Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-06-13

Ofk LndL john u. hOChSIellel uds
given 100000 to establish an insti
tuition for medical research is Of in
terest to mankind everywhere. There
are a few institutions in Europe which
have been successfully de
yeloped along lines similar
TO those of the proposed
Rockefeller institute. There is such q
foundation at st. Petersburg, estab
lished by Prince Oldenburg; there is
the Koch institute in Berlin, and most
important of all, the Pasteur institute
in Paris. The latter is very richly
endowed, having received within the
last few years a large number of lega-
cies, enabling it to carry on an ex-
tensive and valuable work. This fact
is regarded as highly significant of
the rapidly awakening interest felt in
the work of endowed research in the
field of medicine. Those who are in
terested in Mr.. Rockefeller's new
benefaction are confident that there
is a great field for valuable work made
accessible by it.
Mr.. Rockefeller has become pro
foundly impressed with the value and
importan ce of recent medical research
along the lines of preventive agencies
ton. He has placed the sum Of $780,
600 at the disposal of a board of di-
rectors. This money is not in the ma
ture of an endowment, from which
only the income may be used, but is
rather intended to be used for neces-
sary expenses during a term of years
say, for instance, $4,000 a year for
10 years. No separate institution will
be established yet, but the work will
be carried on in various laboratories
that may offer the best opportunities
and seem to promise the best results.
There are a number of bright young
men in this country who sxould have
the opportunity of engaging in scien-
tific work of this character, under the
direction of able and experienced. in
yestigators.
Medical research along the lines of
preventive agencies is one of the most
important matters occupying the
minds of medical men today. 1t has
received a tremendous impetus from
the achievements of the Pasteur in
stitute, and the study of antitoxins,
serums and other preventives aimed
at diphtheria, hydrophobia, pneumo-
MIA, typhoid fever and such dangers is
now being pursued with zeal every
where. 1t is to aid this research that
+;
The intention is to proceed carefully
at first, and not to aim at immediate
astonishing results. Work of this
kind, established for the first time in
this country upon such a foundation,
should be of slow growth. The work
must be carried on in scientific
spirit, in such a way that results,
when they come, shall be of undoubted
and permanent value-the fruits of
sound investigation. Some very i'm
portant work will be carried on at the
Johns Hopkins, as we'll as at other
prominent institutions OF learning
throughout the country.
The work will be carried on for the
present through the laboratories of in
situations in various cities. In New
York the work will be done at Col
umbia university and in the New York
department of health. In Boston
the facilities of Harvard university
will be utilized. The University of
Chicago, the University of Michigan,
McGill university in Montreal, the
ohns Hopkins university in Baltimore,
and the University of Pennsylvania
will cooperate in carrying forward the
work of the Rockefeller institute. In
this way, it is calculated, the fullest
benefit will be derived from the money
cure of disease and the discovery of
preventives. No time will be lost in
organizing the work of the institute
Before many weeks it will be we'll I'M
der way. The poor of New York, Chi
cago and other large cities, it is be-
lieved, will derive prompt benefits.
The first subject to be studied will
be the milk supply of cities. The New
York board of health has made every
effort to insure the purity of milk
sold in that city, but it has been ham,
pered by the fact that it's authority
does not extend beyond the city limits.
Inspectors have kept a close watch on
the shipments of milk to this city,
but the comparatively small number
available for this service has made the
results not entirely satisfactory. For
this reason the health authorities will
welcome the supplementary aid the
new Rockefeller institute will be able
to give.
The new institute has been incor-
porated under the laws of New York,
and its representative will be able to
study more carefully the quality of the
milk sent to the metropolis from out
side points. The same thing will be
true of other large cities. Men en-.
gagged in the work of the institute will
be able to inspect the milk at the
sources of supply, where, with the
assistance of the local and state
authorities, they will be able to guar
antee the purity Of the milk furnished
The investigation of the milk supply
OF the various cities is but a small
part OF the work contemplated. The
new institute will proceed on the
broadest lines. aiming to become as
useful in a scientific way as is the
Pasteur institute in France or thu
Koch institute. Facilities for origina
investigation in medical science will
be furnished, both with a view to get
ting new intersection and to applyin.
existing kno ige to the treatmen
and prevention of disease.
Next fall. it is said, efforts will b.
made to solve problems of medical so