142 A HISTORY OF NATIONAL TUBERCULOSIS ASSOCIATION 



secured the invitation to meet in the United States in 1908, which 

 was accepted unanimously. 



To the board of directors of the infant national association, 

 struggling hard to raise a budget of $10,000, the assumption of 

 such responsibility as an International Congress indicated great 

 faith in the giving public of the United States. It was estimated 

 by various members of the board that to bring an International 

 Congress here, to house it properly, and to conduct it in a manner 

 compatible with the dignity of this country would cost at least 

 $100,000, and probably considerably more. In December, 1905, 

 Dr. Flick proposed to the board of directors a plan for raising the 

 money and for organizing the Congress. Briefly stated, Dr. 

 Flick's plan included, among other features: 



1. That 20 men be secured to give $5,000 each, these men to 

 act as patrons of the Congress and to become life members of the 

 association. 



2. That the interest on this $100,000 be allowed to accumulate 

 and be set aside for prizes of various kinds to be awarded in con- 

 nection with the Congress. 



3. That the Congress be held in Washington and that it ex- 

 tend over a period of at least three weeks. 



The board of directors approved of the general plan outlined by 

 Dr. Flick and appointed him as a committee of one to take action 

 at once to put the plan of raising money into effect. Dr. Flick 

 associated with himself in this initial effort, as members of his 

 committee, Dr. Vincent Y. Bowditch, of Boston, Dr. Alfred 

 Meyer, of New York, Dr. Lawrence Litchfield, of Pittsburgh, and 

 Dr. Joseph Walsh and Dr. Charles J. Hatfield, of Philadelphia. 

 By the end of the year 1906 this committee had collected between 

 $30,000 and $35,000, chiefly in large contributions. 



The committee, which was enlarged from time to time by the 

 addition of representative men and women, held meetings at 

 monthly intervals beginning with December 18, 1906. During 

 the fall of 1906 Dr. John S. Fulton, of Baltimore, secretary of the 

 State Board of Health of Maryland, was engaged as secretary- 

 general of the Congress. Most of the administrative work de- 

 volved upon Dr. Fulton. At the meetings of the committee the 

 general policies were worked out and the outlines of the Congress 



