Victorian Medical and Dental Dispensaries: Really? It's Free?

Victorian Medical and Dental Dispensaries: Really? It’s Free?

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What is a Dispensary?

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True-to-history Dispensaries in the U.S.A.

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Kristin Holt | Victorian Medical and Dental Dispensaries: Really? It's Free? Homeopathic [sic] Dispensary in San Francisco, "Free to the sick, poor of all nations," published in the San Francisco Chronicle on November 24, 1870.

Homeopathic [sic] Dispensary, San Francisco, California. “Free to the sick, poor of all nations. Open every day except Sunday, 1 to 3 PM.” Medical doctors in attendance. Published in the San Francisco Chronicle on November 24, 1870.

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Kristin Holt | Victorian Medical and Dental Dispensaries: Really? It's Free? Eye Dispensary, advertised in the Reading Times of Reading, PA on August 4, 1877.

Eye Dispensary, “diseases of the eye treated free of charge. Open from 11 to 12 a.m.” published in the Reading Times of Reading, Pennsylvania on August 4, 1877.

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The following vintage newspaper clipping advertises a Free Dispensary at the Fort Wayne College of Medicine. Not only could the poor receive medicines, free of charge, but “patients too sick to come to the Dispensary will be visited at their home.”

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Kristin Holt | Victorian Medical and Dental Dispensaries: Really? It's Free? Medical Dispensary advertised in Fort Wayne Daily News of Fort Wayne, Indiana on September 15, 1897.

Medical Dispensary advertised in Fort Wayne Daily News of Fort Wayne, Indiana on September 15, 1897.

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Kristin Holt | Victorian Medical and Dental Dispensaries: Really? It's Free? Medical Dispensary in Topeka, Kansas. Advertised in the Topeka State Journal, November 27, 1901.

“FREE DISPENSARY”… “under new management of seven Topeka physicians, where those who are unable to pay for medical treatment may have the same free of charge.” Published in the Topeka State Journal of Topeka, Kansas on November 27, 1901.

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If history records a “Homeopathic Dispensary,” an “Eye Dispensary,” and a “Free Dispensary (medical treatment),” then why not a dental dispensary? I may not have easily located a notice in a vintage newspaper for a dental dispensary, but when writing fiction, it’s easy enough to extrapolate. Makes sense that a dentist like Dr. Henry Merritt, DDS would determine to create a dental dispensary where one did not exist, and where the need was great.

So that’s what he did.

While pre-writing this title, the idea came to mind. To ensure the story worked, I decided to use it.

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In Isabella’s Calico Groom, you’ll see not only a Dental Dispensary, 1890-style, but you’ll see why he’d give away services that could easily help him to pay his mounting bills. (Read that opening scene–and all those bills–here.)

Maybe you’ll be as surprised as Dr. Isabella Pattison. But maybe not. Perhaps you’ve figured it out already.

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Invitation

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Would you work at a dispensary? If only 2 hours per week?

Would you give away skilled labor, as a good deed to “those who cannot pay”?

Please scroll down and reply. We’d love to hear your thoughts.

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