240  Gleanings  from  the  Medical  Journals.  {AmMay?iS18arm* 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  MEDICAL  JOURNALS. 
By  CXement  b.  Lowe,  M.D. 
SERIOUSLY  GRAPPLING  WITH  THE  CHARITY  ABUSE. 
We  are  pleased  to  learn  that  there  is  one  hospital  that  is  in 
earnest  in  trying  to  limit  the  abuse  of  its  charities.  This  is  the 
Philadelphia  Polyclinic.  While  its  New  York  namesake  is  doing  all 
it  can  to  increase  the  abuse  and  oppose  the  limitation  in  that  city, 
in  our  own  institution  "  no  member  of  its  staff  is  expected  to  treat 
free  any  patient  who  can  pay  for  medical  attendance,  either  in  its 
dispensaries,  wards  or  private  rooms.  It  has,  by  rule,  prohibited 
the  giving  of  compensation  or  '  refreshments '  to  patrolmen  or 
others  bringing  patients  to  the  hospital.  More  than  a  year  and  a 
half  ago  it  had  printed  the  following  blank,  which  is  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  doorkeeper  to  be  given  to  each  person  who  appears 
not  entitled  to  treatment,  with  the  statement  that  he  must  have  it 
properly  filled  out  and  bring  it  back  before  he  can  be  treated  in 
the  institution  : 
"  I  hereby  certify  that  I  am  unable  to  pay  for  the  services  of  a 
doctor,  and  on  that  account  consider  myself  a  proper  person  for  free 
treatment  in  the  dispensaries  of  the  Polyclinic  Hospital. 
"  Name 
"  Address 
"  The  following  persons  know  that  I  am  not  able  to  employ  a 
doctor  : 
"  Name 
"  Address 
"  Name 
"  Address 
"  It  is  of  interest  to  note  that  not  one  of  the  persons  to  whom 
such  a  form  has  been  given  has  returned  with  it  properly  filled  out. 
The  presumption  is  that  they  have  either  gone  to  the  office  of  some 
