The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-21
Tho Medicine Chest in tho Cabinet.


Tho Medicine Chest in tho Cabinet.
Tho Senate Committee on Epidemic Dis
eases has been in the possession since Dec.
10. 1891, OF bill to establish Department
OF Public Health. The Hon. JOHN SHERMAN
introduced 1t. but probably he did it out Of
good nature and to obige the American
Medical Society. At the meeting OF that
body in Washington a year ago this month
committee OF thirty was appointed to
memorialize Congress to create Cabinet
officer to be known us Medical Secretary Of
| Public Health. Tho memorial produced by
tho thirty, or tho majority Of them. Is
queer, rambling sort Of document. 1t begins
| with rather unnecessary effort to impress
Congress with the intellectual weight and
gravity OF tho American Medical Assocla-
| ton. constituted" rs it is, of men OF dis
tnction in their profession in every part OF
| the Union" 1t complains. and the COM
plant Is singular one in view OF tho
achievements OF American physicians and
surgeons. that in the United States
the medical profession has been left.
for the most part. to take care OF
itself. without subvention Of the State" a
mighty good thing for the American medi-
take care OF itself The petition. however.
takes lofty view OF the medical profess
sion. There is no other profession that
excels ours in positive efficiency to sustain
public order comfort, and virtue. We pos
scss vast capacity for the direction of So
cicty and promotion Of human happiness"
1t is little hard to see the relevancy OF
these observations. Nobody has UNDER
valued the medical profession recently. so
far as we know. and evidently the American
Medical Society thinks we'll Of 1t. AS n
specimen OF the logic which pervades the
memorial we give the following extract. In
which an assertion OF the need Of syn
thetic activity in behalf Of medical science
leads up or down by some winding stair
of the intellectuals to the assertion that
the surgeons in the civil war were the first
persons to be reconstructed:
THE organism which is called medicine, like every
other product Of mans constructive genius is striving
to attain perfection. and to accomplish this 1t must be
sustained in all its scientific undertakings by tho
operation OF national and state legislation and tho
hearty cooperation OF the people for whose health and
happiness its efforts are put forth to prevent disease
1t is certainly remarkable spectacle to observe its
constant effort TO save TIE people from disease. when
success will limit to tho smallest dimension the Office
Of physician Eut this out OF the nature Of their
studies tho tendency OF which gives the highest
motive for unseltsh service to suffering humanity
The physician is bound to render this service rich
and poor alike. The amount OF gratuItous SERVICE
especially in great ces constitutes onethird of their
practice Tho most distinguished and experienced of
the profession form the stats OF all Of hospitals
without any remuneration. 1t may be said that they
receive their pay by reason Of the distinction OF their
position: but they must have had distinction before
their appointments In war the surgeon must follow
through the thckcst of the fire. deal
ton but to stanch the wounds Of friend and foo alike.
II there was cruelty to prisoners either side in
civil It not perpetra.ed by the surgeons OF
opposing armies and when the strife ceased they
the rs to extend the faterEal hand across tho field
of conflict"
Then Congress Is urged to look after the
tabulaton OF births. marriages. and deaths.
1t appears that Sir JAMES CREIGHTON
BROWNE. NJ. D.. LII. d.. has shown. or tried
to show. that since 1859 while there has
been an enormous increaseLi.e. a diminution
Of the death rate] among babies and young
men and women. the loss is alarming
among those eminent in experience and
Judgment" Congress is further informed
that "a healthy brain is necessary to free
will" that memorized lessons "are not
we'll retained" and that There are no for
tuitous conditions that concur for tho
production of the best moral md political
circumstances OF society" Finally, at the
end OF the memorial. tho memorialists
come down to business. and let the per-
picked reader know what in thunder they
are driving at:
"a Secretary OF Public Health would represent the
medical 0f the nation and become one to
whom could look for the exploitation OF measures
that will direct continuous scientific and collective In
vestgation in regard to endemic and O. her
diseases: the enlightenment OF the people in sanitary
ways ot living the dissemination Of information 70.
spcc most places for those
afflicted with such chronic diseases asthma reuma.
tisM. neuralgia and ion; the examination of
food mud drinks medicinal springs the collection and
tahuaon or vital statistics at largo and In various
localities. such as the cong-sted areas of great
cities and among various races. lie would be able to
cooperate with State Boards OF Health the sipnal
service, the medical departments OF tho army navy
and marine service unity and utilize their work, and
thus make the Department OF Public Health the re-
posi'oy OF the mos; important facts that concern the
comfort of tho people, and his du,es vii, grow broader
and stronger in ndaptab.ty to public needs More.
the cren ION Of THIS department will be d. cara
ton by Congress that the promotion OF the health OF
the people 10 supreme law, aud that in the future
progress Of civilization medicine shall have its true
rank with the other Offices OF the state"
DR.. COMEGYs of Ohio was Chairman OF |
the committee that drew up this wonder |
full document: and doubtless Senator SHER- |
MAN received inspiration from him. We are |
confident that Mr.. SHERMAN has never read |
tho memorial. II he had. he never would |
have brought In his bill for Medical Sec
rotary OF Public Health last December. He
would be wondering what the American
Medical Society means by saying that medi.
cine should have Its true rank with the other
offices OF the State. Mr.. SHERMAN didn't
stop to think. but brought in his bill. or Dr.
CoMEdYs's bill. for the appointment from
civil life OF a Medical Secretary OF Public
Health. whose first dutyis. OF course. to
provide officers, assistants. and clerks He
Is also to hunt UP various statutes and
make various reports. Births. marriages.
deaths epidemic. endemic and other dis
eases. transmissibilty Of insane. alcoholic.
nervous. aud malignant types Of constitu-
ton. best places in the United States for
the cure OF chronic disease. the health and
cnp fort nj thu in al &C On oo,npono