514 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 193 8 



with "anemia" as it affects different people in different parts of the 

 world, the topic for discussion for the entire meeting; or, finally, the 

 International Health Board under the Rockefeller Foundation, which 

 through the years has led in the encouragement of the development 

 and exchange of men and ideas in matters relating to world health 

 problems. 



It may not be too late to hope, or too egotistical or remote for 

 scientific groups, such as this Academy represents, to believe that 

 many, if not all, of our present seemingly insurmountable economic and 

 social problems would yield more readily and happily to human inge- 

 nuity and intelligence, if our leaders and their respective followers were 

 alike endowed with a larger share of their rightful heritage of normal 

 mental and physical health. To that end all such gatherings as the 

 present one contribute more or less directly, and when and if, and not 

 until, the ideal integration of a genetically sound psyche with an opti- 

 mum somatic and environmental background has been accomplished, 

 will the essential keystone to the arch of human relationships have been 

 provided. "The promise of things hoped for, the essence of things yet 

 unseen," implied in the present material accomplishments of the 

 human race, are alluring to contemplate but impossible to prophesy 

 fully. 



The experience of the past half century, during which the spectacular 

 acquisition and practical utilization of knowledge appertaining to the 

 basic organization and reactions of matter has been paralleled by an 

 equally active exploration of the form, composition, and functions of 

 living cells and organisms, provides an increasing number of instances 

 in which the two approaches have interacted to the mutual advantage 

 of each. Studies of the applicability of X-rays to the problems of 

 medicine were begun within a few months after the announcement of 

 their discovery by the physicist Roentgen. Radium and radioactive 

 substances have likewise been appropriated by physicians as rapidly 

 as isolated and concentrated in needles and bombs for therapeutic 

 purposes. Deuterium had hardly been isolated by Urey and confirmed 

 by Johnson and other chemists until its biological significance was 

 being explored, even before all of its chemical properties were known. 

 The high-frequency, short-wave radio field was no sooner found to be 

 the source of discomfort to men working within its immediate vicinity 

 because of the production of fever and malaise, than Whitney of the 

 General Electric Company recognized its potential therapeutic sig- 

 nificance and at once enlisted the aid of physicians and bacteriologists 

 and placed the resources of his laboratories at their disposal in the 

 development of this approach to fever therapy. Kettering of the 

 General Motors Research Laboratories followed promptly, designating 

 himself a technical collaborator with the medical investigators in 

 applying modern engineering methods to developing and adapting new 



