The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-11-07

reckoning OF a gooa many carefully econ
omized incomes.
And yet, Sd glariug is become the
hosI itAl abuse. OF such magnitude Is It's
imposititon upon our generous pbyi-
clans who give freely OF their time and
talents to the hospitals, that more than
one investigator of the sutj.ct has de-
clsred bat the only basis upon which
the hospitals can be conducted without
abuse of their privileges and a correspond
ing mbarassment TO their functions. is
to proclaim them charity, nothing
more, and make every applicant to it's re-
sources understand clearly tlat he or
she is to he subject OF publia charity
and that any pride in the matter must
be swallowed II the hospital privileges
are to be enjoyed.
We are OF the opinion that the general
public take tie occasional outcry against
the hospital abuse with a good deal OF
'scepticism. They are inclined to doubt
that il is so serious a matter as the hos
| pital aut thorities would have them be-
lieve. Against this sentiment ths At
lantic Medical Weekly presents some
! startling statistics, the results OF six
months trial at the Rhode Island Hos
pital OF pla formulated by a commit
tie OF the stan association of That noLie
and most libsrllly conducted public insti-
tuition. We quote the outline Of the plan
followed to lessen the number OF un-
worthy applicants for eratuitous medical
service at this single hospital:
Prominently displsye1 in the entrance
! hall OF the dispensary is 2 notice hat the
Institution Is tor the poor only, and thet
none Others Will he treated.
A patient applying for free medical or
! surgical advice Is asked by the admitting
| officer mis- name, address, place OF busi-
| ness, wages earned, number Of persons
| dependent upon ! i'm and any special rea-
son why ne should receive aid IL his
| answers are satisfactory. or II he should
be in urgent need OF immedia atten-
men, but IL the clerx is not satisded, and
there is no immediste haste, he Is asked
to return the next day with letter OF
recommendation from some physician or
his employer. During the afternoon ths
| information given by the applicant, in
doubtful cases, is corrooorated by PER
sOnal visit 10 the address given, and,
should it be found To be erroneous, the
card Of admission Is Withdrawn at The
next visit.
In the same way, IL pat tents who have
been availing themselves Of the privileges
OF the dispensary for q long while are
found unworthy, theg are denied further
treatment.
The result of this ylan, 1t may well be
believed, surpassed the expectations OF the
most pessimistic observer of the unre-
corded abuse OF the hospital. 1t appears
we quote from The weekly's summary
tnat the number OF patients treated from
April ]. 1895, TO October /, 1895, under the
old system. was 10, 262i from April ], to
October OF the present year, 1905,
showing an apparent ciminution of 1857
or 81 per cent.
The number OF new patients applying
during tae six months was 1852; OF these
226s were admitted and 6S4 were denied
admission for the following reasons:
Owners OF real estate, 107; earning good
wages, 1873; told to return with letter, ,4i9.
Thus OF the new patients no less than g
Ier cent. were deemed unworthy.
Tbe owners Of real es.a were taxed for
a gross amount of $40, $40: Of those
earning good wages, 81 were M irried and
week, or &c. SO each; 81 we ma 'ried
and earned sic6.30 per week, or about sil
each, CT those told to bring letters, i49
in oil, hut 56 returned, or about II per
cent; 1875 cases wsre personally investi-
gated and ~ w're found TO be unworthy.
or the reasons for unworthiuess, ave in
dicte nothing short OF fsisehood fer the
purpose OF working" tue hospital
Those are specified ss follows: a.
" oman said her hns ban1 osrned SO per
week hu, be wa tonnd 10 earn s.3. 3.-l2-4
Womsn said her hGsb nd esrned IS per
week, Gr.ving team for a certain firm;
ne has not worked there for four years,
hut sarns ;2l per week in fire depart ment.
(3.) Woman said husband earned SO per
week. but was found 10 earn si7. (s.)
Man y no said ne earn, d %, but was found
to earn s.3.4a per week. (5.) Man who
gave wrong sduress, and was found to
work in the pgstotiice at q Oh salary.
Now" sums up this informing and
convincing report, "if these statistics
show anything, they prove thrt OF these
ga applicants iJr aid who were r, jsoted oil
but toe 76 who returned with letters wero
unworthy, or 20 per cent" Moreover, as
tue attendance upon the dispensary has