Dispensaries

**

Dispensaries**

Of institutions of this kind, there are a great number; which with a single exception (the Talbot Dispensary) are supported by private contributions, without any assistance form government. **

The Talbot Dispensary** is attached to the House of Industry, and is intended for the relief of such of the inmates of that establishment, as are unfit to be sent to the different infirmaries attached to it, as well as for applicants from all parts of the north-western extremity of Dublin; it is attended every morning by one physician and two surgeons. **

St. Mary’s and St. Thomas’s Dispensary, Coles-lane, Henry-street**.

• This was the first Dispensary ever established in Dublin; attendance three clays in the week, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. There are four physicians and two surgeons, who perform the duty in turn, exclusively of the consulting physicians. **

Dublin General Dispensary, Fleet-street**. - This Dispensary was founded in 1782, and was designed for the relief of the whole city**; **but the several establishment of the same kind, since instituted, have somewhat contracted the sphere of its general action. There are six physicians, exclusive of a consulting physician, and the same number of surgeons.

The latter attend the Dispensary daily, the former three days in a week at eleven o’clock (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), in their turn, one physician and one surgeon attending the house practice for a month at a time. The whole city is divided into six districts, to each of Much a physician and surgeon are attached, whose duty it is to visit at their own homes such patients as may be unable to attend at the Dispensary.

Subscribers of one guinea annually, or life subscribers of five guineas, are eligible as governors. Twelve of the subscribers, in conjunction with the twelve medical officers, form the Board of Governors.

A branch of the Humane Society is held at this institution; the Board consists of the medical men of this institution, those of Steevens’s Hospital, the physician and surgeon-general, the Lord Mayor, &c. **

Meath Dispensary, or Sick-Poor Institution**. - This institution was opened in 1794, in Meath-street, and was designed for the relief of the poor of the earl of Meath’s liberty, comprising four parishes, where the population is more numerous, and the poverty of the lower orders more extreme, than in other parts of the city

The medical department consists of six physicians and one surgeon, the former attend daily in turn, the latter visits the institution each day, both from eleven to two o’clock. These officers, until lately, had salaries from the institution proportioned to the length of their services.

Persons paying ten guineas are Governors for life; annual subscribers of one guinea, or more, are Governors for the year. **

Vaccine Institution**. - This institution was opened January 14th, 1804, at 62, Sackville-street, for the purpose of vaccinating gratuitously the children of the poor, for which purpose the secretary, or his assistant, both of whom are physicians of very considerable experience attend twice a week (Tuesdays and Fridays), from twelve to three o’clock.

The numbers of applicants have been, from the first, very considerable, and it is gratifying to observe, that they are annually increasing. Very few failures have occurred in those who had been there inoculated; and out of the immense number of individuals vaccinated at the institution, the Directors admit the occurrence of no more than four cases of genuine small-pox, none of which proved fatal.

The establishment is supported in a great degree by private contributions, and by the profits arising from the sale of the vaccine matter; packets of which may be bad in any part of the kingdom, free of postage. The assistance derived from government is exceedingly trifling; perhaps in no institution was there ever so much public utility produced at so small an expense to the community.

The only officer who receives a salary is the secretary, on whom, or his assistant, devolves the entire labour of the institution.

His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant is patron.

Besides the Dispensaries already mentioned, there are several of minor note, which are of great advantage to the poor, in the different parts of the city. Among them are, the Charitable Institution, Kildare-street; the National Eye Infirmary, North Cumberland-street; Saint Mary’s Hospital, Ormond Quay, &c.

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