Page:1883 Annual Report of the German Society of the City of New York.djvu/50

Rh and particularly if no one would allow himself to be persuaded either to open a subscription list or attach his name to one. The genuine signature of one well-known firm in such a list causes dozens of others to follow their example, and secures to the shrewd swindler a rich harvest for several years. Thousands of dollars, which would afford relief to so many who are truly needy, in this way fall into unworthy hands, and the facility with which this lucrative business is successfully carried on offers encouragement for numerous followers.

CARE OF THE SICK.

Of all the forms in which assistance is given to the needy by the German Society, the gratuitous attendance of a conscientious physician and the furnishing of medicines, prescribed by him, free of charge, is certainly the most important and effective. We gladly take this occasion to present our thanks to the physicians appointed by us—Dr. , 41 Seventh Street, for the part of the city lying north of Houston Street, and Dr., 67 Second Street, for that below Houston Street—for the conscientious discharge of their duties and the favorable results attained.

With regard to the system pursued by the Society in caring for the sick, such misconceptions appear to prevail, that it is appropriate to state herewith in detail the mode and extent of its operations.

First of all, it must be observed that the cases coming under the treatment of our physicians are such as cannot be treated in the hospitals and by the dispensaries. On the whole, the aim is not to replace the above institutions, but to supplement them. From this it follows, as a matter of course, that all our patients must be designated as seriously ill.

In acute diseases (pneumonia, typhoid fever, etc.) the physicians, indeed, are directed to send the patients to the hospitals; but this is not always possible, on account of frequently occurring want of room in these institutions, though the receiving physicians of the German Hospital have indeed shown great courtesy in this respect to the physicians of our Society,