Evening star., 1918-06-13
LAMBERT DEFEATS
ADMIRAL BREASTED
Chosen President of Ameri-
can Medical Association
by Three Votes.
By the Associated Press.

CHICAGO, June 13.-Dr. Alexander
Lambert of New York was elected
president of the American Medical
Association here today by vote OF
60 to 81 over Admiral w. c. Braisted,
surgeon general of the Navy.
The election was by the house OF
delegates and the vote was the clos
est in the history of the organisa-
tion. The campaign for Admiral
Braisted did not start until after tho
convention met here Monday. when
an active element determined that
DR.. Lambert should have opposition.
DR.. Lambert is medical director of
the American Red Cross work in
France and president of the New
York State Medical Association. His
name was presented to the house OF
delegates by DR.. F. NJ. Crandall OF
New York. and DR.. M. F. McMurtry Of
Louisville, KY, presented Admiral
Braisted's name.
Other officers elected without op-
position, were first vice president, DR..
w. N. Wishard, Indianapolis; second
Rochester, Mimi; third vice president.
DIR. c. w. Richardson. Washington. D..
c.; fourth vice president, DR.. John
NJ. Badly. Philadelphia: secretary, DR..
Alexander r. Craig, Chicago; treas
urer, DR.. William Allen Pusey. Chi
gates DR.. Hubert Work. Pueblo, Col: /:
vice chairman of house of delegates.
DR.. Dwight H. Murray, Syracuse.
DIR. Lambert was Col Roosevelt's 8
physician until last fall, when DR..
Lambert went abroad. and took many
long trips with the colonel.
Problems OF reclaiming those injured
in the war occupied most of the time
today of the convention.
The opening address was by Sur
geon Gen. w. c. Gorgas of the Army.
who outlined the governments plan
for reconstruction. DR.. Frank Bill
lings of Chicago also spoke on the
national program for taking care of
crippled and disabled soldiers and
sailors.
Five Women Nominated.
In accordance with the request of
DIR. Franklin K. Martin, chairman of
the general medical board of the
Council of National Defense, five
women Of the two hundred attending
the convention were nominated for
positions to the United States Re-
serve Medical Corps. Two of these
names will be selected by the Wash
ington authorities for service.
Those nominated are: DR.. Adelaide
Brown of California, DR.. Martha
Tracy. dean of the Medical Women's
College Of philadelphia: Dr.. Clara
Seippel of Chicago. DR.. Marion Craig
Potter of Rochester and DR.. Eliza
beth Campbell of Cincinnati.
Medical Handicaps Overcome.
Some Of the medical handicaps of
the United States in the war and haw
they have been overcome were de-
scribed by Surgeon General Gorgas.
For example, glass eyes for wound
ed men heretofore came exclusively
from glass made in Germany. The
section Of surgery Of the heed in his
Office, Gen. Gorgas said. has solved
glass for artificial goggles for avi-
tors. This same department has spe-
cialized in surgical work on the jaws,
succeeding in repairing injuries
which hitherto have been considered
hopeless.
States Army" the surgeon general
said, has now an organization adapt
able to every contemplated expansion
of the line, and when our entire
forces are in the field it will he in
a position to do what the allied
forces accomplished only after a long
period Of trial and error: Reports
from the western front indicate that
our medical department in the field
is fully up to the mark. The parents
and relatives of our soldiers may feel
assured that the Medical Corps has
done all that Is possible for their
welfare"
One activity the benefits of which
Gen. Gorgas believes will outlast the
war Is the newly established Army
School Of Nursing. He estimated that
by 1919 the United States Army
would need 10000 nurses.
Various Addresses.
In an address before sectional meet
ing on diseases Of children DR.. Paul
Armand de Lille of Paris declared
social service centers and visiting
nurses associations were the two most
effective agencies for child welfare
he had seen in America. He described
the work Of the French government
in teaching mothers the proper care
Of their children, but said that the
foreign methods did not compare with
those of this country.
National prohibition for the benefit
Of military and civil populations alike,
the necessity Of each county in the
United States sending q quota of
20 per cent OF its medical men into
Army service, and the withdrawal Of
doctors generally from association
after the war with German scientists
until Germany has purged itself of
guilt, were features of the address
Of DIR Arthur Dean Bevan Of Chicago,
installed as president of the association.
DIR. Bevan paid special tribute to the
work Of Surgeon General Gorgas and
called attention to the fact that the
Army death rate has been less than
ten per thousand in the mobilization
and concentration camps, twice as
good as the record held by any coun-
try prior to this time"
Americas soldiers are the best fed
fighting men in the world, according
to the message brought to the conven-
ton by DR.. John r. Murlin, adviser to
the War Department on matters of
diet. DR.. Murlins statement was
based on scientific analysis OF the
foods served the various armies.
Twelve hundred additional surgeons
for the United States Navy will be
needed to provide for the expansion
of that branch Of the service In tho
next year. Admiral Braisted said.
The house Of delegates adopted a
resolution urging President Wilson to
retain Maj. Gen. Gorgas as surgeon
general despite the fact that he will
reach retirement age next October.
RUSS R. R. MISSION HEAD