Evening star., 1924-11-19
DIR. WILMER, TO HEAD $3,OOO,OOO
INSTITUTE FOR EYE DISEASES
First Establishment of Kind in U. S. to Be Founded
in Connection With Johns Hopkins-Memorial
to Capital Specialist.

Establishment OF $3,000,0o0 in
stttute for the study and treatment
OF diseases OF the eye and for re-
search dealing with the causes OF
blindness and allied ailments, to be
under the direction OF DR. William
Holland Wilmer Of this city. noted
ophthalmologist. and which. ii is de-
clared. will not only be the first of
it's kind ever established In America.
but also the equal of any in the
world. Is contemplated under extern
sive plans announced today by DR..
Frank j. Goodnow, president of the
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.
In order that DIR. Wilmer may be
in direct supervision OF the insti-
tute. the William Holland Wilmer
Foundation, organized here about
two years ago by friends who real
lied the limitations Of the present
facilities in Washington. Is cooper
ating with the Johns Hopkins author
tiles in financing the project. The
trustees of the foundation are intent
on making the institute permanent
memorial to DR.. Wilmer and his
work as well as q place where his
abilities may be given wide scope
during his lifetime.
$1,000, 900 Gift Conditional.
That the institute is not far
fetched dream on the part of those
behind the movement is indicated by
the fact that tomorrow Abram Flex-
ner will present to the General Edu-
cational Board. founded by John ID.
Rockefeller. the proposal to appro-
pirate not less than $1,000. 600, pro
vided $2,o00.000 be raised from other
sources. and provided further, that
DIR. Wilmer accept the professorship
of ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins,
which he viii. his friends say, pro-
vided the requisite $3.00o.000 be in
sight by January L.
DR.. Goodnow said that It would cost
approximately $1,000. 900 to erect and
equip the proposed Wilmer institute
The plan also calls for 1000, 900 TO
endow at least 40 free beds and pro-
vide income for the treatment of
patients who have not the means to
pay the full cost of hospital care. A
third 100000 will be required to
endow the teaching of ophthalmology
in the medical school and to pay the
salaries of the Institutes staff. who
will also be officers OF the Johns Hop
kins Hospital and members of the
medical faculty. The Wilmer Founda-
tion already has 100000 to con-
tribute to the project.
Esta blishment Of such an institu-
ton as now appears to be close to
a reality was in the minds of Dr.
Winners friends when they incor-
porated the foundation. and when
they discovered that an institute of
ophthalmology was contemplated as
Il part OF the present ten-year pro-
gram OF the Johns Hopkins Uni
versity and the Johns Hopkins Hos
pital, they decided that their purpose,
as we'll as that of Johns Hopkins
might best be served through the
consolidation of both plans. according
to DR.. -Goodnow.
Few Facilities in L. $.
There is probably no field in which
the facilities OF American medical
schools and hospitals are so made
quate as that which deals with dis
eases Of the eye" President Goodnow
said. Almost all our foremost
ophthalmologists have been trained
in Europe. Today American medical
students who have the ambition and
ability to excel in this field must
go TO Europe to obtain the best train
ing. Great ophthalmological insti-
tUtes have been in existence there
for more than half a century.
The result is that the American
public does not receive such skilled
attention in the treatment Of diseases
of the eye as would be possible if
there were q first-rank institution
for the training OF ophthalmologists
In this country"