The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-13
NEW WORK FOR DOCTORS
TIME FOR UNCLE SAM TO START
SCHOOL IN TROPICAL DISEASES.
England, France and Germany Have
Already Seen It's Necessity for the
Sake of Colonial Soldiers.
New York Press.

gun the systematic study of tropical dis
eases, by the foundation of schools where
this branch of medical science shall be
investigated specially and taught. Mr..
Chamberlain said not long ago in regard to
the British colonial service: THE greatest
enemy that has to be faced by our pioneers
and administrators in tropical regions is not
the hostility of savage chiefs nor the in
fluence of barbarous customs, nor even the
physical difficulties of countries in which
primeval nature still holds full sway; 1t is
rather the insidious attacks Of disease
which weakens where it does not kill, and
shortens the lives CT spoils the careers of
many of the ablest and most energetic, OF
those who represent the empire in those de-
Tendencies. And the worst of Ii is that the
sacrifice is unnecessary, for there is every
reason to believe that this most formidable
of our enemies can be overcome, or at any
rate to a large extent disabled. Since it has
been proved that the cause Of 80 per cent.
of tropical diseases is a living organism of
one kind or another, the acclimatization of
white men in the tropics, which has hitherto
been an empty dream, has become fairly
reasonable hope. The problem resolves it
self into the discovery of efficient means
of defense against the germs that breed dis
| life, history, habits and conditions of de-
velopment of the parasite is required. When
this has been gained victory will be within
| our grasp"
The United States government by
means of its Marine Hospital Service, has
| collected for some years data concerning
| tropical diseases. especially yellow fever,
| but no school for the especial study Of such
| diseases has been established by the gov
eminent and no department tins les especially de-
by any of the great medical colleges. The
sudden acquisition of the Philippines and OF
necessity e., of such a is school. and it is said
| that arrangements have been made TO es-
| tablish one in Baltimore. In London has
| been founded a school for the study OF trop-
| zeal diseases, and one has been opened in
Liverpool A similar school has been founded
in Hamburg and one. in France. 1t seems
| strange that England. with all her great
| tropical possessions, has not taken up this
work before.
DIR. MANSIONS WORK
That it has finally been brought about is
| due to DR.. Patrick Manson. For years DR..
Manson had urged upon the medical pro-
| fession the vital Importance, from a ma.
tional as we'll as scientific point of view, Of
greater attention being given to the study
| of tropical diseases. There was no provi-
sion for the teaching Of the subject in the
medical schools of the kingdom. Year by
year young doctors went out to tropical
countries. knowing nothing of the diseases
| with which they would mostly have to deaf
in their new spheres of activity. Each of
| them had to buy his experience for himself.
too often at a bitter cost. But DR.. Man
| sons voice was as that of one crying in the
wilderness till he was appointed medical
| adviser in the colonial office. Mr.. Cham
| berlain grasped the importance Of the mat
ter. and at once took steps to arouse the
medical schools from their apathy. He
| sent a circular letter inviting them to make
! arrangements for giving special instruction
| known must be seen: their symptoms must
| be described, and the agents concerned in
their production and the processes to which
microscope. This. of course, cannot be done
| without cases, and in most English hospi-
tails cases Of tropical diseases are conspicu-
| Gus by their absence. To meet this diff
Guilty 1t was decided to increase the accom-
mediation at the branch hospital of the
Albert Docks to nifty beds which, Sr. Should
be occupied by acute cases Of tropical dis
ease: 1t was decided to establish in con-
nection with the hospital school in which
candidates for the medical department OF
the colonial service or officers on furlough
could receive special instruction in the tech.
nique of meteorological investigation and
in the details of new methods of treatment
applicable to tropical diseases. Large sums
OF money have been subscribed by the gov
eminent and by the public, and it is ex.
pected that the school will be ready for the
reception of students in October.
The Liverpool school is equipped admira
The connection of the London school with
hospital where sailors suffering from trop.
ical diseases are taken will be of great ad
vantage TO that institution, as 1t will give
the students chance for practical work.
NEED OF AMERICAN SCHOOLS.
In this connection II would seem as if the
port of New York would be the best place
for a school of tropical diseases in thi.
country. as the shipping is SO much greater
here than at any other port, and conse
quently the opportunities of providing
eases" for the students are greater. WheI
the American. English, French and Germa,
schools are in operation the discoveries ant
methods of one will naturally be at the dis
posal of the other, and with such co-opera
ton results ought to be obtained which vii
ease the white mans burden enormously
That the white race is going about tn
colonization OF the tropics In a scientific
and not in haphazard. manner is evi
denced by the attention which has been de
voted to the subject in the last few months
!, The troubles of the war with Spain seen
| to nave aroused the whole world of tn
| north temperate ZcLe to realizing sens
of what the white race in the tropic
| means.
, Benjamin Kidd is perhaps the best-knowl
J writer on the subject OF the Anglo-Saxon il
connection with the tropic zone. Mr.. Kid
can colonize the tropics. Truxton Beale
! formerly United States minister to Persia
takes issue with Mr.. Kidd, and in an articl
1 III Tic OIuul says. LIE answer 10 MI
Kids claim that India has been mad
habitable for an official class only is tha
as yet there has never been any necessit
| to make Ii so for any other class TIL
Chinese, driven forth by the pressure @
| their dense population, have succeeded 4
, | living and prospecting in great numbers 4
all climates from those of Arctic sea va
, riety on the borders of Siberia TO the tori
{ rice swamps of Java and Sumatra. Is
not probable that with science at our com
mand we shall be abe to solve the sam
| problem of life even more successfully?''
He then says that from his own observa
: ton in tropical countries the susceptible
OF the white race to tropical fevers
! caused mainly by their hard labor and over
D | exertion which lessons their vitality an
| resisting powers. But modern invention:
| particularly as regards agricultural imple
ments, If employed in the tropics. woul
| much lessen the necessity for this overez
|, | ertion and consequent loss of vitality The
from improved hats TO better modes
draining and construction of houses" an
he might have added, the general enforce
: ment of sanitary regulations.
Then, coming to tropical diseases them
: selves, Mr.. Beale says: las We arrive at
more accurate knowledge of the germs tha
| cause the various fevers of the tropics, tn
old methods of prevention and treatmer
will be superseded by others. tending
tropical countries. For instance, only
: | century ago smallpox was as great
| scourge in the temperate zones as tropics
| feverS are to-day In the tropics; yet scienC
. has reduced that evil to relative insight
canoe Much may be expected
the recent establishment in London of tn
School of Tropical Medicine. In fac
cna mill liz .r <~.s- "a.