The morning times., 1895-08-12
DRUGGISTS THE LOSERS
Or. W0OdWard's Plan of Supply
ing Medicine to the Poor.
PHYSICIANS NOT OPPOSED
1t May Cause Them More Work, but
They Look Favorably Upon the
of Triturates, Though All Remedies
Can't Be Given in That Form-Some
May Resign.

The proposal of Health officer Woodward
to save some hundreds of dollars by the pur
chase Of medicines for the poor, put up in
manufacturers, as first exclusively an
nounced by The Times, has attracted gen.
eral attention and occasioned much COM
ment, favorable and unfavorable.
One effect viii be almost wholly to do
away with the official designation of GER
tain places as drug stores for the poor.
Another, it is alleged, by some, will be to
furnish poor people with much inferior and
more unsatisfactory supply of medicine.
Finally, the physician to the poor VIII have
his labor much increased, especially if he
is obliged to keep a careful record and make
return of the names OF persons to whom
he dispenses each dose of medicine and the
amount used.
GOOD POINTS OF THE PLAN.
On the other hand there is urged in
favor of the plan the saving the greater
promptneSs OF supplying the remedy-an
important point in many cases-and re-
heying some of the most deserving poor OF
the Illuminating necessity of going 10 the
drug store and openly confessing poverty.
Some whose need is greatest would almost
sooner die than do this.
The experiment is not TO be tried until
next month, when six of the physicians to
the poor win be supplied with cases OF
the trituratis and dealings with the drug
stores in their districts practically ter
minated. In the meantime the re-distrlct.
ing of the city viii be undertaken.
This is based on an accounting made some
time ago of the number of cases attended
by each physician. 1t was found that the
average humber of cases treated is about
1,200 a year, and 1or this the physician
gets $3.50, which is an average Of 30 cents
for each visit or office consultation, an
amount less than one-third the average
charge for similar service 10 pay patients
The investigation showed also that five
physicians were doing nearly half the
work; some were doing very little.
The heaviest work was reported by Drs
J. A Mudd, OF No. 106 Ninth street south
east, and J. c. Meredith, OF No. 316 Third
street southeast Drs. S. L. Harmon, j. f.
Price, j. a. Draw baugh and one or two
others also reported more than the aver
age 1t WIS found that several physicians
in the center and northwest parts of the
city were doing nlu ch less than the average.
though all were fully earning the $50 a
month which constitutes their pay.
WILL GIVE UP THE WORK.
DR. ] F. Price said last night that he
expected to giveup the work. the change
proposed win add greatly" he continued,
ito the iabors of an oyerworked and un-
derpaid public servant, especially If the
physician is TO keep record OF Zach case.
1t VIII give him all that he now has 10 do,
and i'll addition all that the druggist does,
except the compromising of tile medicine.
Aside from that the move seems all right
The trilurate is a very satisfactory
form in which 10 administer rem edies,
and / use il very generally in my practice
There are some medicines. OF course, which
it is impossible to furnish IL tbs form.
Cod liver oil, for instance, is needed by
the poor as Well as the rich, and 1T must
be obtained from the druggist.
1T looks to me all right" said Dr.
John l. Pope, though ] have had little
time to consider the matter"
Dr. ]. c. Meredith on the other hand was
unfavorable 10 the cnanEe.
DR.. z. s. Roy, who was formerly for
long time physician to the poor in the
northeast, said there were some remedies
which could not be furnished iu the form
of triluratis, but be thought well OF them IN
general.
DR.. John A. Draw baugh said: IF We
must keep a-Tecord OF the medicine dis
pensed it win greatly increase the work
I shah simply take the medicine from
my own case, as j often do now. Ii am
not satisfied / shah simply resign.
Being physician TO the poor has helped
me very much Many a case / have go
by being called 10 a servant and having
her mistress ask, Mary, who attended
you?' The best proof that the position i.
valuable, is that IL / should resign to
morrow there are forty ready 10 take II.
DRUGGISTS DON'T FAVOR 1T.
Druggists. as a rule, look on the chaDg'
with disfayor, both those who have ths
poor trade and those without it a G
Easterday, of No. 700 New Jersey avenue
said:
There are very many medicines which
when put up in the triturate form, soon ioss
their efficacy. Everybody knows that the
ya1Ue OF drugs uSpcutlS IL iuiS &c HICnSAA
upon their freshness. These medicines
proposed for iEmany cases cannot be fresh
''It makes very little difference to US
for since DR.. Harmon has been physician
to the poor very few prescriptioDshayeco come
ID anyhow 1t must be he pays very little
attention to ponr cases"
George r. Reynolds, Second and
streets northeast, said: i see no ad-
vantage in the change except Little
saving to the city. It's a sort OF cheese
pairing pol icy. The difference to me
| would be very little. 1 make little Oh
some prescriptions, but IL is counter
balanced by loss on Others"
R.. N. Harper, No. 500 PeDnsy lSanla
avenue, SAID: when a physician is out o.
calomel tIituEates under the new plan
he will substitute rhepbarb. In the same
| way other unsatisfactory medicines vii
be given. The poor VIII take the con
| sequences. The druggist need not com
plain. The trade that comes with thi
place is not desirable"