Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-09
The New America
A PROGRAM FOR THE
NATIONS HEALTH
|. Research

! MeU nave 1OIlB dIlu TlBttJs.
been fascinated by the grea
IstorieS of medical research ant
have reserved a special place il
their affections for the grea
figures of medical history. Mer
Everywhere instantly and in
|stinctively recognize them al
universal benefactorS, selflesi
men inspired by reverence fol
life and dedicated to the good o.
humanity.
One by one, ancient scourge:
like smallpox have been con.
Iquered. Childbirth once tool
1.-THE lives of many, many mothers
lit no longer does, and what this
has meant in terms of human
happiness is beyond measure.
ment. The terrible killers Of
Ichildren-scarlet fever, diph.
liberia, typhoid fever, respiratory
AILMENTS, and otherS-have beer
eradicated or brought under
quite effective control. And now
we have all been thrilled to learr
that poliomyelitis. disease that
Idarkened every summer anc
STRUCK fear into the heart of al
Iparents is being conquered. II
the last four years, 1 daresay, M
one has done more than DR.
Jonas Salk, who, true to the grea
Traditions of medicine, sought
mot honor for himself but {
healthier, happier life for hi
fellow men.
The list of other diseases that
Ihave been successfully attacked
or controlled is long.
Life Given Millions
| The value of these achieve.
mentS cannot be reckoned. They
have meant life itself for mil.
lions. And on a strictly economic
calculation, if one could bC
made. the reduction of medica
and hospital care and the extra
production of those whose live,
have been heightened and o.
those whose lives have beer
spared costly work-absences OF
account of sickness. have repaid
many fold all the sums spent OF
research. Perhaps no other fielC
Iof human endeavor has returned
such rich dividends, both in hu.
man happiness and in dollars.
There remain today, however
broad frontiers still to be crossed
IN the world of medical research
The most basic need is fol
more young men and women
trained for medical research.
/ No amount of money spent or
research and no multiplication
of modern laboratories will pro-
duce results unless there are
good researchers to use them
Only few young men and WON.
en- have the special qualities OF
mind and character that are
needed. 1t is all the more i'm
portant, therefore. to make sure
that those who have research
potentialities are enabled to de-
velop them.
Needs of Program Cited
Those who do have the ability
and the interest will be found
certainly in the typical case
among those who are training
themselves for careers in medi-
cine. The Educational Aid Pro.
gram, which I want to discuss q
little later here, should be de-
signed and managed with a view
to encouraging young men anc
women with research potential.
ties to enter research as a career
Account will also have to bt
taken Of the need to reward re.
searchers with incomes at least
somewhat competitive with thost
that can be earned in the prac.
ltice OF medicine and in industrial
research. There has been,
think, too much tendency to rely
on the dedication and sacrifice o.
research people to attract anC
hold them to lives of serves.
There is large and CROWNS
need for modern laboratories anC
other facilities. especially facili.
ties independent of the Fedora
Government and located at hos.
pitfalls and other institution.
around the country. Congress.
sionRl investigations have re.
vealed that many worthwhile
research projects are being hello
back by lack of adequate facili.
ties. According to report oil
the Senate Labor and Public
Welfare Committee, admirably
qualified researchers are some
times unable to make their serv-
ices available to the people OF
America simply because they dc
not have the laboratories. facili-
ties, and equipment with which
TO do the work the Nation ano
the Congress very much want tc
have done.
RhOads' Statement Quoted
DR.. Cornelius Rhoads, director
iof the Sloan-Kettering Institute
for Cancer Research, has said. in
indorsing the Hill-Bridges bill
for grants for research laboratory
facilities on a matching basis
that ut is an absolute necessity
that these facilities be made
available If hundeds Of thousands
OF lives are not TO be needlessly
lost"
Fortunately, the HiIl-Bridges
bill originally opposed by Sec
rotary Hobby was subsequently
passed by the Congress and viii
make 500 million available oVel
q 3-year period in matching
grants TO build medical research
laboratories. This bill is a gooc
start. But. while II is obviously
desirable 70 synchronize the ex-
pansion Of research facilities
with the expansion Of the mum,
Der Of qualified researchers, thu
program will have 10 be extended