New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-04
Jacksonville Convention
Hears Discussion by
Local Physicians.
BOSTON PROFESSOR
TO BE PRESIDENT
Rochester Wins in Spirited Bat
tie for National Body's
Meeting Next Year.
Try telegraph to The Tribune J


Jacksonville. Fla. Dec. 3.-Professor
Charles T. Sedgwick, of Boston, will be
the next president of the American
Public Health Association, and Roches-
ter. n. Y, will entertain the 1910 con-
vention.
IL was stated here tonight that the
advisory committee had decided on
Professor Sedgwick to succeed Presl-
dent William c. Woodward, of Wash
ington. The committees recommenda-
ton is equivalent TO an election. ms
will take place tomorrow night.
Rochester won the 1915 convention
after a spirited fight late this after,
noon over Cincinnati, New YORK ana
Baltimore. Tonight the delegates are
the guests Of the local entertainment.
committee at a brilliant ball in one OF
the big hotels.
The negro health problem was the
most important subject discussed be
fore the general session to-day. IL
brought together great mass OF facts
and opinion on this great Southern
health difficulty. All the speakers on
the programme are actively engaged IN
some phase of public health work IN
the South, and their opinions on ac-
count of their experiences were re-
ceived with the greatest possible IN
terest.
The first speaker was DR.. William
+. Drummer, health officer of Savannah,
who took up the negro health problem
i'm Southern cities. He was followed
by DR.. A. G.. Fort, director of field
sanitation of the State Board of Health
of Georgia. who discussed the negro
health problem in rural communities.
DR.. l.. G. Allen. of Hoschton, Ga, took
up the problem in its general aspects
from the point of view of the rural
physician in the South.
The negro as a problem in public
medical charity was discussed by DR..
Lawrence Lee, of Savannah, while DR..
Ernest c. Levy, health officer of Rich
mond. took up the influence Of q large
cClored population on the general
death rate DR.. NJ. l.. Graves offered
some practical remedial measures for
the betterment of the hygienic condl-
tion of the negro.
DR.. Drummer said that the negro was
what the white man made him. He
showed that while the death rate from
tuberculosis, pneumonia and other dis
eases among the white population of
Savannah had decreased the rate
among the negroes had increased. he
pointed out that in 1905 he recon-
mended a commission TO look into the
sociological and sanitary conditions
surrounding the negro IN Southern
cities. He said that the city govern
ment went as far as ii could go by
ordinary methods and that the people
Of the South were face to face with the
following issues:
First, one set of people, the Cau-
casian, with normal death rate less
than 10 per thousand per year, and
right beside them the negro race with
a death rate Of % to 80 per thousand.
Second, the white race furnishes no
more than normal number of Grim
inals and paupers, while the negro race
furnishes an abnormal percentage of
law breakers and dependents.
is the negro receiving a square
deal? ?" asked Dr.. Drummer. Let this
commission investigate the house in
which he lives. Why, in his race, is
tuberculosis increasing?
"Why does he furnish his enormous
quota TO the chain gang and the peni-
Tertiary? Investigate the industrial in
surance companies, the money lenders,
the instalment furniture dealers and,
finally. the matter of the surplus popu-
lation, which is most potent factor in
producing that class of persons which
is dangerous to any community and
must contaminate its health and pros
perity. Better the creation of such a
commits ion, at least for this city and
section, than the theoretical gatherings
at tuberculosis conventions and immi-
grafton congresses. The negro is with
you for all time. He is what you will
make him. and it is up TO the white
people to prevent him from becoming a
criminal and to guard him against tu-
berculoss and the like.
"If he is tainted with disease you
will suffer. If he develops criminal
tendencies you will be affected. You
cannot observe these things without
going where he lives in colonies in this
city. Investigate them, and you will
soon learn that if he desires to i'm
prove his sanitary conditions ne could
not do il. Observe the house he must
live in, the food that he must eat and
learn of all his environments"
A committee TO make a survey Of
the situation throughout the country
In regard to the drug habit and to
recommend national and state legisla-
tlcn dealing with the evil is provided
for in resolution, introduced by DR..
Charles Z. Terry. health officer. of
Jacksonville. and unanimously passed.
The committee is directed to seek the
cooperation of national organizations,
Of newspaper publishers in regard to
the publishing of advertising of harm
frl patent medicines and fake con-
sumption cures.
Another resolution passed unani-
mously provides for a national health
congress in 1915. in which more than
five thousand experts will take part.
The resolution carries into effect part
Of the recommendations of President
William c. Woodward that the associa-
tion become in fact as we'll as in name
an association of the public health
agencies of the country.
The resolution was introduced by DR..
Charles J. Hatfield, executive secretary
of the National tuberculosis Associa-
ton, and holds out hope in the opinion
Of many of the delegates here that the
1915 Congress may result in a perma-
nent uniiicaton Of all the public health
forces in the country.