The Washington times., 1912-09-21
EXPERTS ON HEALTH
ARE AT ODDS OVER
HERED|TY THEORIES
Views of DR.. Hutchinson
Basis of Debate at
Meeting.

When DIR. Woods Hutchinson gave
voice in The Times last night and
again at the final session of the Amer
lean Public Health Association, to his
views on the heredity of defective traits
and characteristics, he caused the start
ing up anew of an old discussion. which,
as now reinvigorated, bids fsir to last
some time. On the old question as TO
the relative Importance of heredity and
on the heredity factor and his opponents
on environment
Echoes of the debate will sound at
least all through the Congress on Hy-
the authorities on eugenics, who are
arriving in the city today and tomor-
flames.
Association delegates, DR.. s. Adolphus
Knopf, Of New York; DR.. p. II. Brice,
Of Ottawa, Canada, and Assistant Sec
! retary of Agriculture w. M. Hays are
takes particular exception to Or.
Hutchinson's statement that most in
sanity is hereditty.
Caused By Loneliness.
Look at the insanity among farmers
wives" he exclaimed. 1T Is caused by
loneliness of life"
Homer Folks, New York socioloS-
teal writer, and others, challenged DR..
Hutchinson last night on the thesis
that alcoholism is hereditary: Dr.
Hutchinson replied to his critics by
"Weii there is no doubt that alcohol
is a great stimulant. 1t excites those
who do not use it almost as much as
those who do"
Before adjournment the delegates
to the convention heard a paper by
Prof. w. T. Sid gwick, of the Massa-
~, -tt W. IL. 81 -
spoke Thursday in defense. Of Geld
storage. Dr. Sidgwick says that many
sanitarians are too fussy about the
quality Of eggs, meat. and milk. He
Sense Methods in Public Health
Work" His paper in general was a
thesis that If foods are cooked prop
erly and thoroughly, danger to those
eating them is removed.
Must Not Waste Food.
$50 suppose there are small blood
rings in eggs" said Prof Sidgwick.
"Use a little common sense and do
not waste them. but cook them, blood
rings and all. Remember there are
$4,000, 900 persons in the country, and
we can't afford to waste food for the
little things such as l have mention
ed. Most of the analysis of foods Is
superf1uous anyhow"
The convention named DR.. w. c.
Woodward. District Health officer:
Edwin M. Abbott. a Philadelphia law
yer, and DR.. Cressy Wilbur, of the
Census Bureau, special committee e
in the model Birth registration Jaw.
This committee will report to the
public health committee of the Amer
lean Medical Association in Chicago
In February.
Dr. woodward represents the Ameri-
can Medical Association on the commit
tee; Mr.. Abbott, the American Bar As
Nnta
Public Health Association. A Joint
committee representing these three bod
les has been at work this week, but
failed to agree on a suggested pro-
Illegal births should be a part of the
new law and that doctors and midwifes
should get fee for reporting all cases
of births.
Officers Are Chosen.
The American Public Health Associa-
tion chose DR.. Herring as president, as
was forecast. The rest of the nom-
ination committees slate also went
through. Colorado Springs was chosen
for the 1913 meeting. Officers elected by
the sociological, vital statistics, and san
1tary engineers sections are as follows:
Sociological section-Chairman, Homer
Folks. New York city: vice chairman
DR.. Hoyt Dearhart, Milwaukee. WIS.
secretary, s. p. Morris, Denver Col
Vital statistics section-Chairman, DR..
w. S; Rankin, Raleigh. N. c.; secre-
tary, David D. South, Trenton, N. ].
Sanitary engineers section-Chairman,
Col. ]: l.. Ludlow, Winston Salem. n.
G.: vice chairman, Robert s. Weston,
New York city, re-elected; councillors,
DR.. Rudolph Herring. New York city;
Harrison p. Eddy. Boston, Prof. Nor
ris Knowles, Pittsburgh: Prof c. E. A.
Winslow. New York city, and F. Her
bert Snow, Pittsburgh.