The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-09
MEDICAL SOCIETY
 FOR HE OWEN BILL Warning Issued Against
 Those Opposing It GIVES ITS HISTORY
Resolutions Adopted Last Night Intimate That Some Forces Which Fought the Pure Food Law
 Oppose Present Bill


 At the regular weekly meeting of the Jefferson County Medical society, held last night, one of the chief subjects for discussion was the resolution bearing upon the proposed national department of health. The resolution adopted by the society reads as follows:
 Whereas, an organized propaganda is being carried on in our midst in opposi- tion to Senator owens bill for a national department, of health Senate bill No. D. and,
 Whereas, we unreservedly indorse the purposes sought to be attained by this bill; therefore, be it
 Resolved, By the Jefferson County Medical society that the following state ment be issued through the press to the citizens of the county and city,
 STATEMENT.
 "The Owen bill looks to the creation of a national department of health, whose secretary or chief will be member of the cabinet and chosen by the President, as are the other members of the cabinet.
 Senator Owen has explained that Con-
  practice of medicine or any other profess sion or calling in any. state of the union, and that the object of the bill is the prevention, not the treatment of disease; but in order to quiet the apprehensions of many persons who ignore the proyi- sions of the constitution, has inserted the following amendment to his bill:
 ' That the department of health es- tablished by this act shall have no power to regulate t,.e practice of medicine or the practice of healing, or to interfere with the right of a citizen to employ the practitioner of his choice within any state of the unoin, and all appointments with in the department shall be made with out discrimination against any school of medicine or healing
 This bill, if passed, will remove the supervision of the pure food and drug law from the agricultural, and place 1t under the new health department All citizens who have kept informed as to the activities of the food and drug adul- terating interests in fighting this law in fighting the great champion of this law, pr. Wiley, might, without much stretch of imagination, figure out whence come the large sums of money now being em- ployed for propaganda literature, trav- cling lecturers and press expenses.
 At the recent annual convention in Milwaukee of the National Women's Christian Temperance union, in utter dis regard of much effort exerted by the League for Medical Freedom, the follow ing resolution was adopted without dis senting vote:
 I've cordially approve of the movement for national department of health at Washington believing that such a de- pertinent would be in the interest of the people in matters of pure food, unadulter- ated drugs and sanitation: that it would regulate the inspection of milk meats and the water supply thereby leading to lessened infant mortality and the prevention of disease. We urge this meas- ure with the understanding that such a department shall, in no sense represent any school of medicne.'
 One of the active officers of this or ganization on being asked her opinion, replied that state and city boards of health have in no way proved a menace to freedom,' but on the contrary have rendered incalculable service to the peo- pie, and she saw no reason why a na- tional department of health should be diff ferent In these respects
 B '"fhe advance of scientific sanitary knowledge has alone permitted the build- ing of the Panama canal and of death rate in the canal zone lower than the vast majority of cities of our country.
 ''The advance of sanitary knowledge alone has allowed New York to keep cholera from becoming epidemic, although it has been repeatedly brought to her har- Dor by immigrants. No modern city would be content to exist without health de- pertinent. No state would be content and as matter of pure evolution of govern ment a national department of health is essential.
 Senator Owen and his kind are not longer content to confine our govern mental activities in prevention to hogs, cattle and chickens.
 'The prevention of disease in the citi- zen has come into its own for recogni- ton
 "The opponents of the bill make no suggestion as to meeting the problem of prevention of disease. Their ostenslble ob- jection seems to be that men trained in science will of necessity be employed to carry out the purposes Of the measure They might as logically object to sani- tation in the Panama zone for the reason that trained scientists are employed for the purpose.
 "Whatever the motive the physicians of this country have always been the stauch supporters, and most frequently the SusBeStOTS, ol leSlSldllOn TOT the leS- sening of disease through preventive measures,
 "Whatever the motive, now when na- donal measure is proposed to protect our citizens, tens of thousands of physicians, over the length and breadth of our land, who can never expect the least personal benefit, other than the general good ac- cruing to the commonality, are support ing, as one man, this measure which alone looks to increased human welfare, happi- ness and material wealth.
 And, it should not be forgotten that these tens of thousands of physicians, scattered over the country in cities, vii- lages and hamlets, constitute class that are as well fitted to keep on under pres ent conditions as any other class this country affords.
 Tt may well be suggested to those of our citizens who favor this bill, that they do not leave petitions to noisy opponents, else 1t may require as long to procure Congressional legislation as was the case with the pure food laws"