New-York tribune., 1902-01-09
WORK OF DIET KITCHENS.
HELP GIVEN TO THE SICK POOR
THROUGH THIS CHARITY.

The work Of the New-Yor1 Diet Kitchen Asso-
citation needs 10 be more than trebled the
demands made upon it by nurses. doctors char
ity workers. said Mrs. Henry Willard. president OF
the society, at tie twenty-ninth annual meeting,
held yesterday at her home. No l45 West Fifty
eighth-st.
Mrs. Willard referred to a recent report of the
Charity Organization Society. in which a strong
appeal made for more diet kitchens where
pure milk and other needful decacies can be OBJ
tanned for the sick poor in their own homes.
People engaged in ph!lanthropic enterprises
make constant appeals TO US" she said. Ito open
kitchens and further supplement the huma
work that they themselves doing. Milk the
physicians declare, is often of help than
medicine. Many sick babies. old people and fever
patients their recovery to the milk dispensed
by the diet kitchens. To many appeals we are
obliged to turn deaf ear because we have not the
money with which to enlarge work"
Mrs. Willard regretted that the name Of the
ganzation often misleads persons TO suppose that
the work has something TO do with cooking, and
said that some people had even thought II cook
ing school She explained that the funds OF the
association used only for the purchase of milk
beef for beef and for rice. but that eggs. and
other comforts such food and clothing which
contributed by friends. also dispensed. The
benefciaries all among the sick poor. Supplies
are given them only the presentation Of
acquisitions received by them from house and visit
ing physicians of dispensaries. The association
supports five kitchens-the Raymond, at Thirty
sixth-st. and Ninth-ave.; the Wickham. No. 1871
Cen;re-st.: the Rusch, No. 627 East Fifth-st; the
Freeman, No 3i7 Second-ave., and the Gibbons, No.
249 East Forty -third-st.
Each kitchen Is in charge of a competent ma
tron, who gives out milk. beef tea and rice from
a. p m. Every afternoon is spent by each
matron in visiting the patients in their homes in
order that she may know the condition Of every
family receiving aid from her kitchen.
During the last year 365. 5.74i pints OF milk, more
than 100000 half-pound pound portions of rice
and over 1,51D portions of beef tea have been dis
tributed to 3l,6i2 patients.
The report of Mrs. Joseph w. Tilton. treasurer
of the association. showed that sl1O0 SO was re-
ceived during 1901, and that Ao.593 81 was paid out
The endowment fund amounts to 500 9SS3 7S, besides
s. 900 which is soon to be added from the Plummer
estate
Mrs. Edward Tuck, former resident of New
York. who lives in Paris has promised an
annuity or $1,000.
Miss Lillian d. wald superintendent of the
Nurses Settlement. in Henry-st., made strong
appeal for diet Kitchens and related Incl
dents to show the appreciation and need of the
people of the tenements for pure milk Even II
they have the money with which to buy milk In
the of their neghborhood. II is not of kind
suited to the sick. A man Of seventy years, whom
she knows, walked from Cherry-st. 10 Fifth-st.
every morning TO get quart Of pure milk for a
baby which is not his II Is not only that the
hospital wards are crowded and that convalescents
cannot be kept until health has been reganed but
the atmosphere Of the hospital, beyond a certain
perod is not penenciaI 70 panehhe h aa ee
is not infrequently more speedy there than In
public institution.
Statistics have shown that babies do not thrive
where they kept together in large numbers. II
is unusual for physician or nurse to ask.
Are you that the baby resist the hospital
atmosphere?' 1t is a frequent occurrence In hos
ptas that children too delicate to remain there
longer than is absolutely necessary II their lives are
be saved II is for such as well as for the
old and feeble and those not eligible to hospital
lists that the work of the kitchens Is needed The
day has gone by, Miss Wald said, when medicine is
given in large quantities. Milk is an important
factor in all such remedial work beef tea being
less thought OF than formerly. Miss Wald hoped
that fresh might also be added to the societys
distributions.
Among the members OF the association who
present at the meeting Miss Maria II. Met
calf, Mrs. August Lewis Mrs. Charles NJ. Ray
mond Mrs AIanson Cary. Miss NJ. NJ. Cunningham
and Mrs. Stephen II. Thayer.