Evening star., 1921-07-24
BY BEN MckELWAY.
\ RIGINATED here less than a
year ago. plans for the es-
tablishment in Panama OF

year ago, plans LOT the es-
tablishment in Panama of a
memorial to Gen. Gorgas in
the form of an institute for the study
of tropical diseases have assumed in
ternational Importance. Their COM
pletion in the near future will marx
one Of the greatest steps ever taken
in developing the pan-American spirit
and aiding the commercial growth or
Latin America.
The idea of a suitable memorial 10
Gen. Gorgas originated with Presi-
dent Porras Of Panama. and through
Panama's representative here. Senor
Don ]. f. Lefevre, charge d'ahaires
CT the legation. the first steps in its
development were taken. Senor Le-
fevre found a friend in Rear AdmiFal
Braisted former surgeon general OF
the Navy and a past president OF the
American Medical Association. who
now Is chairman of the provisional
board Of directors of the Gorgas In.
stitute. Together these two men
sounded out the sentiment in the
United States. Europe >and South
America toward the proposed memo
rial, and found il a popular one. The
provisional board of directors was
; formed and included in its member
ship men who have identified them
selves with development of the sci
cree Of medicine and surgery-Sur-
seon General Stitt of the Navy. Gen.
ireland of the Army and Surgeon
General Cumming of the public health
i service The final chapter IN this
have been written here last week at
meeting of the provisional board at
the Pan-American Union building.
! Some idea of the porportionate part
the United States will play in es-
! tablishing the memorial is gained
from the plans for a campaign to be-
gin next fall to raise from three to
| Ave million dollars in this country to
bear some of the expense connected
with the proposed institute. Panama
already has furnished the site for the
building, and that government will
| donate the building and equipment. A
committee of ways and means to raise
the fund has been appointed with u.
! ranklin H. Martin. secretary OF the
American College of Surgeons, CHAIR
man. and Admiral Braisted and Senor
Lefevre members. A detailed plan Tor
the campaign will be announced later.
| The charter for the institute is now
lbeing formed. Two additions to TINS
charter. which set forth two impor-
tant PURPOSES of the institution. were
j
iyisional directors last week. The
first, recommended by Lieut.. Col. J. 5.
Siler of the Army Medical Corps. pro-
vides that the institute will send ex-
petitions into all the countries or
South America to make researches in
tropical diseases. and that forces of
physicians. suitably equipped. would
be held in readiness to visit regions
suffering from cpidemics. there to aid
1.-THE local authorities.
! The second provides that the IN
stitute will devote part of its work
to studying the diseases of animals
i and their relation to those of humans,
carrying out the work of Gen. Gorgas
lin this respect. This addition to the
charter was adopted on recommends
tion Of DR.. Martin.
| DR.. Martin. who recently completed
a visit to five South American coun-
tries on a mission to secure greater
Incorporation between medical socie- =
}fies in the United States and those OF
the Latin American republics. reports
he found very favorable sentiment
lin Brazil. Chile. Peru. Uruguay and
There is no JEALOUSY among the re-
publics as to the memorials location
lin Panama: rather desire TO Co
ioperate in founding the institute that
| all MAJ share ita Dement'S.
Dr. Martin had an opportunity 70
! study at frst-hand the need for such
an agencs. as that proposed IN the
] institute. One of the handicaps TO
South American progress at present
he states. is the ignorance OF no" 10
deal with diseases peculiar 10 tne
tropics. some of which practlcaI!
| prevent exploitation and develop
| ment of many resources. even. as
| typhoid and yellow fever for years
prevented the construction OF the
Panama canal.