New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-19
DOCTORS FOR THE SLUMS.
THE BOARD OF HEALTHS SUMMER
CORPS OF PHYSICIANS

THEIR WORK OF INcALctLABLE BENEFIT TO
THE TENEMENT HOUSE PooR-THINGs
THEY HAVE TO WORK AGAINST.
When the Board OF Health Of this city organized
ts summer corps o, physicians. several seasons
ago II began a work which has been OF incalcula
Die benefit 10 the tenement house poor The months
OF July and August trying times for the aver
age citizen In comfortable circumstances. but the
horrors % sickness and suffering which they bring
to "the other half scarcely be overest-
mated The extreme heat. with Its attendant mis-
cries. falls with greatest severity upon the children
and II Is customary TO look about this time for
great increase In the death rate among them.
II H. true that thus far the present summer has
not produced much Illness has been recorded
in other years. The gain In health Is attributed In
large measure to the improved condition Of the
streets just az much care being taken 10 clean
those OF the poorest districts those in the richer
portions OF the town. But there is work enough
withal to keep the nifty summer physicians and the
few nurses and visitors who cooperate with them
continually busy. Even then f. Is impossible to
relieve anything ike all the cases which exist. al
though the Board OF Health has arranged the
doctors work IN a systematic way. The poor
neighbour oods. in which the work is TO he carried
divided into fifty districts Il physician being
assigned each. Every family In every house
within his domain Is visited in turn by the doctor.
He is not able. OF course, to get around In
day. or even sometimes In three or four days; but
careful record is kept Of every case attended.
The value Of this constant repetition OF visits Is
that by such Illness is discovered in its early
and durable stages Cases sprnging up,
that while at call the doctor may find the
entire family well. al his next, two three days
later. there may be patient who requires imme-
diate attention.
THE KINGS DAUGHTERS HELP.
The Tenement House Chapter Of the Kings
Daughters with It's headquarters at No. n Madison
st. Is Of grea assistance to the summer physicians
I'm their WORK \ trained nurse from the chapter
visits the Of the sick notices OF the specially
urgent being sent to her by the various phy-
sicians every day She for the patients. per
forming the necessary bandagng and dressing
wher+ surg ny has been required and ATTENDS IN
general to the carrying out Of the physicians d.
rcciions one Of her most important offices is 10
instruct the ignorant mothers in the care Of their
sick Children.
The chapter also arranges to have patients ad-
mitted to the hospitals Ii sends those who need
1t out nv the country for couple OF weeks some
times longer: and gives many day excursions TO the
women and children who sitting for lack OF
fresh air Medicine nourishing food and delicaces
are supplied a. FAR possible to the patients ana
clothing Is often given in large quantities Where
the families are able however 10 pay for the filling
% the doctors prescriptions. they are expected 70
do so for 1t s not the purpose Of either the sum
mer physicians or the Kings Daughters to treat
them as paupers unless such IL absolutely the case
FREE DOCTORING WELCOMED
Although there are occasional Instances OF dis
trust and suspicion among the more ignorant Of the
foreigners the people of the tenements are glad. as
a rule to see the doctor come into their homes Ihey
realize the benefit Of being treated without any cost
10 themselves and usually ready 10 give an &C
count SC far they are able. OF their ailments
II they had 70 send for private physician at thel
own expense the situation would be quite dlHereht.
knowing how little money there is TO spare Tor
doctors blt hey hesitate long before suHmohlhs
one and as has been proved in countless cases
they frequently walt until Il is too late Thousands
OF children have measles and whooplng cough every
year and their parents never think o, having
physician for what they consider trivial Illnesses
like thai Some OF these attacks prove fatai ana
others leave the patients with some after-eHec's OF
weakness when may be permanent, but the family
is not likely to take warning from experience But
when the Health Board doctor appears, ne does ho'
want money; ne is there TO cure them Tor nothing
Thus they reason; and, this being So the ch''u' Ell
may as well be looked after even II they are not IN
the alarming condition which their parents would
term really sick
Having A doctor and following out his instruc-
lions are however, two vastly dinerent Things
Sometimes through ignorance, and again through
dissemination 10 take the necessary trouble or
natural obstinacy in thinking they know better
than the physician. the patients totally neglect 10
observe the rules he lays down.
..Did val take the medicine I ordered" Is the
doctors question on the next visit after the one III
which he has given the prescription No; very
commonly tho patient has not taken II with any
regularity; possibly has not even been TO nave II
filled at the drug store or dispensary
And why not
The answers vary. Failure TO understand what
WAS wanted Is d frequent excuse which IL given.
Again il is that there has been time or no one
trl..S ~
are genuine but oftener they are not II thus De
rss one Of the chief duties OF the nurse who fol-
lows I'D the doctors cases to insist that the pre-
scrptions be filed and then used "a directed Ihere
il never any reason why they cannot De procured
- .on. vav for II the family il not able 70 pay.
tho chapter or one OF the various ulspesarIes
will supply whatever IL needed
THE SICK UNCARED FOR.
n.y. .-o q. I'M. sick in the usual meaning OF that
,nression is unknown In the tenements. That is,
- Incomes owing the extremely limited facilities
az hand so simplihed that 1t would rcarcs!y De
recognized In higher circles. The suggestions OF
Tho nurse must all be made with reference 10 the
circumstances and So il obliged 10 be wary, lest
n. orend and thereby undo what good she may
n.,s ,ccotnplished Cleanliness Is, naturally one
f the first things striyen for but # Is also aDou'
IN. most Difficult, 70 effect; rs continual hlndlF
naily succeeds in making most OF the patients ana
their families understand now much pl.i on M, ,,Hs
would De Win '"'7'''''
dark x...... ,,-,fcS g..
ln ~, in need OF reform. The majority " the
-, Inor hay. no idea as 10 what IL most houf-
isbine ana digestible Tor them TO eat Ihey r.
n7,nnfy buy fruit and vegetables which would be
,d.rnned II discovered by tn, BOARD OF H-dlu
,rH.v viii have and coffee II they are abe 20
ne! r~ihing and the nurse has often TO protest
s,f.Hf fh.ss being given literally 20 Nttit cnNdrei
aome OF the people seem unaccouhtapy tirald 81
", air The have to be Induced ~ allow me
.iIir.r 10 go out into the street ana g~t VIVA
,',,'.ti,,ite tor II may b. found there Al the
h.ffe
M. g =, vifiat.d a. be almost poisonous.
Try to persuade Mrs n no alow Us 1oct tSHs
il'i tho nurse recently. This IL h subject "hlc
NJ. ~ great deal OF trouble and demands the
ElN"s Z" 81 hnndliux There is almost uni
MI mr.. iudice among the people against leaving
~ homes no matter how "retched anu s4uallu