Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-08
GREAT WORK FOR HUMANITY
wealthy Men Contribute Millions to
Promote Medical Re-
" search.

wealthy New Yorker has Just cele-
brated his golden wedding anniversary ny
n sift 10 the Presbyterian hospital in that
CITY OF 100000 Locally the gift had spe'
c,al significance. because the same indl-
vidua1 mad previously contributed 100000
for a home for nurses attached to the same
hospital.
Rut there Is 3 much wider influence
radiating from great donations like THIS TOT
the improvement OF facilities for STUDYING
disease and for the comfort of those who
are d~evoting their lives to the cause or hu-
manity.
The dominant note today among physi-
clans is one OF hopefuIness. They ne
lieve disease can be baffied and the NUM-
Der OF deaths from disease can be greatly
curtailed. The fundamental steps neces-
sary to this success are. first. a knowl-
edge of the actual causes of particular as
eases. and second. the discovery OF the
elements which will bring the cure.
To that end there is a large amount or
research work now in progress all over
the world. Keen scientists are busy In
laboratories as never before. Now ana
then one energies from his study to an
nounce a coming victory. Medical men
know what is going on and await the re-
suits with confidence.
Occasionally a thoughtful student at
tempts 20 estimate the economic loss re-
sultant from needless deaths following
some particular disease. His figures are
always startling.
The suggestion is a natural one that the
man OF wealth who has an anxiety to use
his accumulations most wisely for the
benefit Of his day ard generation might
well turn attention to the domain of medi-
cal research. The establishment of libraries
has a distinct value TO the great majority
eager for good books to read. The en-
dowment of colleges and universities for
better education is p~raiseworthy. The en-
| couragement OF research In the sciences Is
sure to be beneficial to the race. Geology.
/ chemistry. astronomy, botany, in fact.
every branch of science, has its promise OF
rich returns to humanity soon to come
from thorough investigation.
But there is something so attractive in
the possibilities OF medicine that it II sur
prising that the great gifts for 1t have not
been made everywhere. To save human
life, to make the life richer and happier,
to check the economic waste due to sick-
ness and death, ought to prove themselves
the highest inducements to lead those who
have money to give to devote II 10 the
work Of research in medicine.
The millions are coming in recent years.
Hospitals are being endowed and well
equipped. Laboratories are being estab<
lished with sufficient funds TO secure the
services OF the best specialists available.
The new gift Of 100000 In a fresh Illus
tration of the recognition OF the importance
Of this hopeful work for humanity. The
lesser sums are noted frequently. But the
larger gift proclaims the growing belief
in the ultimate triumph OF medical science
over diseases which have long baffled the
physicians skill.
The raising in New York OF more than
$4,000 to bring TO that city the tubercu-
losis exhibit recently made in washington
is another indication OF the same trend
of the times.
1t is difficult to imagine a wiser use OF
money than IT. these ways that mean so
much for the welfare of the race.-Chl-
cago Tribune.