New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-13
CAN PAY, BUT WILL NOT.
FACTS SHOWING ABUSE OF THE FREE
DISPENSARIES.
THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE BOARD OF CHAR
TIES SAYS NEARLY HALF THE PEOPLE
OF NEW YORK CITY GET GRATui-
Tous MEDICAL TREATMENT


Albany. Feb. 12-In view OF the fact that the
medical fraternity is making strenuous efforts 10
place such restrictions the dispensaries OF the
State as will prevent the free treatment OF persons
who can afford to pay for II. inquiry was 'o-dds
made at the Department OF Charities TO a.cer-
tain the records relating 10 the SUBJECT ScOie-
tary Hebberd said:
There arc between one hundred and two nun
dred free dispensaries in this state In New YORK
City. in Brooklyn. Buffalo Rochester Albany SSr"-
cuse and Troy principally. with few in the smalel
cities The greater number is in New-fork ana
Brooklyn In the former there are nnety-seVei'
hut only sixty-eight have reported 10 this Board
During the last year the statistics Of the work OF
dispensaries in the seven lager cities OF the state
were:
"New-York City-Patlents treated, lo''lio' pre-
scrptions prepared. 1.G994ss: percentage Il; or OF
The nonnI,tion NJ what Is now the boroughs o, Man
haitian and The Bronx nearly % per cent. OF three-
quarters OF the population. was treated free IN the
dispersaries there located.
observation-disclosures treated. 252es5; prescriptions
C5siO: percentage So, or nearly one-ihird OF the
population. ..
"AIbany-Patcnts treated 90 $40; prescriptions IL
es; percentage. 2l.i or nearly one-quarter OF the
10000 people inhabitants Of that city
"Runao-Pationts treated 1855; prescriptions
325e: percentage. IS
"Rochoster-P Patients treated $40 prescriptions
669S: percentage IS.
Syracuse Patients treated. S,tsoi peSCTlp'ioii9'
GIG; percentage. 90
"Troy-Paticrt, treated rs. prescriptions. rs;
percentage. - the lowest Of any Of the larger
cities OF the State.
THE statistics for the boroughs OF Manhattan
and The Bronx do not represent all OF the insitu-
lions as but sixiy-eight OF the ninety-seven re-
ported 10 the State Board In addition, there are
many sources OF free relief which DO not come
under institutions which termed dispensaries.
according 10 Burdc;ts Hospital and Charities
for 1897. published I'm London. there but rs
dispensaries i'm London, Of which thirty-two are
frovideni iispensaTieS. where no persons are
treated except paying members Of the society form
ing the institution.
Besides the medical relief furnished by dispen-
saries various charitable societies the city of
New-York provide medical attendance FOR the poor
at their homes. and il is wel!-known fact tina;
very many hysicians treat patients without charge
and in many cases where they 90 make charge.
hdeht that all these facts fully Justify The assertion
that nearly - per cent Of The people OF the city Of
New-York are receiving practically free medical
attendance at the present time.
Il have investigated many cases OF applicants for
Of them found that the people were perfectly able
10 pay for the services OF physician and should
find families whose salaries range from $50 so
per week going 10 dispensares 10Y treatment. and
IN one instance stOrekeepcr and real estate owner
worth over $1,000" was one of the applicants under
Investigation.
For at least ten years the State Board OF Chart
ties and others who were interested nave been call
Ing attention To this abuse but no definite steps
have been taken by the dispensarcs 10 bring about
any change IN the prevailing condition and but lew
Of them apparently have any desire to seek out and
apply any adequate remedy. For this reason it
seems Dut proper that the medical societies am
others who feel that wrong conditions prevail
should ask that some impartial public body be
selected to arbltrate and regulate this matter, so
that abuses may be diminished. whereby the poor
who receive relief will have better attention and
those able 10 pay shall be obliged 70 discontinue
obtaining charity at the diSpcnSaricS.''