be saved
the worrying care and Notwithstanding
deferment of hope that are- his usual ex
perience in early medical life. The only
wonder is that some active and honest
man does not undertake. to collect ten or
fifteen cents week from thousand or
more people and provide them with
tirst-class physician. An able medical
man could readily undertake the care of
fifteen hundred patients, if he was pro.
vlded with a generous and fixed income.
The collector, picking up fifteen cents
week, in weekly or monthly payments.
would easily pay physician SS, 900 or
50, 900 year for his whole time, could
guarantee to his patients the best atten-
tion on demand, and still have little
something for himself. This idea is
neither new nor visionary. 1t is already
in active operation in several English
cities, under what is known as the Provi
dent Dispensary system. 1t can be
made to pay, and might be of infinite
value, both to the patients and to the
medical profession.