New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-05
DOCTORS AND DfsPENsARlBG!
THE POSITION OF THE NEw-YoRK MEDICAL
LEAoUE-cLINICs BLAMED

THE POSITION OF THE NETWORK MEDICAL
LEAGUE-cLrNICs BLAMED
To tho Editor Of The Tribune 49,.
Sir. I am directed to gay to you that the tditcse!
on Doctors and Dispensaries" In your ssue VI
Sunday Is not quite exact in data and conclusions.
For instance. the remedy 81, ,gested is p'o'onss
course OF instruction In Great Britain the meo'.'
course is five years. and In France seven. ye' :"
both these countries the agitation over the hosp'
and dispensary question Is great. Inc Ne"
Medical League has been large FACTOR 10 inc p'
sentation Of institutional abuses to tnat pupno
whose expense much Of the misplaced char'ty -
so recklessly administered. The League anu ~
sister societies are not opposed 10 dispensaries Inc
dispensary Ais a necessary place In our muh'c'pa'
medical charities. but II has. In many -nstahcs' 10
parted from the purposes for which II was constr
tuted. The League does oppose those 'ns"t""o"'
that receive funds because OF the great cha'"S:
and then msmanage the affairs OF the poor anu
HELPLESS defrauding the sick OF the aid ana comfort
provided for them. and unloading on the over
burdened practitioner the care OF these gratu"ous
cases who crowded out OF the dispensares "
patients who neither need nor should receive a'ms~
accident cases always excepted. The nnanc'erI"s
Of many medical charities gives the impression tnat
Il Ia proper for a citizen receive something for
nothing This Is the teaching OF socialism, 70
which The Tribune was always opposed, ana !"
Is the code OF the counterfeiter. The quesuoh VI
right does not into the matter ut ALL Legally.
his starving family: there may be mitigating cir
cumstances but the law brands such an act az
theft Is he any less guilty who steals physicians
service under fake pre,cnces? The only man who
Gains the right TO receive aims is the hishway-
man who puts a pistol to your head. excia'mine
Your money or your life!' Another class OF
recipients Of charity may be compared to the street
beggar. who simply asks for money and trusts 20
effrontery and persistence to obtain IT, third
class would be the deserving poor, whom every one
wishes to help. hut who are too tmtd or too PROUD
I The Of de ee sd @
tesy. and deprivcs them OF the time ana service
or tho for S s sd Of ne h or Sc
manded as II is for the moneyed pauper to produce
s ss aG free tine to- the %
those for whom dispensaries were founded. The
idea Of the League Is not TO make dispensaries less
free but to make them more free; not to do away
with any, but to secure better attention from tho
attendants for the proper benefcaries by prevent
ing the present indiscriminate overcrowdns by
We desire to see that money left to institutions by
With I he o ss dno m be~e that
the bill indorsed by the medical societies and ia
In the right direction 70 do away with fragrant
abuses and In justice TO the overburdened taxpayer
ba ton and assent Of the Governor.
The State Board is not the representative OF the
he donor receiver Of aims t IS the accredited
and legitimate guardian OF funds now squa nd<ed
Of the rST sx9O po a1s
through the Vaccinations Of some medical men
who INDUCE In covert personal advertisement
While the entire question is one seemingly pro.
f.ssi9nal yet the taxpayer will do well to remen'.
bis is the pocket whence the largest sums are
drawn. and ne may not be willing to pay for the
ton Of $4,000 The citizen: patient as he IS may
stop the leak DouGLAs II. STEWART,
New-York June ., 1887