The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-16


 In calling attention to the great waste both economic and social, which Alabama is sustaining by the entire absence of car and supervision or mental detectives. pr. Thomas Ii. Haines. representative of the national committee on mental hygiene, said that ito achieve the immediate goal which has been set for this summer the es- tablishment of colony for the feeble minded by the passage of MT. Ross bill, the people of the state must needs have the help of their doctors all over the state"
 Every doctor knows of instances of the wastefulnesss of allowing feeb.e minded, paupers. criminals and others to have children of the same kind as themselves, and two or three times as many of them as do ordinary citizens said Dr. Haines. "You know that two thirds of all our institution cases of mental defect comes from stocks Tn which feeble mindedness, insanity, al conc: or some combination of these factors have been evident.
 Some of these defectiVeS prove very much more expensive in their own be- havior. saying nothing of their progeny, outside a proper institution than Tn It.
 If we want to have a citizenship which will feel better, think better and act better than it now does, we snail have to take precautions. The physi- clans of Alabama are looked to to lead the people in this eugenic and romantic movement. You are looked to for ac- tive leadership in securing a state col ony for the feeble minded and Alabama expects the colony in 1919"
 BETS PRESIDES
 Owing to the absence of Dr. l. L. Watkins of Montgomery, president of ha ha called to order by Senior Vice Presi- dent W. F. Betts of Evergreen, who presided during the morning session. Dr. Gardner. United States public health service, opened the meeting with prayer. Addresses of welcome were made by pr. John Rush, president of the Mobile county medical society: Dr. H. r. lnge, chairman of the committee on arrange ments, and Mir. George E. Crawford, mayor.
 Reports of officers then followed. Re- pot of Dr. l. L. Watkins, of Mont 1 ogmery, was read by Dr. $. w. Welch, ssate health officer. Reports were made i by Senior Vice President Betts; Dr. H. $. | Ward of Birmingham, junior vice presi- dent; pr. II. G. Perry of Montgomery, secretary and chairman of the publishing committee, and pr. J. U. Ray of Wood stock, treasurer.
 l Reports of standing committees were made by Dr. W. D. Partlow, chairman of the state committee on mental hy- giene.
 The afternoon session on Tuesday of the l convention was devoted to a series of papers on the treatment and control ot yenereal diseases, discussed by Capt. John O. Rush of Mobile; Capt. Walter l F. Scott of Birmingham; Dr. Robert Ole son of U S. P. N. s. IA; cystourethro- scopic study of the pathological bladder, Lieut.. ]. U. Reeves, with lantern slides ureteral stricture, by Lieut.. l.. r. Turl- ington of Birmingham.
 The following papers were read at the evening session:
 "Dakins solution of infected wounds, W. w. Harper, captain medical corps of | Selma; ''Philosophy of Our Public Health System," Stewart Brooks, Mobile; For eign Bodies in Returning Soldiers J. M Mason major medical corps, Birminshamy Surgical Procedure in Evacuation Hos pitals," H. P. Cole, major medical corps Mobile.