The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1912-09-23
COST Of SPANISH WAR
} IS REPAID IN HEALTH
! LESSONS, TAFT FINDS
President in Talk to Delegates
at Hygiene Congress Tells
of Work in Tropics.
WASHINGTON. Sept. a-welcom.d

WASHINGTON. Sept. 2a.-welcomed
BY President Taft and attended by some
three thousand delegates from all parts
OF the world. the fifteenth international
congress on hygiene and demography
got into session to-day. :. was the first
time In sixty years Of existence the
congress has met In the United States.
United to free the human race of
disease. those warriors for a new and
wider form Of freedom gathered for their
exchange Of greetings in Memorial Con-
tnental Hall. the magnificent marble
home Of the Daughters OF the American
Revolution. To President Tafts greet
ing, brief replies were made by the head
OF the delegation from each Of the thirty
three countries represented.
I'VE need to develop under govern
men,al auspices a bureau or depart
ment in which the funds OF the Cove
eminent shall be expended for research
Of every kind useful In the practice anil
enforcement of hygiene and preventa-
tive medicine" said President Taft to-
day in his address OF welcome THAT
something OF this sort may grow out
Health Service there is reason to be-
lleve." continued the President. but It
will need far greater appropriations and
q widening of Its scope of duties before
II shall have filled the place that the
medical profession of this country has
. right to expect the general Govern
ment to create in the progress OF
hygiene and demography."
Referring to the subject OF tropics
hygiene. President TAFT said:
"Our responsibilities In Cuba, Porto
Rico and the Philippines. and now of
the Isthmus of Panama. have SO enlarged
our knowledge of the posi- bilities OF sue
csasfu. sanitation under the most burden
some conditions. and have 10 impressed
both professional men and the laymen a,
all familiar with the conditions with the
necessity for more rigid and comprehen.
sive health laws, and q strictcr enforce.
men: Of them for the general public
good. that. n the Spanish war resulted
IN nothing else, II WAS worth greatly
more than fts cost In this useful devel.
opment OF ono Of phe most important
functions that modern government has b
discharge. as well as N making clear the
neec Of an additional branch Of genera
education IN the matter OF hygiene OF the
homo and the individual.
when We first went into the tropics
our purpose was to make that regior
habitable for white people. We hav,
demonstrated that as q possibility. Now
We have gone beyond the mere pro
vision for those who come from tn,
temperate zone and We are engaged II
developing me tropical races into
strength OF body and freedom from
disease that they have never had before
II consider II q proud record of tn,
American army that through its medica
corps engaged In hygienic work in tn,
tropics so many Important discoveries
~ to the transmission Of disease, ant
the methods of stopping It's spread. hav,
been given to the world, and all OF THU
10 dated chiefly from the time Of tn,
Spanish War.
1T is very certain that but for thos,
discoveries the construction of tn,
Panama Canal. which now since 100.
has been going on with giant strides
ana which will be completed within
year. would have been impossible. III,
possibilities Of improvement through
governmental hygiene Of tropical coun
tries are 10 great that Il makes on,
VINO has any conception OF what the.
are grow enthusiastic in the contem
platon of what centuries may brinf
forth In this regard"