The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-20

A great free medical dispensary is
assured for Birmingham.
Following the example of New York,
Chicago, Boston and other northern and
eastern cities, large, we'll located and
fully equipped dispensary is to be es-
tablished here within the next year
or so. A campaign to raise $500,
for the erection of this building and
establishment of the institution will
be started in the city this fall, prob
ably about November or December
The dispensary will he conducted
under the auspices of the University
of Alabama and in connection with the
graduate school of medicine which has
been established here at Avenue Il and
South Twentieth street by the state
university, where the Birmingham Med
ical college formerly was located DR..
George II. Denny president of the uni
yersity, has announced the campaign
and accompanies the announcement
with letter of appeal which is re-
garded as one of the most beautiful
and effective pleas of It's kind ever
made
X
The dispensary has been conducted
for some time in a little cottage across
the street from the medical college.
where some 1000 patients have been
treated month and where the dis
pensary was enormously handicapped
by lack of room and equipment. on
the lot beside the college is where the
new dispensary will be built There
medical and surgical treatment and re-
lief for all kinds of disease will be
given free to those who desire 1t.
strong committee of some of the
most prominent men of Birmingham
has been named by DR.. Denny to con-
duct this campaign The committee has
already met and organized 1t is as fol-
lows: f. H. Croekard, Maj. E. NJ. Tut
wiler. Robert Jemison, Sr., Hill Fer
guson, w. p. G. Harding, Sterling
Wood, W. w. Crawford Walker Percy,
r. s. Munger William H. Settig, M.
Y. Joseph, Hugh Morrow, John W. Sib-
ley. L. C. Morris and James Bowron.
The Importance of dispensary to a
city is told by Dr. Denny in his plea,
which is brief but straight to the
point. 1t follows:
DIR. Denny's Plea
THE Executive Committee, University
Free Dispensary. Birmingham, Ala
"Gentlemen-Sone months ago, in an
address delivered before the Chamber
of Commerce in Birmingham, 1 uttered
these words: This city has periodi-
cally heard the cry of human need and
the call of human opportunity, and its
| response has always been in the spirit
of men engaged in increasing their
best investment rather than in the
spirit of men who are merely doing
out charity. ] did not at that time
Know that the next great test of the
civic patriotism of Birmingham would
involve matter in which / am, both
officially and personally. so deeply con-
cerned.
"The greatest present need of Bir-
mlngham is a centrally located, easily
accessible, reasonably adequate free
dispensary. The newly created gradu-
ate school of medicine of the Univer-
sity of Alabama is by all odds the best
agency to administer this great bene-
faction for the simple reason that 1t
commands an ideal location and rs
controlled by dismterested trustees of
the highest standing and character.
Here is an appeal that goes direct
ly to the heart of humanity, affect
ms al citSSSS anu cOnultlouS OIL men.
Here is a cause that profoundly con-
Germs the entire community. Every
citizen, regardless of sect and party,
will rally to this great human call.
mo intelligent man will question
the fact that out-patient work is to-
day the most important and the most
neglected part of medical service. |
make this statement in spite of the
fact that in three great cities of New
York, Chicago and Boston the out
patient departments and reputable dis
pensaries are providing service for g.
100000 people and are expending an
nually at least $4,000
Pays in Many Ways
There is sound philosophy in the
modern demand for adequate dispen-
sary service. 1t pays in many ways.
1t conserves the most precious asset
of any community, the health of its
citizens. A hospital is no longer re-
garded as luxury but as a neces-
sity. No modern city would deny it,
self hospital. Yet comparatively few