Evening star., 1938-01-13
HEALTH PROBLEM,
FORUM IS SLATED
Free Lecture Series of G. j.
Designed for General
Public.

Forum next Thursday evening, under
the auspices Of Georgetown University,
to serve Is Z medium for the "free
discussion" Of Washingtons most
pressing health and medical problems
was announced today by the Very Rev.
Arthur A. O'Leary, S. j., president.
In scheduling eight public lectures
DR.. OLeary said the university feels
there is great need" for a forum
OF this kind, especially from the view-
point Of education and cooperation
in helping to reduce the citys death
rate from preventable diseases.
Or. George c. Rutland, District
health officer, will open the series with
a discussion of Your Doctor and the
Present Health Situation in Washing
ton" Prominent among later lec-
turers are Dr. Morris Fishbein, editor
OF the Journal of the American Medi-
cal Association, and DR.. Dom Thomas
Werner Moore, o. S. B., Of the Catholic
University.
state Medicine" Topic.
It was expected that DR.. Fishbeins
lecture on state Medicine" will open
up frank discussion of factors enter
ing into the controversy over the
establishment of Group Health, Inc,
by the Home Owners Loan Corp. and
the spread Of Government supported
health clinics. A panel will be ap-
pointed for each of the eight lectures.
Appealing for public cooperation in
the forum, DR.. OLeary said:
In most of our cities there Is a
much greater morbidity and mortality
from preventable diseases than there
need be. Georgetown University feels
that public education is a most effec-
tive means of reducing this, in great
part, remediable loss of lives, time and
money. Many measures of prevention
are available, but the public must
be taught their value and efficacy
before they are Of real use.
I'VE feel that such forum will be
especially valuable at this time be-
cause our own public health officials
are making a serious effort to reduce
the mortality from preventable di-
seases in the city Of Washington, and
an informed public opinion would be
great help to them.
Talks Designed for Public.
1.-THE university hopes that through
this forum, specific non-technical in
formation on this vital subject will
be brought to the attention of a large
number Of people in Washington.
These talks are directed not to the
physicians. but to the lay public and
Will be given in simple, understandable
language. The lectures are to be given
by men and women actually engaged
IN employing the preventive measures
which they will discuss.
These talks are not based on theo-
fetlcal considerations, but are the ac-
tual methods employed by these off,
Gals. So that the discussion will not
be limited to the ideas of any one man,
1t Is intended as part of the plan that
at the end Of each lecture there will
be opportunity for an exchange of
ideas by individuals invited for that
purpose. These auditors will be in
vlted because of their special interest
or ability in the subject matter of the
lecturer.
discussion will be free and no at
tempt will be made to edit either the
discussion or the lecture An addi-
tional feature Of the forum will be
question box through which any one
IN the audience may submit questions
10 the lecturer, which will be an
swered at the next forum meeting"
In addition to DR.. Ruhland's OPEN
Ing lecture, the university president
announced the committee in charge
had arranged the following program:
January Your Doctor and
Crime Prevention" Drane Lester of
the Federal Bureau Of Investigat ton.
February 3-"Your Doctor and Ma
ternal Welfare" DR.. Ella Oppenhei-
n1er, director of child and maternal
welfare. District of Columbia.
February 10-"Your Doctor and
State Medicine" DR.. Fishbein.
February 17-"Ycur Doctor and
Keeping Sane DR.. Dom Thomas YER
ner Moore, professor of psychology
Catholic University.
February 24-"Your Doctor and the
Venereal Diseases" Dr. r. A. Wonder.
Ienl' ASSISTANT surgeon general, United
States Public Health Service.
March 3-"Your Doctor and the
Prevention of tuberculosis. Dr.
Charles White, past president Of the
tuberculosis Association Of the Dis
trict of Columbia.
March l0-"Your Doctor Finds
Work for Cardiac Patients" DR.. James
Esler, professor Of clinical cardiolosy.
Georgetown University.
All lectures will be on Thursday eve
nngs at $3.50 o'clock in CASTOR Hall
at Georgetown University. They are
Tree to the public.
The committee in charge of the
forum program is composed Of DR..
John r. Cavanagh, chairman; DR..
John Arthur c. Christie, DR.. Mario
Mollari and DR.. Wallace M. Yater.
members OF the stats of the medical
school and hospital.