Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-30

1olAy ANo WCSbNAA ~ RNOPA~os ENASAb~S w
salute the memory of GorgaS. on
his seventy-fourth birthday an
niverSary.
GorgaS, of whom the Spanish
said, He Is one o. us because his
name derives from the Castilian;"
GorgaS, of whom the English said.
on his death in London. They will
take him to his Motive land. but in
truth, he belongs to us all-like
Lincoln, a man of the ages"
GorgaS, of whom Americans said.
eve knight him, honor him. love
him; in esteem. we strip all titles
and call him simply 'Gorgas'"
The late surgeon general OF the
United States Army and chief
sanitary officer of the Panama
Canal, whose work in disease con-
troll brought him civic crowns
from a dozen sovereign states.
looms figure more enduring than
monuments of granite or bronze
Like HippocrateS, grand old medico
of Athens, the American mo
Squito man" averted horrible
peStilence.
The last session of Congress, acting
on behalf of the Nation. appropriately
led New World republics by granting an
annuity of $4,000 toward the main
tenance of great memorial laboratory
In Panama, or possibly. on a suitable
site in the contiguous Canal Zone, that
tropical diseases might be stripped of
mystery and control methods be broad
cast over the earth
This act by our Congress. carried
unanimously in both House and Senate,
had dual motive in its passage: First.
to father scientific research in disease
control: and secondly, to enforce the
belief among Latin Americans that the
Yankee can be brother to his neigh
hors as well as an uncle to his citizens.
Let all the governments of Pam
America contribute three -fourths of
what I have contributed" said Uncle
Sam in his congressional bill. That
is, let these 20 neighbors give S37.500
annually toward the maintenance of
this memorial laboratory With a
guaranteed fund of $S7500 yearly. the
contagious and epidemics that affiict
our peoples will be studied by experts
and medical miracles be repeated before
our eyes"
The great avenues and boulevards of
South American cities will be Powered
and tagged on the day when the world
revives vivid memories of Gorgas. And
men assembled will speak in Sonorous
Spanish and holiday English on the
virtues of a genteel Americana from
Washington.
During this week of iubilation the
scientific board of the GorgaS Memorial
Institute will meet in Boston and select
from a long list of suggested names
the man who will direct affairs of the
Panama laboratory. They have sifted
these names from all available lists of
recognized scientific men. The board
also will take steps, officially. to invite
the Pan-American republics to join
hands with the American Nation in
maintaining and benefiting by the
Gorgas laboratory.
WASHINGTON will be the scene of
w a great banquet. at which princi-
pal guests will be diplomatic officials
who represent the southern republics
in the American Capital. Here smbas-
sadors will receive official notification
of the Congressional act, and each will
be invited to convey to his government
an invitation to link the power and
prestige of its sovereignty in trans
acting the business of the laboratory.
The three surgeons general. of the
Army, Navy and civilian populace. will
be on hand to lend the weight of their
approval to our Governments proposal
heads of the Department of State and
officers of the Pan-An, erican Union.
headed by DR.. Leo S. Rove, director
general. Leading roles will be taken by
Dr. Franklin Martin, president of the
Gorgas Memorial Institute, and DR.
Richard Strong, Harvard University,
chairman of the scientific board.
These republics will be invited to
have diplomatic representatives at the
banquet: Argentina, Bolivia. Brazil,
Chile, Colombia, Costa RIGA, Cuba
Dominican Republic. Ecuador, Guate-
mala, Haiti, Honduras, MeSico, Nicara-
qua. Panama. Paraguay, Peru, Salvador.
Uruguay, Venezuela and the United
States.
President Coolidge is honorary presi-
dent of the board of directors, and 1t
Is probable that he, too. will attend.
Among others who guide the institute
are Charles G.. Dawes, Vice President
of the United States; Bernard M.
Baruch, New York City; Surgeon Gen.
Hugh S. Cumming; DR.. Herman Bun
desen, president Of the American
Health Association: Adolph aOchs, pub.
Usher of the New York Times, and
Rear Admiral Cary T. Grayson.
The board of scientific directors con-
sists of DIR. Richard Strong, Harvard
University, chairman; Dr. c. c. Bass,
Tulane University New Orleans; DR.. w.
G. McCallum, Johns Hopkins Univer-
sity; DR.. w. G. Mccoy. Public Health
Service; Col. j. r. Siler, Army Medical
Corps; Rear Admiral E. r. Stitt. sur
geon general of the Navy; DR.. L. l..
Tyzzer. Bussey Institute, and DR.. Bow
man C. Crowell. American College OF
Surgeons.
Several years ago the republic CT
Panama set aside a site on which 1t
planned to build Gorgas memorial
laboratory at an expense OF 100000,
and donate the property to the Gorgas
institute Following passage OF the
congressional act, DR.. Martin was en-
powered by the board Of directors TO
proceed to Panama and perfect ar
rangements for temporary laboratory
that would serve until permanent quar-
tiers could be financed and built.
President CHAR Of Panama met DR..
Martin on his arrival and offered
new building, originally designed for
use of the Governments school of med
icine The gift was accepted, and
the place will shortly be occupied by
the laboratory staff, pending construc-.
ton of new building, on beautiful
site overlooking the Atlantic. already
given by the Panama government. Pres
ident Martin accepted the temporary
building on behalf of the institute on
August IS.
THE first major problem to be at
tackled by the new laboratory will
be malaria, a disease that still afflicts
people of this country. as we'll as all
nations to the south. But other prob
lens will be touched upon and in
vestigated as far as resources permit.
While methods for control Of malaria
are known, the cost of carrying them
out on any extensive scale is prohibi
tive The methods call for pOpular CO.