The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-01-12
FIGHTING DISEASE.


The last year has been marked by
two notable features connected with
the ills which afflict humanity. One
is the confidence expressed by promi
nent physicians in the effectiveness of
medical science in dealing with dis
ease long counted incurable. AS one
after another has proclaimed belief in
the certainty of checking and finally
conquering ancient enemies of man
kind, there has been distinct gain in
the hopefulness with which the world
faces the future. The other, and even
more striking feature is the generous
response of people of wealth to the
call for funds with which to carry
on this philanthropic fight.
The enthusiasm manifested in the
warfare against tuberculosis deserves
special prominence. In many ways
this cause has been brought to the at
tention of individual citizens, each in
terested one adding his increment to
the steadily growing feeling of hope
fulness which marks this campaign.
The Red Cross stamp has been an inn
portant factor. it's value being far
greater than that of the cent con-
tributed by the individual purchaser
to the war chest. The stamps have
helped to enlist fighters for humanity
The millions Of the rich and the mites
OF the poor have been joined in the
treasury of a common cause.
The large gifts have aggregated
millions. Mrs. w X. Vanderbilt con-
tributed 100000 for anti-tuberculo-
sis tenements. Henry Phipps gave
the University of Pennsylvania $780,
600 to be used in prosecuting more
vigorously the work of the Phipps in
stitute of Philadelphia for the study,
treatment, and prevention of tuber-
culosis. Nathan Strauss, with $500
600, Dorothy Whitney with 100000,
and various donors of smaller amounts
approximating 100000 more. swelled
the great fund.
In other fields Of research there
must be noted the 100000 from the
estate of George Crocker. for the in
vestigation of cancer. the S1.OOO.OOO
donation of John D. Rockefeller for
the campaign against the hookworm
and the $4,000 in the will OF Mrs
Nelson Morris for medical research in
connection with the Michael Reese
hospital in Chicago. Johns Hopkins
will have the benefit of 100000 from
Henry Phipps for the study of insanity
No doubt medical research will profit
too. directly from such requests as
that of Thomas Murdoch to the Presby.
terrain hospital of Chicago. that OF
John S. Kennedy to the Presbyterian
hospital of New York of 1920, 600
and that OF Elizabeth Bingham of Bos-
ton Of S2.oOo.Ooo for hospital purposes
The 100000 testamentary provision
of John NJ. Baker for home for con.
valescents is not to be overlooked A
gift of 100000 by John w Gates for
Galveston hospital and a similar leg
acy of Charles E. Wood for the Battle
Creek sanitarium indicate interest in
the same general direction.
These are American contributions to
the worlds physical betterment. Data
respecting European philanthropy are
not available. but August saw the es-
tablishment by the will of Henry Bar.
nato Of London of a $1.2JO.OOo fund
for research in the hope of finding d
cure for cancer, and December herald
ed the endowment of research fellow
ships in medical science with abou,
$1OOO,0 600 given by Otto Belt to the
University Of London as memorial tc
his brother. the late Alfred Belt This
last gift provides for study of cancer
tuberculosis, tropical medicine pre-.
ventive medicine. mental disease. ma
val medicine. and military medicine
this catalogue illustrating admirably
the needs Of medical science in the
British empire.
The year 1909 was great one TO,
medicine the world over And, judg
Ing by the beneyolence of recent years