1832 



nature of such diseases as cholera, ' malaria, and plague in the less developed 



countries. *"' 



and further, 



Preventive medicine, like disease, is inherently international. Had there not 

 been the problem of preventing the entrance of disease from one country to another 

 and of controlling the spread of di.sease within countries, preventive medicine 

 would not have developed as early as it did. Public outcry demanded that cor- 

 rective measures be taken against recurring epidemics based upon the observed 

 association between polluted water and disease. Thus was born the first pha-se of 

 preventive medicine — sanitary engineering and public hygiene. ^"2 



The study calls attention to an opportunity for the United States 

 to exercise a leadership fole in an exceptionable cause — strengthened 

 support of the programs of the World Health Organization. The idea 

 suggests the further thought that there are other subject areas in 

 which the United States could contribute in a concrete way, yiet with 

 relatively little cost and effort, to the emergence of a more manageable 

 global interdependence. It would also share in the ultimate benefits — 

 as in this case, the benefits of improved health conditions ^"^ — and 

 would be taking a modest step toward establishing a new kind of 

 leadership. 



ISSUE three: beyond malthus 



The food/ population balance encompasses probably the most 

 extensive and difficult complex of issues with which present-day 

 diplomacy has toi contend. National sensitivities are deeply involved 

 in it. Many countries which have an excess of people over food and 

 therefore an inherent need of interdependence cling to an independent 

 jjosture with respect to both aspects of the issue. They seek aid without 

 strings from countries with food surpluses, at the same time resisting 

 external pressures to adopt population control measures. In these 

 respects, an attitude of independence predominated over that of 

 interdependence at both the World Population Conference (Bucharest, 

 August 1974) and the World Food Conference (Rome, Novetnber 

 1974). 



Meanwhile, the global imbalance between population growth and 

 lagging food production is worsening. The study by Dr. Nanes^*'^ 

 concludes (and it is in general widely accepted) that the growth 

 of world population is outpacing food production, while available 

 techniques are not being applied in such a way as to improve agricul- 

 tural production and marketing efficiency enough on the one hand, 

 or to slow the rate of population increase on the other. 



"Achievement of a global balance of food and population calls for 

 many explicit improvements in political, economic, social, and diplo- 

 matic organization and management to achieve stronger human 

 motivation, to improve the acquisition and dissemination of pertinent 

 information, and to design and implement coordinated social programs 

 which can apply existing technology more effectively. Without all of 

 these, the goal of balance will continue to recede with results that 

 seem Hkely to be tragic." 503 . 



501 Ibid., p. 687. 



«•-' Ibid. 



^ Acrordinp fo an ailidc in the Washivglon Star for Septpmber 29, 1975, WHO officials are now predicting, 

 (lip total, worldwide eradication of smallpox by early 1976. When assured, this development— besides 

 signifying the end to one of histoi-y's most dreaded scourges— will eliminate in the United States and else- 

 where the necessity for the familiar smallpox vaccination. 



SIX Nanes, Beyond Malthus: Tlie Food/People Equation, vol. II, pp. 765-864. 



w/fiid., p. 769. 



