Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1960-08-25
he National Against Chronic Diseases

times happens, Wilson'S gener-
Gus and public-spirited proposal
was at first ignored, and later
met with considerable opposi-
ton. Fortunately, he remained
undiscouraged, and a fortuitous
combination of circumstances
soon paved the way for Gov.
eminent action.
This series of events culmi.
mated in the cornerstone laying
of the NH Administration
building in August, 1888.
DR.. L. r. Thompson, who in
1885 was Assistant Surgeon
General of the Public Health
Service, in charge of the Scien-
tific Research Division, was ap-
pointed Director of the National
Institute of Health in 1887, the
first to serve in that capacity
at Bethesda. A narrative ac-
count that DR.. Thompson wrote
in 1888 describes some of the
details of the events leading up
to the actual construction of
the first buildings at the new
location in Bethesda.
DR.. Thompson notes: after
MIR. Wilson made his decision
to give the property to the Ma
tional Institutes of Health, he
and Mrs. Wilson and their son,
Luke, became intensely inter-
ested in the project and the
general scientific work of the
Institute"
1t was then, as news of the
proposed gift became known,
that local opposition developed.
1.-THE Bethesda Chamber of
Commerce. passed resolutions
against it, the County Commits
sioners did the same, and final
ly the Maryland Park and Plan
ming Commission voiced its dis
approval"
Gilbert Grosvenor for It
A number of residents and a
few business men were also op-
posed, but "a few Influential
men were friends of the prof.
ect." Among thes were
Canon Peter who lived directly
to the south of the land, and
Mr.. Gilbert Grosvenor, the edi-
tor of the National Geographic
Magazine" whose property lay
to the north.
At this juncture the Social
Security Act was passed by
Congress, providing a sudden
increase in funds for research.
AS a result, DR.. Thompson
conceived the idea of rebuild
ing the National Institute of
Health at Bethesda" He OBJ
serves that, 1.-THE idea came at
a fortunate time as the Navy
Hospital was considering a great
expansion of their hospital and
Medical Center, and our new
buildings at 25th and E SITS.
fitted nicely into their plans"
This proposal was quickly ap-
proved by the President and
other Administration officials,
and an appropriation was au-
thoriZed for "the construction
of three new buildings which
were to house the new work of
the National Institute of
Health"
But the sailing was not yet
smooth. Although the author
ization had been obtained, there
seemed little chance of obtain
the funds, as DR.. Cumming, the
Surgeon General, considered
other building programs of the
Service of more importance"
Soon afterward, however, DR..
Cumming retired. Fortunately
for the success of the project
he was succeeded by DR.. Thorn
as Parran. DR.. Thompson's mar
rative continues:
"Dr, Parran was greatly in
terested in the research work
of the Service and Immediately
placed the building program of
the National Institute of Health
at the head of the Service con-
struction program. AS he was
a personal friend of the Presi-
dent and of the Secretary of the
Treasury, he prevailed on them
to have funds made available
in the sum of 81, $4,000 to be-
gin construction. On January
1, 1888, he dug the first shovel
full of earth for the three au.
thorized buildings"
The Beginning
This marked the beginning of
construction for the new home
of NH. Even then, however,
events moved swiftly, pointing
toward the tremendous expan-
sion yet to come.
DR.. Thompson reports that
Congress meanwhile had become