The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-09-13
THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS.
AT THE OPENING OF THE PAN
AMERICAN MEDICAL CONGRESS.
Distinguished Guests from Abroad
Listen to His Brief EHort-Proceed-
inEs of the Meeting of the Orgnni-
zation for the First Days Session.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5.-The weather
was perfect for the opening Of the first
Pan-American medical congress this
morning. Albaugh's opera house was
we'll filled. and the stage completely
occupied by distinguished guests from
abroad. Among those noted were Mr.
Ernest Hart and wife, from London;
DIR. Grant Bey). of Cairo. Egypt; Mr.
j. W. Ross, president OF the district
commissioners; DIR. John c. Phillips. Of
Jamaica; the Hon. j. B. McCreary,
of Kentucky; DIR. Juan Ulloa, of Costa
Rica, and others. Promptly at 10 o'clock
the band of the Fourth artillery began
Hail to the Chief" and President
Cleveland. with the Rev. william Paret.
bishop of Maryland, escorted by DR..
William Pepper, of Philadelphia, the
president OF the congress. entered. BiSh-
Op Paret invoked blessing on those as
sembled and then President Cleveland
spoke as follows:
1.-The part assigned to me on this oc-
casiOn admits of few words. 1t, how
ever, affords me the opportunity to say
how pleased l am 10 be in anyway re-
lated to an assemblage such as this,
called together in furtherance of the
highest and noblest purposes and de-
sireS. l hope l may also be permitted
TO add that protection for the public
health and the prevention OF contagious
diseases are objects properly brought
under consideration at the capital of a
nation which appreciates as fully the
serious Importance OF everything which
aids in making intercourse between
civilized countries and commerce be-
tween them safe and easy. (Applause)
IL is also fitting that those who de-
vote themselves to saving human life
and the alienation of human suffering
should consider the modes OF reaching
these benefcient ends at the seat of a
government whose greatest regard is the
welfare and happiness of the individual
citizen. (Applause) 1t only remains for
me to declare this congress of the Pan
American medical society open for the
transaction OF the business which has
called it together"
The occasion was one of great inter
est, as ii is President Cleveland's first
official appearance since his return from
Gray Gables. Speeches of welcome were
then made by DR.. s. s. Adams, chair
man Of the Washington reception COM
mittee, and by j. w. Ross, for the Dis
trict Of Columbia. DR.. William Pepper,
the president, then delivered the well
come Of the congress to its foreign
guests, and he was followed by ad-
dresses from foreign representatives.
DR.. Gihon read the first paper dealing
chiefly with the necessities of hygiene
He said in part: xiii tuberculosis by
regulating the disease and it's victim
through state control; can a nation call
itself civilized as long as disease can thus
run unchecked? We must have govern
ment authority. The present city
sanitation is a farce, municipal cleanli-
ness ludicruous sham. Effective
sanitation, costly as II may be, is cheap
compared to the cost OF a single epidemic.
He could revel in sanitary horror did it
seem necessary to shock the public into
a realization of its present needs; 10, 200
microbes of diphtheria, scarlet fever and
tuberculosis have been found in a single
bank note La grippe is spread by the
beasts who spit the floor. Cholera is no
worse than syphilis, not so bad, for its
germ can be only drunk or eaten.
Syphilis can travel on its own metal and
Is hard to kill
The doctors are all right. The fools
are the public. immigration is a huge
pestilential sewer communicating our
once pure lake of American people.
Facts show that II per cent. of the popu-
lation is foreign, while over so per cent.
of the inhabitants OF our asylums and
hospitals is foreign. The race in dying
out; our American women bear no more
children; who is to take their place
American women no longer nurse their
young; how can we prevent it? Give us
a national scientific body and the cure,
the betterment of our race will soon fol-
low.
After this Dr. c. G. Comegys of Gin
cinnati spoke on 1.-THE Proper Status OF
the Medical Profession in the Govern
ment of Nations" He demanded a ma
tional recognition of hygienic control and
a national board Of health.
Congress has now before IL ~, To
establish a department OF public hee tn
The world should give encouragement
to it.