Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-08-01

nj provisions against disease. | believe the
country learned the medical lesson of the
Spanish American War. Publicity i going
TO be the big safeguard against similar
mistakes in this vastly greater enterprise.
1T would be well TO emphasize here that
the work of safeguarding the health of
the army and navy could not be in better
hands than il i right now. The medical
corps of the United States army and navy
have led the way in many directions in the
development of military sanitation and dis
ease prevention. and the confidence the
country feels in their leadership j. thor
oughly justified Best OF all. in addition
to the individual high professional capacity
Of these men, the organizations "a 4 whole
have shown an unprecedented capacity for
expanding TO meet the requirements of the
tremendously increased task which faces
them.
'Their broad-gauee character has heen
shown nowhere to better advantage than in
the eaeerncS> with which they lave sough!
the aid of the best civilian professional
thought Of the country in meeting new
problems a. they nave arisen. The Gen
eral Medical Board Of the Council of Ma
tional Defense, composed of the country's
biggest men, including the S-urgeon-cener
ais of the army and navy, has served a. a
clearing house of professional opinion and
has brought to the solution of the ques-
lions at hand in concentrated form tho
best medical thought of the nation. On the
board are such men n DIR. Simon Flexner
of the Rockefeller Institute. Drs. William
j. and Charles III. Mayo, DIR. Victor e..
Vaughan OF the University of Michigan,
DIR. John NJ. 7. Finney and DIR. William III.
WEIGH of Johns Hopkins, DIR. Fredcrick "A.
Besley OF Northwestern, DIR. George ".
Grille OF Western Reserve and DIR. Charles
r.. kalhke of Fahnemann College, Chicago.
to mention only a few. Through frequent
conferences with these men. the surgeon
generals, themselves occupied constantly
with administrative tasks, lave been able
to gain new points of view and gain n de-
tached perspective in looking nj their prob
lens from time to time. The opportunity
to exchange opinions has been invaluable.
A. The time for mobilization of the army
approaches many of these civilian physi-
cilnS are lUtinSelNt~ cHlcIlu- dCtlNt dt-
miniStration in the army and navy medical
corps, but with the additional advantage
of having helped to plan far ahead for the
campaign in which they are called to as
SiSt.
During the past months the work OF the
medical section has been directed IN three
main channels. The most comprehensive
has been keeping in touch in in advisory
capacity, ready to assist ut any point, IN
the work of the several divisions of con
troll of the government and the civilian
population-the Medical Corps Of tho
Army and Navy, the Public Health Service.
The Red Cross, and the work with the CIV
ilian munition workers. The leaders d.
rccting these activities have cooperated in
the most willing fashion with the section In
obtaining Information on every phase OF the
work of sanitation and OF guarding against
possible e~pidemic> in the neighborhood of
army environments and naval stations.
Through the medical sections of the state
council Of defense the departments are
able to secure the assistance of reputable
local physicians in cleaning up their own
neighborhoods and in bringing local public