62 ILLINOIS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



A successful merchant takes an invoice yearly and thereby 

 knows how his business stands and to know if he shall assume 

 new risks, but he never once thinks of invoicing his own phys- 

 ical condition. Let me tell you were this done oftener we 

 should not be so frequently shocked when we pick up the 

 morning paper to read of the sudden death of some prominent 

 merchant or world's statesman. More of such lives would 

 be prolonged and their families and their country would be 

 the richer. The medical profession of Springfield is begin- 

 ning to realize the value of Dr. Bain's work and the laity, too, 

 are coming to appreciate his work and I assure you it will not 

 be long until Dr. Bain is given the honor and credit due him. 



DISCUSSION OF DR. BAIN'S PAPER 

 T. J. Burrill, University of Illinois 



Mr. President : 



I have been much interested in the presentation of the sub- 

 ject by Dr. Bain and wish to express, too, my high estimate of 

 the importance of the subject itself. Every one of us, whether 

 supposedly well or sick, needs this occasional invoice taken 

 of our bodily condition and needs more fully wake up to the 

 fact that prevention is better than cure, though both are con- 

 cerned here. 



Let me especially apply my remarks to the local situation, to 

 the university within whose walls we are assembled, with some 

 500 names in the faculty list and 5,000 in the catalogue of stu- 

 dents. Each one of these people, engaged in the betterment 

 of human life, needs above everything else for his work full 

 physical and mental health, and for this each is greatly de- 

 pendent on the condition in this respect of his associates. 

 Each is vitally concerned as to the question of health or 

 disease of his neighbor, his fellow collegian. Yet until the 

 beginning of the present year, it may just as well be said, there 

 has never been any general, systematic examination whereby 

 existing facts in this relation could be known or provisions to 

 meet them made. 



Since it is impossible to elaborate here I will cite one case 

 the better to illustrate what is in my mind. Some ten or 



