Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-12

Home for Aged Women.
Total ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, S5.So
With one exception, Mr.. Warner says. re-
ferring to the charities named in the table,
they are private Institutions receiving Dis
property owned by these institutions is 81 $685.
S9S and their total indebtedness is So, $50,
leaving as the aggregate value of the various
plants 81 ,2iO, 739. During the year they re-
celved as income from endowments 80, S56. %;
from private contributions and donations. in
GLIDING the proceeds OF fairs, entertainments
and sc forth, $50, 908.19 and from the District
treasury S121,9 45, making q total income
from benevolent sources Of $50. .09.47. Of
which the District contributed about T6 per
cent. In addition to this the institutions re-
ceived from pay patients or inmates or from
the work of inmates 800, 500 So. In eNrenaiug
The sums at their dispose! the Institutions
PAID ont for s&Lai S4S 425 20. Tor other forms
Of maintenance S1l3, 760.20, for construction,
including purchase OF real estate. s2s, 2s5.Sl.
and for the payment of debts previously COLI
tracted $1,000. During the year daily
average OF forty-eight persons gave their entire
time to the work OF the institutions here listed
for no other tangible consideration than the
bare necessaries of life. Most Of these are
members OF religious ORDERS but not all.
Twenty Of the institutions receive patients or
inmates, and the average daily population Of
these amounted to 81, 62S benehciaries.
THE GOVERNMENTS CONTROL
1t must be apparent, the report says, to
one who scans this table and who remembers
that large share of the property owned by
the institutions has come to them By congress
sionai grant that since the government con-
tributes more than three-fourths of their an
nual means it has a right to a dominant voice
in their management, and il it refrains from
exercising such right it is on grounds OF ex-
pediency alone. Congress has always reserved
the right to amend the charters of the charita-
BILE corporations it has created, and all pay
ments in aid of the purchase OF real estate
since the act Of March 2, 1882 constitute a lien
upon the property, which insures the repay
ment Of the money to the government in case
the property is ever used for other than the
purposes proposed at the time Of the grant.
These precautions together with the power Of
the purse which belongs to the appropriating
power, give the government adequate theoreti-
cal control OF the institutions it subsidies.
The Medical Charities.
The report then gives a summary of the work
Of various charities and makes various sugges-
tons concerning them, beginning first with
the medical charities. An account is given
first of the work of the fifteen hysicians OF the
poor, paid $40 per month each. The system,
Mr.. Warner thinks, ID good one If properly
administered, and he suggests thatan improve
ment in the service would probably result if
there were some organic connection between
the system Of the physicians to the poor and
the dispensary system. At present the two
agencies overlap each other. IN relation to
the dispensaries the report observes that o GER
those Of different medical schools and even be-
tween those Of the same school. 1T is this real
but unacknowledged competition that has led
In other cities to such grave abuses
OF medical charities. Some years ago it was
estimated that III Philadelphia one-tifth Of the
entire population was receiving free medical
attendance. and present conditions in that
city are believed to BE- a. bad. That other in
huences than pure benevolence may enter into
the providing of free medical service is shown
by the fact that the colleges OF dentistry in
Washington consider it profitable to advertise
ut their cwn expense that they will perform
any work liz their line gratis. only charging
for materials. Here the element OF charity
iE avcwedlr eliminated, at it might often TO
with rrOpriety IN other cases. have, there
fore, desired to find some better gauge Of
service rendered to the community by given
dispensacy tnan the mere volume OF work per-
formed. 70 make this alone the criterion Of
subsidies to be given obviously might put
premium on the indiscrinainate giving OF medi-
CA aid the effect Of which, as Of all indis-
criminate giving, is pernicious. Though have
discussed the matter with experienced practi-
TONERS who acknowledged the presence Of the
evils indicated. 10 mechanical test hae yet been
found"
Tie Dispensaries.
In reference to the Central Dispensary and
Emergency Hospita. the report remarks that
the District has practically contributed al the
money that this institution now has invested in
plant, and that the District also provides three
fourths of its annual income At the same
time its work should be extended in the direc-
ton Of providing Nh emergency ambulance
which might go at any time with surgeon and
surgical appliances to the scene OF any acci-
dent The Institution il anxious to add this
department to its work, and the report out
lines ali agreement reached in q conference
with committee Of the directors. This pro-
vides for revision Of tho constitution, makes
the sanitary officer and health officer members
Of the board Ut directors, requires the District
to contribute, in addition to the usual appro-
priation, enough to maintain an emergency
ambulance, which will be at all times at the
to maintain a second assistant resident physi-
clan, who shall do the work Of two physicians
to the poor. Mr.. Warner, therefore, recon-
mends an appropriation of sS, 500 directly 70
this institution, an increase OF u ,l0o over the
annual amount heretofore given it BE- the Com
missionerA
Az &c the Eastern Dispensary, to which the
District contributes ~ per cent Of the income,
tho report says: II do not at present know Of
any conditions that lead me to think - 900
necessary for the work Of thus institution. Tho
city viii be better served BY perfectiug its
emergency service at the Central Dspensary
than By organizing another institution Of the
same kind. This Is true - regards the eastern
section Of the city - well others. The suggcs-
ton for tho districting Of the city seems to he
good one, and after conference with all con-
cerned may possibly be carried out in way
that will apportion the work among the various
dispensariss. hope that by arranging 70 have
soma Of the work Of the physicians TO the poor
done from the Eastern Dispensary II will b
possible TO increase its income without iucrsas-
Ing tho expense 70 the District"
A tothe Wonan's Dispsnsasy and Hospital,
$AS Maryland avenue southwest TIE report
says: A strong plea has been made for the Dis
trict to give them aid in acquiring the building
ct present occupied, which h owned By The