Evening star., 1928-05-20
Capital Sidelights

New York, who was the first OF nve
doctors to attend the late Represent
ative Madden of Illinois when he was
stricken at his desk as chairman OF the
important appropriations committee
and 1t was confirmed few days later
when Representative Underwood of
Ohio suffered an acute attack of indi-
gestion and had to be carried to the
sergcant-at-arms' office and later to the
Naval Hospital.
Recently in ordering new venti-
lation system for both House and Sem
ate the appalling death rate of MEM
bers of Congress was disclosed, far in
excess OF that in any outside employ
ment. There are many doctors in Con-
gresS and from time to time they have
called attention TO The abnormal death
rate. Their services are frequently
called for to give emergency care TO
some fellow member.
To relieve this situation Representa-
tive Kindred of New York himself
physician and internationally famous
authority on mental diseases, and pro-
prietor of several hospitals and sani-
tariums, has introduced bill provtd-
ing that a physician and nurse be ap-
pointed to be on duty while Congress
is in session and that complete sup
ply of medicine and medical equipment
be installed in the Capitol for emer
gency treatment of Senators and Repre-
sentatives.
Tribute to the fact that no other
country approaches the United States
in efficiency of national health work
was paid during the past week in a
speech by Representative John w. Sum-
mers of Washington, himself doctor,
nf pYIhEc
Health" making particular reference
to the laboratory in Panama as a me-
mortal to DR.. William Crawford Gorgas.
former surgeon general of the United
States Army.
Emphasizing that our public health
problem is peculiar to our form Of Gov
ernment, Dr. Summers said:
THE history of the United States
Public Health Service dates back more
than century and quarter. 1t had
it's origin in the old Marine Hospital
Service, which was first authorized by
act of Congress approved July Is, 1898.
AT the close of the ninteenth century
the average length OF human life was
between as and so years. Today it
varies from about "a years In India to
so wears in New zealand. The expecta-
ton of life in the United States for
1926 was STA years. The best avail
able figures show that the span of life
in the United States has been length
ened Is years since 1870.
Much has been accomplished in pre-
ventive medicine and hygiene - much
more remains to be done. There is yet
too much preventable disease. Many
problems are still unsolyed. Figures at
hand indicate that deaths from diseases
of the heart, blood vessels and kidneys,
apoplexy. insanity and cancer have in
creased during the past 40 years. Un-
fortunately the exact cause of many of
these and other chronic degenerative
diseases is still obscure.
The triumphs OF modern preventive
medicine and sanitation have been
great The problems for solution are
still greater. The true aim Of all SCI
entific investigation and public health
endeavor is the prevention of disease
and the promotion Of public health"
-
Oklahoma's song OF triumphal prog
ress was sung in the House by Repre-
sentative Howard in commemoration Of
that States thirty-ninth anniversary.
He recalled that less than twoScore
pioneers engaged in q mad race for
homes in most virgin part of the
country, opening UP public lands to
white settlement.
Washington Irving 96 years ago wrote
the first history OF Oklahoma during
his celebrated tour of the prairies. A
few days before his death the late
Speaker Champ Clark said, Neither
Jules Verne nor any other novelist ever
wrote tale so fetching as the history
of Oklahoma. Her population Is COM
posed of the very cream Of the peoples
of the older States-the young. the
vigorous, the adventurous. the daring"
Summarizing some of Oklahoma'S
outstanding developments that chal-
lenge the admiration Of all humankind,
Representative Howard said:
I'm 1889 Oklahoma was a virgin
wilderness, only few thousand tons OF
coal being mined each year at Nc
Alester In the Choctaw Nation. At the
beginning of the present century the
mineral production OF this region
amounted in value"to less than $4,000
900 a year. Today 1t is over $500,00O,-
900, or an increase OF 12,500 per cent.
Only two States-Texas with four times
our area and twice our history, and
PENNSYLVANIA with 200 years OF clvili-
zatlon and her vast stores of anthracite
coal-exceed Oklahoma today in new
wealth per year from the two great
basic industries--agricultur and min
ing. Yet our resources have scarcely
been tapped.
I'm 1907, when Oklahoma became
State, louisiana had been state Tor
95 years. Missouri for S6 years, Arkansas
for II years, Texas for 50 years. Iowa
for 81 years, Kansas for as years and
Nebraska for 40 wears
To-day Oklahoma leads the Nation
In the value of diversified crops, Is sec
ond In the value OF minerals produced
each year. is second or third each year
In the production of cotton, and pro-
duces more broomcorn than all of the
other States in the Union combined.
"One county in Oklahoma. Ottawa.
produces more zinc than the rest OF the
United States.
Mining coal today at the rate OF
5000. 900 tons a year. at that rate we
have q supply of this fuel which will
last for 5000 years.
For of the last IL years crude
oil produced in Oklahoma was worth
more at the well than the output OF
any other State. In 1926 the State of
Oklahoma produced more oil than Rus.
sia and Mexico combined.
"In three and one-half decades l9f.-
2l8 farms, averaging l56 acres, have
been opened and are operating today"