The Washington herald., 1916-01-04
Free Clinics.
BY JOHN D. pARRY.

BY JOHN D. BARRY.
AT present, it is only the poor who are treated
at the free clinics And experience has taught the
physicians that the poor do not necessarily con-
sist of the ill-elad A good deal Of attudeis per-
mtted in this matter The questions asked IN re-
gard to the financial copdition OF the applicants
are by no means SO searching as those put to
applicants for other kinds of assistance such for
example, applicants to the charity organiza-
tion societies
Even better than clergymen, physicians know
how in the most unsuspectcd places whole families
are living close to the edge, and how easily one
sickness may topplc them the precipice into
poverty, perhaps into want
Already most of the clinics are overworked.
So the physicians feel that they must be fairly
careful not to accept patients who can we'll afford
to pay for medical service
+ Nevertheless. the extent OF the free medical
service is increasing. And in this increase there
is suggestive tendency. 1t looks now as if the
time were approaching when the state would feel
such for its citizens as to offer all citizens
the best possible medical service free Of charge.
Another sign may be found in the interest the
state is taking in the physical welfare OF the
school children Always we have been proud Of
public school system. Any one who ventured
to say word against it we have Indignantly de-
nounced. Any assault upon it we have vigorously
resisted.
Meanwhile, in training the minds of children
we have been altogether too Indifferent to the
training of their bodies, particularly to the safe
guarding of their bodies from disease. Now, how
ever, are waking up. In many schools through
out the country there is careful inspection OF the
physical condition of the children Not only are
cases of sickness treated; but contagious diseases
are discovered and checked.
In this way the coming generations are protect
ed. For the state realizes that in the coming gen.
erations lies the hope Of the state.
its mature citizens1 Their welfare is of the high
est importance to the body polite of today.
Every citizen ought to be asset to the state.
When the state allows citizen to be destroyed
or damaged in any way it suffers loss. When
it develops citizen into higher and higher eff
cheney it profits.
A physician of my acquaintance who, like so
many physicians, loves his work not merely for
the return it gives him, but for the opportunities
it brings Of service looks forward to the time when
every American city shall have great clinic for
all the people who wish to it, whether rich or
poor. The plan sounds IDEAL but it is practicable
as well. Already, in some of the great American
cities it is gradually finding realization.
Before many years the statS will train large
body OF men for the purpose of serving such clinics
These men will not receive the great rewards now
won by most successful practitioners but thew
will have secured positions and they will be hon
ored in the community TO men with love of
science these positions will be peculiarly attractive
offering wide opportunities for investigation and
discovery. For it should be borne in mind that
such institutions will not do their greatest service
in aiding the sick That service will be merely in
cidental growing less and less important with the
advancement of science.
The supreme service will be in discovering the
means of preventing sickness.
Here, after all, is the highest justification of
the free clinic. 1t is by of the free clinic
that we are going to win our way to freedom from
disease ..