THE MARCH OF MEDICINE—WINTROBE 397 
stitutions and which, incidentally, represent an enormous and largely 
avoidable expense to the State, but also the much wider field of less 
obvious mental disorder which exists all about us and which pro- 
foundly influences not only the affected individual’s well-being but 
that of his associates and of society in general. 
We are only beginning to appreciate to what extent emotional and 
other psychological factors find expression in somatic complaints. 
Relatively few physicians have as yet been able to break the arbitrary 
barrier we have all been inclined to set up between mind and body 
and too few are prepared to consider the patient as a single unit 
needing attention as such. 
The medicine of tomorrow envisages the successful solution of these 
problems. With a wider appreciation of the value of research and 
increasing public support for such work, as well as with the lessons 
being learned under the pressure of war regarding the value of co- 
ordinated effort, there is every reason to believe that the hope for far 
greater success in the attack on disease than we have achieved so far, 
is not Utopian. 
The advances in medical science which have been described, and 
many other important contributions to our knowledge which have not 
been mentioned because of lack of time, are of comparatively little 
value if the majority of the people do not profit by them. Medical 
knowledge has progressed rapidly, but the application of these ad- 
vances has lagged far behind. Witness the matter of tuberculosis. 
With a systematic, concerted effort, this disease could be stamped out. 
By means now available, X-ray films could be taken of our entire 
population at comparatively little expense. Hidden carriers of tuber- 
culosis who are responsible for its continued spread could be detected 
and by simple measures these carriers could be rendered harmless. To 
bring this about, the public itself must be interested and must force 
upon its officials a demand for the adoption of the necessary steps. All 
too often pressure is brought on public officers only by those short- 
sighted individuals whose chief interest is in limiting public expendi- 
tures rather than by those who understand the value of efficient, 
far-sighted, and advantageous use of public funds. 
With proper measures, syphilis and gonorrhea can also be com- 
pletely eradicated. The Scandinavian countries a number of years 
ago made these diseases medical curiosities instead of public menaces. 
Thanks to the leadership of the Public Health Service we are beginning 
to attack the problem of venereal diseases intelligently. 
The importance of sanitation is common knowledge. But, strangely, 
we tolerate abuses all about us. Management of such matters is some- 
times left in whole or in part to persons who may be indifferent or 
uninformed and who have no special training in the field of public 
