Year: 1876

Richmond have already appeared in your
columns. Still, it seems to me more might
be SAID in opposition to the scheme of estab-
fishing another free dispensary, as has been
proposed to the Council. The necessity or
expediency OF such an establishment will
not be so apparent as the letters signed
ct" and "L." endeavor to show when
the following facts are presented to the pub
lie:


1. The poor are visited, through charity,
by every practitioner of medicine in the
city, and in this way large majority of
them are reached. The busiest doctor will
not refuse to prescribe gratuitously at bis
office.


3 There are a number OF young doctors
as skilful as the authors OF the new dispen-
sary scheme now sitting idly in their offices
who would gladly do this charity practice
il they were called on merely for the sake
OF gaining experience.


among the sick poor.


4. There are four city dispensaries where
prescriptions marked " Ind;gent" will be
filled for ten cents; and if the sick cannot
pay ten cents for a prescription they cannot
live outside OF the almshouse.


5. There is already a dispensary at the
Medical College where free medicines are
furnished to all who need it, and will apply
for it. This is supported by the city, and
has the advantage of the advice OF the best
medical gentlemen in the city as its con-
sulting staff. These gentlemen are conve-
niently on hand every day.


| 6. The almshouse will supply the neeGs
OF all INDECENT persons where other charity
is necessary.


In the letter signed "L." it was stated
that II per cent. Of the poor people who die
| in Richmond died totally without medical
attention. II they do die, they die at their
homes, where the dispensary physician does
not propose to visit them; but, in the first
place, I do not believe that these statistics
are accurately made up; and secondly, there
is no necessity for such state Of things, fol
the INDECENT sick, whether citizens OF
" tramps." if they are truly needy, can al.
ways be received at the almshouse hospita
on application, and if they are unable to ap'
ply in person, and will make the fact known
to the Superintendent, they will be sent fol
and conveyed to the hospital, where every
medical attention necessary will be afforded
It has been stated that the name OF aims
house is odious to many needy, but the re
cipients OF charity should not be SO fastidl.
Gus, nor will any one apply to free dis
pensary who is too proud to go to the city
almshouse il absolutely necessary. 1t Is
asserted that the negroes fear to visit the
College Dispensary. This is not true. A:
many as thirty and forty negroes have ap'
piled there and received relief in one day,
and large numbers continue to visit 1t daily
The city spends about fifteen hundred dol
lars annually for medicine alone for tEt
poor. Two hundred and fifty is approprl'
ated for the College Dispensary, five huE'
dred to the four tcn-cent prescription stores
and about eight hundred for the Almshous'
Dispensary.


Thus it will be seen that our city is moi
niggardly in its medical charities; nor dc
the poor suffer necessarily for the want ol
medical attention. That few die without
medical attention do not deny, but some
miserly rich people are known to do so, anG
the others either do not claim this charity
or do not know Of its existence. And such
cases will occur even il new dispensary is
established. I have heard, through some
medical gentlemen Of the city, that the dis
pensary system has already been tried in
Richmond, but had to be abandoned. Oh
those who die for need Of physician, very
few would be relieved at dispensary, as
they would be unable to leave their beds to
walk there. Ii any poor sick persons need
relief in the city it should be given to those
who are bed-ridden first, these being, OF
course, in the greatest danger.


Let us also bear in mind the heavy burden
of taxation under which our citizens are
| now suffering. Shall7w add to 1t by un'
necessary and pretended charitable schemes
only started to benefit their originators? Ii
the Council should allow an appropriation
for the support of q new dispensary the
CORPS OF physicians in charge should be re-
Guired to bind themselves to visit gratul-
tously the INDECENT sick at their homes. In
this way good will he derived from the
scheme and economy effected. One ought
to be willing to pay for what he gets, and
| the doctors who propose to take charge OF
the dispensary expect to be benefited by 1t,
and they ought to be willing to compensate
the city for the benefit By furnishing medi-
cal attention to the poor at their homes; but
this it is we'll known the schemers for the
dispensary would not be willing to DO.


In this letter my aim has been to avoid as
far as possible any personal illusions Una !
might be unpleasant. [ am sorry the gen.
tlemen who are advocating the scheme nave
not seen fit to adopt similar course. Medl-
cal etiquette is founded upon the general
principles OF right and wrong which govern
gentlemen in other departments OF life; ana
careful observance OF these principles,
however irksome in particular instances, is
the stern duty Of even members of the med
ical profession-a duty which rests easily
and naturally upon the shoulders OF true
hearted and honest men, but which gals
dreadfuily the arch-maneuyerer, who longs
and strives to escape from its influence to
promote his secret ambition and his own
nroYa scional advancement N H