The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-31
Medical Progress in 1914.

The achievements of medicine have
not been sensational during the pas
year Nevertheless, they are OF in
estimable practical value. While ~
striking new remedies have been dis
covered. many that have been in use fo'
"A longer and shorter time have beer
bandoned because Of their proven In
ertness. THE Sun has repeated \
warned its readers against the numer
Gus proprietary medicines that are he
cause they contain inert drugs or Il
minimum OF active drugs. with SUN
cient alcohol to make them palntable
and stimulating. IL our warning iI
this regard has been needed by som,
OF our readers 1t will he well for them.
The energetic pursuit of those fen Is
who are filling their pockets by the
secret or open sale of habit forming
drugs has been happy event. They
have revealed most astounding meth
DDS in this loathsome traffic Legsla.
ton, State and national, appears t.
promise success In the pursuit of these
villains, who have extended their ac.
tiyitics to school children.
The confirmation of the protective
value Of typhoid immunlzation 10y alb.
solutely reliable army test is one of HE
gratifying events of the past year. The
surgeon General reports that despite
the fact that large forces have been in
camp only four cases of typhoid fever
have been reported and these were rc.
crults.
Prevention rather than cure has been
the keynote of manifest activities in
this direction. An event of even greater
Importance is the energetic applica.
ton OF common sense in sanitation,
which has hitherto been practised in
haphazard. therefore ineffective. fash.
ion. The lew practice of appointing
full time health officers with fair re-.
Enumeration has given an impetus ~
the study of sanitation in the medical
schools that is raising il To Il highly
appreciated speciality. the establishment
of which will be an inrst Unable boon To
all communities. This fact has been
aIycrted TO in these columns by the
marsha Hing of facts To prove the fa,al
10 appropriate money for the health %
the people when they are lavish in eX-
penditurc for the prevention of dlsea Sc
among farm animals.
That an ounce of prevention is worth
pound of cure has been well Illus.
trated in 1914 by the saving of life 10y
early operation in cancer. The world
owes u debt of gratitude to surgeons
for insisting with solemn earneStncsS
upon the seeking Of advice whenever 4
growth Of any kind appears on the
body. no matter how insignificant II
may appear.
Another valuable achievement ~
physicians is the clearing up of the
confused ideas on the efficiency of ra-
dunn which the sensational discovery
has naturally produced.
Perhaps the most important amoHs
the less patent benefits is the improve
mcnt of education In our medical schools
by coalition Of many i'll equipped with
better equipped institutions. THE Sun
has always regarded the thorough
preparation Of our undergraduates for
practice AS the most neglected need nj
the community. The full time profcs-
sor and his teaching altogether in hos
ptals affiliated with the medical school.
which have been thoroughly tested in
the past year. will contribute vastly 10
this consummatiOn.
In the matter of treatment. which
THE Sun rarely comments upon. recent
investigations in the therapeutic value
of certain glands like the long known
thyroid offer invaluable promise for
the cure of obstinate maladipS.
Altogether, the men who have orr
health, therefore our happiness ana on
lives in their keeping, have given a
good account of themselves ana thereby
have enhanced the estimate of their
high citizenship.
An EN-Prcsidcnt on Goif.