The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-19
A Charitable Enterprise.


A Charitable Enterprise.
A year ago the trustees OF the Eastern
Dispensary. a charity which for sixty years
had afforded medical assistance to the
thousands Of poor on the east side OF this
city. found themselves possessed Of su-
perb building. with thousands OF patients
looking to them for comfort. and with an
empty treasury. At tho same time the trus-
tees OF fund left by the late SARAH BURR
were looking for the best place In which to
found the charity provided for In Mise
BuRR's will. to be called the Good Samari-
tan Dlspensary. With q wisdom not always
found among trustees OF charitable inst-
tutions the two boards agreed on plan
Of consolidation. and on June Of last year
the Eastern Dispensary ceased active oper-
atoms. and the Good Samaritan Dispensary
entered upon the field.
The first annual report OF the Good
Samaritan Dispensary has just been is
sued. As the labors Of the year were car
ried on partly by each Of the institutions.
the result Of their combined efforts is set
forth. and the statistics bear out amply the
remark. made incidentally. that the dis
pensary has done larger work than any
other similar institution In the city.
The field Of the dispensary is bounded by
Pike street. Allen street. and First avenue
on the west. by East Fourteenth street on
the north. and by the East River on the
east and south. and contains q population
Of over third OF million. Within Its
limits are the densely populated Jewish
quarter. tho German districts near Tomp-
kins square, and the less crowded though
still very populous neighborhoods Of the
Seventh. Thirteenth. and Eleventh wards.
During the year. medical and surgical ad-
vice and treatment was furnished to 90. $50
new patients. who were seen by the dlspen-
sary physicians 155.O75 times: and for
them 10000 prescriptions were prepared.
These figures show an increase over
those Of 1890 Of "a per cent in the
number OF patients. "a per cent. in the
number OF consultations. and 81 per
cent. In the number Of prescriptions. The
figures cannot show. they con indicate only
family. the amount Of good done. the COM
fort and assistance given. to the suffering
by tho dlspensary through its physicians.
More enlightening almost than these
figures Is the simple statement that NEAR
ly IS per cent Of the applicants for relief
have to be turned away by reason Of tho
want Of funds to meet the needed expansion
Of the work."
The work Of the dispensary was extended
by voluntary committee Of ladies. who
provided apparatus and assistants to steril-
lie moro than forty thousand bottles OF milk.
which were distributed among nearly six
hundred sick children. Furthermore the
mothers OF these children were taught how
the process Of sterilization. 30 that the seed
sown by these ladies' last year Is likely to
bring forth most excellent fruit this year.
The nationality table Of tho report pre-
sents some interesting figures which show
tho cosmopolitan character Of the popula-
ton Of the east side. Nearly one-half OF
the whole number OF patients treated.
10000 out OF 9O.s5e. were Of Russian birth:
35.046 were Of American birth. though only
1900 children treated were Of American
parentage. Austro-H Hungary provided e.555
patients. Germany sent S.192. and Rouma-
MIA 2.0Sl. Ireland sent only 1876. and Eng
land came next with 756: then In order came
Italy. France. Palestine. Sweden. and Tur-
kcy; Greece sent as many as Scotland. and
Egypt nearly as many as Holland. More
than $4,000 Of the 1851 children treated
were Of Russian parentage.
As usual. tho Jews Of tho city took large
part in the work Of carrying on the dispen-
sary.' Most OF tho physicians were Of Jew
ish ancestry: and OF the committee Of five
ladies' who provided the sterillzing appa-
ratus and raised money for the work. three
were Jews.
The dispensary Is not wholly free char
ity. From the Eastern Dispensary the
Good Samaritan Dispensary learned to COL
lect from each applicant, except the very
poorest. the sum Of ten cents. 30 that the
self-rcspect and independence Of the ben
eficiaries are preserved. and they contribute
actually very largely to the maintenance
OF tho institution. Despite these payments.
the dlspensary. as indicated above. is pressed
for money to meet the demands made upon
1t. To meet them. 1t asks for an addition
Of 5000 OF income per annum to It's
present resources. There should be lit
tie trouble In raising the 100000 necessary
to give that income: and after this state
ment OF the great work done by the insti-
tuition. we ore confident that tho needed
amount will not be long In reaching the
Treasurer.
Tho Walloon Bird.
Our esteemed Alabama contemporary.
the Admission Hot Blast. reports this inter-
esting pathological information:
-Pisx gy,r and l.. T. ALLEN killed peculiar bird In