Evening star., 1948-05-03
Medical Chiefs Differ
On Truman S Health
Insurance Program

Delegates to the National Health
Assembly, where leaders in medi-
cal and other sciences are drafting
10-year program for the Nation,
today debated how medical serv-
ices are to be improved
There was agreement that these
services must be improved but
there was disagreement whether it
should be on voluntary or COM
pulsory basis.
The 300 delegates meeting at the
Hotel Statler had before them the
plea Of President Truman, made
Saturday night, for his national
health insurance program pat
termed after social security.
This was discussed yesterday at
q section meeting on The Nations S
Need for Medical Care"
Favors National Program.
DR.. Ernest P. Boas of New York
said the best way more medical
service can be brought to people in
the lower-income groups is through
a national compulsory health in
surance plan such as the Govern
ment has proposed.
DR.. r. L. Sensenich, president
elect of the American Medical Asso-
citation, led the opposition.
He described Government plans
in such fields as always clumsy"
He said the best social system is one
that gives people the opportunity to
do for themselves"
Before their meeting ends tomor-
row the Health Assembly delegates
are expected to recommend a 10
year program covering at least IA
points of national health
vivisection Discussed.
Another special section meeting
of the assembly discussed vivisec-
ton and, in a resolution, upheld
the use of live animals for expert
mentation as indispensable to prog
ress in treating mans ailments.
DR.. A. c. Ivy of Chicago, known
for his research on gastric cancer.
said antivivisectionist campaigns
point a dagger at the heart of
medical research" He is chairman
OF the aSsemblys special section on
research.
The resolution adopted by the 80
scientists participating in the dis
cuSsion said the provision of funds
for research in medicine and other
sciences would be negated if the
humane use of animals, such as
mice, guinea pigs. monkeys and
dogs, for experimental purposes,
should be restricted in any way"
Three Steps Cited.
Medical knowledge is usually
gained III three steps, the group
said: By experiments in test tubes,
then by experiments on animals
and, finally by applying the results
to man.
Most Of the knowledge we possess
today regarding the function of the
organs of the body, nutrition. and
the prevention and control of dis
ease has resulted from animal ex-
perimentation," the resolution said.
The control of such diseases as
diabetes, smallpox, pellagra, perni-
ciouS anemia, scurvy, ricketts,. beri
oeri, diphtheria, typhoid and thy
roid diseases was derived from ex-
periments on animals. The same
is true for the use of penicillin and
sulpha drugs"
Operations Perfected.
The resolution pointed out that
practically every surgical operation
performed today was perfected on
animals before it was tried on
humans. The new operation for the
treatment of blue babies" was first
tried on dog before being tried
on a human child, the resolution
said, and continued
The average length of life has
been extended from IS to 66 years
and some 50,Oo0,oOO people in our
country owe their lives to the ap-
plication to man of discoveries
made on animals during the past
century.
AS to the future, any increase in
knowledge regarding the control or
cure Of cancer, heart disease, hard
sning Of the arteries, high blood
pressure, rheumatism. peptic ulcer,
will depend largely on the humane
use OF animals in university and
medical research laboratories.
Sees Surplus of Workers.
Earlier DR.. Theodore G. Klumpp
OF New York had told the full
assembly that the Nation will have
q surplus of 100000 workers by
1880 if the span of life continues
to be prolonged.
Instead of forcing men to retire
when they reach certain age
which he termed unfair, he sug-
gested other means be found to-
adjust the supply of workers to Jobs
! venture to say I will live to see
30-hour week in industry" he said.
n.I.