CHAPTER II 



ORGANIZATION OF THE NATIONAL TUBER- 

 CULOSIS ASSOCIATION 



THE need of a National Tuberculosis Association in the 

 United States was apparent as early as 1898, when Dr. 

 Lawrence F. Flick suggested the formation of such an 

 organization. From the foregoing chapter it will be seen that 

 anti-tuberculosis work was going forward here and there all over 

 the country, and the need of some central association to co- 

 ordinate the varied activities and to extend the work was be- 

 ginning to make itself felt. By 1903 such an organization had 

 become an imperative necessity. 



In that year there had sprung up suddenly two tuberculosis 

 congresses, one calling itself the American Congress on Tubercu- 

 losis and planning for an international tuberculosis congress the 

 following year, the other styled the American Congress for the 

 Prevention of Consumption. Furthermore, two tuberculosis 

 exhibitions were planned for the year 1904, one to be held in 

 Baltimore and another one in St. Louis. Besides these Ameri- 

 can congresses and tuberculosis exhibitions, an international tu- 

 berculosis congress with an exhibition was planned to be held in 

 Paris during September, 1904. 



In an effort to clear up this bewildering situation, Dr. S. A. 

 Knopf, of New York, made the suggestion in a letter, published 

 in the Journal of the American Medical Association of December 

 5, 1913, that all of those interested in the question of congresses 

 or associations should meet for a conference at Baltimore during 

 the Tuberculosis Exposition to be held there in January, 1904. 

 This letter is given in full as follows : 



" NEW YORK, November 27, 1903. 



" To the Editor: During the past few months I have received many inquiries 

 concerning the various tuberculosis congresses (American and international) 



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