Morning journal and courier., 1886-11-10
TIE ANnuA1 mRErrna


The New Haven dispensary officers held
their annual meeting last night at the dis
pensary rooms. This institution is one of
the most commendable in the city. 1t fur
nishes, without charge, medical and surgical
aid and medicine at its rooms to the sick
poor. The amount of aid thus rendered by
this institution since its organization in 1872
to the suffering poor has been very great.
It is dependents upon contributions for sup
port and, as the treasurer's report will show,
the funds of the dispensary are short to the
secretary is as follows.
To the president, members and managers of
the New Haven dispensaFy:
The annual presentation of the condition
of the dispensary as required by
the bylaws is herewith offered. This
is the fifteenth report, the dis
pensary having organized and commenced
active work in 1871. At that time so decid-
ed want did the institution fill that the
clinical report of attendance for the first
year showed total of 1,700 consultations.
The work augmented rapidly, and during
the years following the depression of bust
ness in '73, which increased immeasurably
the poverty and sufferings of the lowly, the
existence of the institution and benefits
which it conferred upon the sick poor of the
city were decided factors in the limitation of
pauperism and town dependence.
It was thoroughly appreciated by the
general public, as the following will
show. For, while the first clinical report
showed what might then be called a very
large attendance, and while the interest felt
for the interests of the institution by the
medical attendants and corporators was sig
nally manifest, the finances were in such
depressed condition as to prompt the treas
urer to say in his first annual report that sit
was not as he wished it was, but the case was
not hopeless" This statement met with
generous response. Not at any time since
then has it been necessary to make such an
appeal. Private contributions for the years
following the first annual report, published
in 1872, were given with degree of iberali-
ty that quickly enabled the institution to en-
large it's quarters, increase the staff of its
medical attendants, amplify the drug dispens-
ing department and procure instruments and
apparatus which rendered it well equipped for
surgical and specially manipulative thera-
peutics. Public aid also was not withheld
when the town saw and comprehended fully
the real worth of the institution an instru
ment for the alienation of the sufferings of
its sick poor and for the conservation of their
energy wasted by disease and want of neces-
sary attendance. Of late, certainly within
the past 4 years, the dispensary reached as full
and perfect development as is compatible
with the present condition of population and
economic welfare of our community.
The numerical attendance at our clinics has
always been fair indicator of tine pecuniary
of the poor of the city. In |
years when stringency prevailed the calls for
aid have always been more numerous than in
easy years, fact of some significance and
value to refute the charge that the charity /
of the dispensary is abused by unworthy |
claimants for aid, who are said to be able to 1
provide of their own means advice and med |
icines for their ailments. The number of /
consultations average at present about 4, 800 /
per year and it is hardly to be expected that |
there will be great increase of numbers in
the next coming years. But the ex-
pense of carrying on the work of |
the institution has steadily increased. |
This is due to improved quarters, to improve
ments in the drug supply and to greater
number of necessary incidentals, but the
financial supply has not kept pace with the
financial demands. Donations, which dur
ing the first years of our existence have been
liberal and regular, have of late years sadly 1
fallen of, and a supreme effort will be i'm
oerative in the future to enable the |
clinical work to proceed unhampered by the
difficulties incident to an Impoverished ex-
,hequer. The time has arrived for an ap
peal to the general public to help us in eff
:orts which need but be understood to en-
sure liberal recognition. Let it be known
shat the work of the dispensary is charitable
n the fullest meaning of the term, and howl
Nine physicians are in constant attendance;
hen there are three daily clinics. The
physicians in attendance are devoted and
,elf- sacrificing, they do not receive any COM
for their services, but suffer
loss themselves. They work sole
y for the welfare of their sick wards and in
.urtherance of the remote aims of the dis
pensary. The end toward which the dis
pensary works is not only the relief of pain
L - kol 1,,,k oil %boH
to health and usefulness of per-
SONS who, if allowed to go untreated or i'm
properly cared for, would prove helpless
burdens on their own families and the town
At large. Work of this kind is certainly
charitable if it is anything and the managers
% expect enthusiastic furtherance
If their aims from such as are placed in the
happy position of being able to enjoy the
pleasure of giving for good purposes. Dis
are not large, massive institutions
which with demonstrative elf-assertion fill
ihe public eye. They are quiet and unob-
;rusive in their nature, but their work is |
none the less peculiarly effective in just the
sphere which they fill in our large cities, and
he New Haven dispensary after fifteen years |
IF existence can without boasting say that it
s not of the least in importance and has good
cause to look forward with assurance that
,he future will continue to demonstrate its |
utility. Appended will be found the statis-
;ical report from the medical staff, differing
very little from those of previous years. The
apothecaries' report will show a decided re-
luction in the average cost of prescription
md it is fitting that the efforts of Mr.. Nell
,on, the apothecary, to reduce the expenses
If his department should not pass unmen-
toned. Our thanks are as usual due to
Messrs. Tuttle Morehouse 6 Taylor for the
,ratuitous printing of our last published re-
3olt and to the daily press of the city for
rec notices, etc.
HENRY FLEIsCHNER, secretary.
The treasurer's report is as follows: