Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-22
DOCTORS DISCUSS
HEALTH PROBLEMS
Questions Treated in World
Wide Sense by American
Medical Association.
COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM
FOR EXTENDING THE STUDY
Sixty Fifth Annual Meeting Of Or.
ganization Opens Today at
Atlantic City.

ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., June %
Wrestling with the worldwide problem
of public health Is to be undertaken with
renewed vigor by the American Medical
Association. This broader aspect of pub
lie health conservation was dominant
over the case of the individual at the
opening here today of the sixty-fifth an
nual meeting of the association.
Today's session was that of the house
of delegates the legislative body of the
association which now represents MEM
bership of 41,O2e. as the secretary re-
ported. The treasurer's report shows
balance of more than $4,000. Among the
expenditures for the fiscal year were U.s.
465 for education of the public and more
than $4,000 for propaganda against
frauds and fakes
The report of the council on health
and public instruction outlined com
prehensive program for extending the
study of the public health. The plans
are for a thorough investigation O!
public health conditions in the United
States. with the gathering Of more re-
liable data, the education of the pub
lie by every possible means. and
the crystallizing Of public sentiment
in securing necessary public healtn
laws, regulations and ordinances which
Will render possible a conseiNdl1oh u
human life commensurate with our ad-
vancing knowledge"
Pledged to Support President.
At its last convention the association
pledged itself to support such a pub
lie health program as President Will
son might decide to recommend" The
council reported this year: las exist
ing conditions make 1t clearly impos-
sible for the President to take up this
matter at present, it seems advisable
to wait until the administration is pre-
pared to make definite recommenda-
tions on this subject"
The council on medical education pre-
sented its tenth annual report, showing
that in 1904. when the council was Great
ed. there were 100 medical colleges in
the United States. many of which were
organized and conducted on a purely
commercial basis; that. due largely to
the council. the number of colleges has
been reduced to about 100, and that.
whereas in 1905 there were only four
medical colleges having a high standard
of entrance requirements, there are now
eighty-two colleges which require one or
more years Of college work In addition to
a standard four-year high school course
as condition for entrance. A striking
feature has been that in many cities in
which number of weak medical schools
existed ahey have through merger and
absorption been combined to form one
strong and well equipped institution.
South Is Paid Tribute.
The council pays a tribute to the med
ical colleges of the south for the remark
able manner in which they have grappled
with the problems of medical education
in that part of the country.
Although working under greater OBJ
stacles than elsewhere. they have been
gradually overcoming their difficulties
In 1907 the southern section of the
country had forty-one medical colleges,
in which seventeen, or 41.5 per cent,
could be rated in class "A"
For the first time provision has been
made for careful investigation of
post st-graduate medical schools of the
country. 1t is a new line of work
which the council has not heretofore
undertaken.
The committee to consider the move
ment to commemorate the completion
of the Panama canal recommended that
a monument be erected, to be financed
by the American Medical. Association,
located on the Canal Zone, at a point
to be chosen by the Secretary of War;
this monument to be commemorative
Of the contribution of the American
Medical association to preventive
medicine and sanitary science.