The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-10-02
4 WORLD WAR ON 49, ...~,
the WHITE PLAGUE
international 1uberculOsis Congress
ssP'' 9'''As Opens.
InteIIrIlnationalI
BIG GATHERING OF THE SCIENTISTS.
All the Nations in the World Have
Sent Their Leading Specialists to
Participate in the International SYM
postum Secretary Cortelyou Makes
Address of Welcome.


postum Secretary Cortelyou Makes
Address of Welcome.
Washington Especially. - Physi-
clans and surgeons from the four
corners of the earth and every State
in the Union were participants in the
opening session of the International
tuberculosis Congress
A more distinguished gathering
perhaps has never before met in the
national capitak, Scientists of inter-
national fame, members of the diplo-
matte corps, philanthropists and rep
resentatives of practically every civi-
nzed nation were present.
The day was marked by simple,
but unique ceremonies. Preliminary
to the formal opening the diplomatic
corps, the spokesman of the various
countries, the officers of the con-
gress, the honorary presidents and
the section presidents met and pro-
ceeded to the stage in the great au-
ditorium.
The doors of the new National
Museum Building, in which the Tu-
berculosis Congress is held, were
thrown open to the public September
81 At first all was confusion and
congestion, as the numerous exhibits
were being put in readiness for the
inspection and instruction of the peo-
ple Now the conditions of the ex-
hibits are ideal. Nearly all the
States and several foreign countries
have exhibits.
4,5OO Delegates.
There are tents of all kinds for
outdoor treatment; sanatoria for the
treatment of incipient cases of tuber-
culosis; solariums or sun parlors;
buildings, pathological displays,
photographs galore and many other
things illustrated of the great white
plague and its ravages.
Four thousand five hundred dele
gates assembled for the sixth trien-
NAL session of the congress.
Many of the foreigners wore their
dress clothes, after the manner of
continental Europeans at day func-
lions of this character. Nearly ev-
cry one of them wore decorations
of one kind or another. Minister
WI was CONSPICUOUS in the front row.
While the audience was assem-
DllAQ IuS Mdl liz DduO .ISh0OlO0 O
program of lively music; and as the
procession of official delegates, head
ed by Secretary Cortelyou, Commits
sioner Mcfarland and DR.. John S.
Fulton, secretary general of the con-
gross, fled in they were announced
by wave of Lieutenant Santel-
mann's baton and the stlnins of
"Han to the Spirit of Liberty"
The Congress Opens.
The official delegates from the
various countries, the spokesman and
few chosen guests took the plat
form The plain frock coats of the
American scientists were overshad-
owed by some of the uniforms of
the foreigners. The army uniforms
of South American countries were
seen in the same row with the be-
ribboned full dress uniform of the
Cars officers.
The opening of the congress was
{ simple. DR.. Lawrence Flick, of Phil
adelphia, stepped forward and called
the meeting to order and announced
the election of honorary presidents
of the congress as follows: Dr. e. L.
Trudeau, of Saranac Lake, N Y;
Robert Koch, of Berlin, discoverer
of the tuberculosis bacillus, and the
official spokesman of the German del
egation; DR.. Louis Landouzy, of
France, and DR.. c. Theodore Will
liams, of London.
After this announcement Dr. Flick
introduced Secretary Cortelyou, who
asked that silent prayer be offer
ed for guidance in the affairs of the
congress.
Secretary Cortelyou's Address
In his address Secretary Cortelyou
sketched the history of the national
and international movement against
the White Plague and said:
1.-THE menace of tuberculosis from
hygienic and economic standpoint
is demonstrated in many ways. 1t is
remarkable that yellow fever, not
withstanding the many panics it has
produced, has not caused in the Uni
ted States in the past 115 years as
many deaths as occurred last year
from tuberculosis. BY figures given
for the United States, it is esti-
mated that since the year 1913 there
have been approximately 100000
deaths from yellow fever, whereas
tuberculosis is estimated to have
caused 100000 deaths last year
alone The mortality of tuberculosis
is further emphasized when compar-
ed with the bubonic plague in India,
which has not, since its first out
break in 1896, caused as many deaths
in that country in proportion to the
population as were caused by tuber-
culosis in the United States during
the same period"
Young Roosevelt's Job.