Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-17

tnes great world war against disease,
according to DR.. George E. Vincent,
president of the Rockefeller Founda-
ton. which Is represented on the bat
tie front in almost every country on
the globe.
Smallpox Is now almost unknown in
parts of Europe and in a few States
OF the United States, he says. Ty-
phoid epidemics are rare in efficiently
administered communities. Tubercu.
losis is decreasing among many popu.
lations. Diphtheria is coming under
successful control. The outlook for
preventing the spread Of scarlet fever
is brighter. Malaria is being ousted
from its various strongholds and yell
low fever seems to be making its last
stand. Cholera cannot seriously in
wade a country which has a modern
water supply and proper disposal of
wastes, and typhus has few terrors
water and clean linen.
Health departments report the de.
cline of communicable diseases and
the fall Of the general death rate. In
recent years the infant mortality rate
has dropped rapidly. In London, for
example, it fell from 159 deaths,
within the first year, per thousand liv.
ing births. in 1900, to 68 in 1925, and
in New York from 1872 to 65 during
the same period.
But the modern health movement"
says DR.. Vincent, lis not content
with sanitation and the control of
communicable diseases. It goes on to
the hygiene Of groups and of individ-
uals. 1t is not satisfied with a mega.
tive prevention Of disease: it breaches
a gospel Of positive. active, vigorous
physical and mental well-being.
so the hygienes multiply to in
clude mothers, babies, little children,
school children, adults, industrial
groups and the victims of tuberculosis
and OF venereal diseases. A mental
hygiene deals with feeble-mindedness
delinquency, criminal tendencies, NAL.
adjustments and various forms of
psychic disturbances. Food, clothing,
posture, sleep, occupation. exercise,
recreation, social relations and per.
sonal adjustments are becoming con.
Germs of public health"
Fought All Along the Line.
So it Is seen that the war for
health is being fought all along the
line with every weapon and every re.
source that has been developed by
modern science. The battle cry is
Death to the wicked germs; they
shall not SPREAD
What one organization is doing in
this war to make the world safe for
the peoples OF all races and Of vary.
Ing shades of political faith is told by
DIR. Vincent in summarizing the work
OF the Rockefeller Foundation for
last year. It's activities girdled the
globe, f1guratively and literally.
With something less than So.
100000 to spend during the year the
foundation aided the growth Of ID
medical schools in 10 different coun.
tries; maintained a modern medical
school and teaching hospital in
Picking; assisted the development OF
professional public health training in
Is institutions in IL countries and in
10 field stations in the United States
and Europe; contributed to nurse
training schools in the United States.
Brazil, France. Poland, Jugoslayia,
China, Japan and Siam; sent emer.
pean countries and helped 81 govern
ments to combat hookworm disease.
It gave funds for organized rural
health service in 244 counties in the
United States and to 81 districts in II
other countries; shared in the creation
or support of various departments in
state or national health services in 16
countries; co-operated with Brazil in
the control of yellow fever. or
in precautionary measures against
the yellow fever mosquitoes In
10 States; continued yellow fever
surveys and studies in Nigeria
and on the Gold Coast; aided efforts to
show the possibility Of controlling ma
laria in nine North American States
and in Porto Rico, Nicaragua, Saliva
dor, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Spain
Poland, Palestine and the Philippines;
helped to improve the teaching OF
physics, chemistry and biology In III
institutions in China and in the gov
eminent university of Siam, and gave
funds for biological or mental re-
search at Yale University, the State
University OF Iowa and the Marine
Biological Station at Pacific Grove,
Calf.
Many Fellowships Provided.
The foundation also provided fell
lowships for SS9 men and women from
48 different countries. and paid the
IraVelluS EXPENSES VI % oLhSloAS u
professors making study visits either
individually or in commissions. OF
those provided fellowships, 1856 crossed
national boundaries to pursue their
studies. Officers of the foundation
made visits or surveys in more than
a score of countries in Europe, South
America, the Far East and Aus.
| tralasia.
Likewise 1t continued its co.opera.
ton with the health committee Of the
League Of Nations. supplying the bulk
Of the funds that made 1t possible for
| the League to conduct international
study tours or interchanges for 100
| health officers from 4S countries and
to maintain an information service on
communicable diseases. 1t made sur.
veys of health conditions. medical
! education, nursing, biology or anthro.