COPY OF THE DISPENSARIES' PETITION, TO THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. This petition which asks a restoration of the annual State Donation to the Dispensaries, was presented in the Assembly, January, 1861, by Mr. G. W. Varian, member from New York, and referred. To the Honorable the Senate and, Assembly, of the State of New York : The Petition of the New York, the Northern, the Eastern, the Demilt, and the North-Western Dispensaries of the City of New York, respectfully shows, That for many years, with the exception of 1860, the People of this State, represented by your Honorable Bodies, have deemed it humane in princi- ple and wise in policy, to contribute annually towards defraying the current expenses of your petitioners. The sums so donated, prior to 1858, were SI,000 to each. In 1858 the sums were, to the New York Dispensary $1,000, and to each of the others $750. In 1859, the sums were, to the New York Dispensary $700, and to each of the others $500. In 1860, no such aid was afforded, and thereby each has been and is much embarrassed. Whatever may have been the reasons.for first diminishing and then with- holding such aid, your petitioners cannot believe the Legislature to have dis- approved the long standing policy of their predecessors, or to have over- looked the importance, nay, the necessity for such institutions to the well- being of the State, in its sanitary and financial economy. 38 For the information of those who are not familiar with such institutions we state their prominent characteristics as follows, viz : 1. They provide and furnish to the sick-poor, Medical and Surgical at- tendance and services, and medicines, all without charge. 2. They vaccinate all who will permit it, without charge. 3. They collect, preserve, and upon application, distribute pure and re- liable vaccine virus, to all Physicians in the State, without charge. 4. They are established and sustained solely by voluntary contributions.' 5. They minister to about 135,000 patients annually. No needy person in distress, wheresoever from, comes to a Dispensary without receiving all the benefits thereof. The Visiting Physicians traverse their respective districts once every day, at least, and are the first to discover pestilential contagion and infection. Dispensaries practically, are preventive rather than remedial, and stand as guards and out-posts of Hospitals and Alms-Houses. They save families and individuals from becoming a public charge,-and what is more, by early attention to the sick, and consequent preservation of life, they secure to the State an inestimable amount of productive labor and wealth. This is true, not merely in respect to the poor, but as to all classes since Dispensaries arrest and prevent the spread of contagious and infec- tious diseases, and this is demonstrated as to any such disease, by the well established fact that the introduction of general vaccination has reduced the deaths by small Pox from upwards of ten per cent, to less than two per cent. The collection and preservation of pure and effective vaccine virus, is ac- complished only by much skill, attention and care. Such vaccine is an article of traffic, and always commands a good price, but hitherto, with a desire to protect the public, and in consideration of pe- cuniaiy aid from the State, they have kept a supply for extensive gratuitous distribution. It may be a satisfaction to learn that such is the high character of the vaccine, from these Dispensaries, that our National Government has sought and used it in the Army and Navy. Though doing exclusively a public service, these Dispensaries in every other respect, are strictly private in their character Their annual expenses are about $25,000, including fuel, and other neces- saries No officer or manager, and but a small part of the numerous Professional employees receive any compensation. These Dispensaries are catholic in the truest sense, and though located in the City of New York, they deserve to be considered and fostered as if belonging to the State. With a proper understanding and appreciation of their services, we think no sanitarian or political economist can object to such State regard. Though receiving no State aid in 1860, we have continued the supply of vaccine as heretofore; but it may become a question, in case such aid is not bestowed, whether the Dispensaries must not from necessity discontinue the gratuitous supply, and demand a price. We should be must reluctant to do so, in view of the possible effects upon the public, but the burden of sustaining the institutions is heavy upon their managers,-the difficulties in raising the necessary monies except from their own pockets, are great; and the amount that can certainly be realized from the vaccine now given away through the State, would be no inconsiderable help. We annex hereto a printed tabular statement of Dispensary statistics, from which much important further information may be obtained, and to which we invite particular attention. For the reasons and upon the facts aforesaid, we respectfully but urgently solicit your careful consideration; and that as in 1857, and before, you will for the present year provide, appropriate and donate to each Dispensary such a sum as shall seem to you proper, and which we suggest should not be less than $1,000. All of which is respectfully submitted. The NEW YORK DISPENSARY, Geo. T. Trimble, President. The NORTHERN DISPENSARY, Jno. N. Bradley, President. The EASTERN DISPENSARY, Wm. P. Cooledge, President. The DEMILT DISPENSARY, F. E. Mather, President. The NORTH WESTERN DISPENSARY, Robert Ray, President. Dated, New York, January, 1861. 39 LEADING STATISTICS OF THE FIVE DISPENSARIES OF NEW YORK, FOR THE YEAR I860. WITH THE COST, THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE MEDICAL SERVICE, AND THE ESTIMATED SAVING TO THE PUBLIC EFFECTED BY THE DlSPENSATY SYSTEM. LEADING STATISTICS, 1860. Number of Male patients treated, ....... 59,266 Number of Female patients treated, 74,803 Total for the year, 134,069 Number treated at their dwellings, 27,602 Number treated at the Dispensaries, 106,467 Numberof Primary Vaccinations, 12,566 Number of Re-Vaccinations, 4,860 Whole number Vaccinated, 17,426 Whole number of Adult Patients, 79,270 Number of Children under 15 years of age, . . . •. . 54,779 Number of Patients of American birth, 58,749 Number of Patients of Foreign origin, 75,320 Number of Patients sent to Hospital, 9,869 Number of Patients who died, 969 Number of Prescriptions dispensed, 252,967 Amount of expenditures of the five Dispensaries, .... $23,458 47 Amount directly expended in the service of the Patients, . . $21,312 33 Whole number of Patients, excluding Vaccinees, .... 119,811 Average number of Prescriptions to each Patient,* . . . J2.ll Average cost of Medicine and dispensing it per Patient,* . . J7 95 Average cost of the whole service to each Patient, .... J15.9 Average number of Medical visits made to each Patient,! . . J2.ll THE MEDICAL SERVICE RENDERED, ITS COST AND VALUE. Aggregate value of Medical service to the several Patients, at 50 cents per visit, . $127,400 Aggregate value of the Medicine dispensed at 25 cents per Prescription, . . . 62,242 Aggregate value of the Vaccinations performed, at 50 cents per Vaccination, . . 8,713 Total value of medical sendee, ...... $198,355 Amount of expenditures incurred in the service, . 21,312 Excess of the value of the service over its cost, being the ? $177 043 Net amount saved to the public by the Dispensary system, 5 ... »x//,U4d -«-♦-► Aggregate value of the Vaccinations performed by the Dispensaries at 50 cents per Vaccination, , $8,713 Aggregate amount of donations from this City to the five Dispensaries for the year, 5,500 Excess of value rendered to the City in Vaccinations alone, in return for its dona- tions, $3,213 * The averages marked thus (*) exclude Vaccinees, who usually neither need nor receive Prescription!. t The number of Medical visits is found to be identical very nearly, with the number of Prescriptions dispensed. | These amounts are cents and decimals of cents, or whole numbers and decimals.