304 A HISTORY OF NATIONAL TUBERCULOSIS ASSOCIATION 



Gorgas was an idealist, but an intensely practical one. In one 

 of his most remarkable addresses, entitled "Economic Causes of 

 Disease," delivered in Cincinnati, September 29, 1914, he said: 



"While dwelling upon thoughts such as these (better housing, better food, 

 and better clothing for the laborers in order to combat disease) I came across 

 'Progress and Poverty.' I was greatly impressed by the theory and was soon 

 convinced that the single tax would be the means of bringing about the sanitary 

 conditions I so much desired, and was striving for. It was impressed upon me 

 in a concrete form everywhere, in the United States, in the tropics and par- 

 ticularly in Panama; the great benefit that some such scheme of taxation 

 would confer upon sanitation." 



The entire address which to the men engaged in tuberculosis 

 work has a deep significance, was published by Dr. Walter 

 Mendelson, of New York, and endorsed by many of our lead- 

 ing sanitarians, medical teachers, sociologists, and economists 

 throughout the country. 



In South Africa, where General Gorgas had complete command 

 of the situation, he at once inaugurated a campaign for the com- 

 bat of pneumonia, tuberculosis, miners' consumption, etc., based 

 on the principles of rational hygiene and general human welfare, 

 such as we apply in the prevention of tuberculosis more air space 

 for sleeping and living quarters, a pure water supply, a sewer sys- 

 tem, the destruction of flies and mosquitoes, and a better food 

 supply. 



On January 16, 1914, Gorgas was appointed Surgeon General 

 of the United States Army with the rank of Brigadier General and 

 in 1915 he was made Major General. During the summer and fall 

 of 1916 he spent several months in South America making a pre- 

 liminary survey for the Rockefeller Foundation, of localities still 

 infested with yellow fever. 



With the entrance of the United States into the World War in 

 1917, General Gorgas fulfilled the duties of his high office in a 

 remarkably efficient way. The subject of tuberculosis was, of 

 course, of particular interest, because so much work had to be 

 done in order to safeguard our troops from contracting the dis- 

 ease. General Gorgas selected for this work the best talent 

 among the military and civilian population. In the general his- 

 tory of our Association and in Colonel Bushnell's biography the 





