Statement regarding the New Town Dispensary / by the medical gentlemen conducting that institution.

  • New Town Dispensary (Edinburgh)
Date:
1816
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Statement regarding the New Town Dispensary / by the medical gentlemen conducting that institution. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    51/52 (page 49)
    pital, and at a Dispensary, is liable to imperfections of differ** ent kinds, yet, in either way, it is beneficial to society, and an inestimable blessing to the poor. Influenced by such considerations as I have now mentioned, I can neither be intimidated by opposition, nor do I despair of success. Confident that what I have here advanced will be de- monstrated by future experience, with patient silence I shall wait the decision. And I trust it will soon be the opinion of every disinterested man, that a Dispensary at Edinburgh for the relief of the poor subjected to chronical diseases, is benefi- cial to the Infirmary, serviceable to medical education, and high- ly useful to the indigent, though industrious labourer. I should, however, consider myself as wanting in duty to the public, did I not put it in the power of every generous and humane man, who wishes for the accomplishment of these va- luable ends, to lend his aid in promoting them. This consi- deration, then, induces me to make the following proposal, to which, I must own, it is difficult for me to foresee any good objection. Let those who shall become subscribers to this institution en- joy, from the time of paying their subscription, all th« privileges annexed to the rank of governors. But, in place of imme- diately bestowing the money that shall be collected in erecting ' any building;4^1et that money be deposited at interest in some secure hand, for the space of two years from the beginning of December next. Let the interest only of the money thus col- lected be allowed for defraying some part of the expence of hir- ing rooms, and obtaining other articles necessary for the Dispen- sary. And, at the end of that period let every contributor have it in his option to withdraw his original contribution. By this plan every subscriber will have an opportunity of being fully satisfied of the real tendency of a Dispensary, be- fore his money be employed in that way which is to render it a permanent Institution. And, after the repeated assurances which I have given, in the most public manner, that if this charity shall be found in any degree detrimental to the inter-