HERMANN M. BIGGS, M.D., Sc.D., LL.D. 327 



he urged upon the Board of Health of New York city the imme- 

 diate enactment of suitable regulations for the sanitary sur- 

 veillance of this disease. The year previous in 1886 the 

 mortality from pulmonary tuberculosis was 355 per 100,000 popu- 

 lation; in 1910 the mortality was 185. This means virtually a re- 

 duction of the mortality from tuberculosis by one-half during a 

 quarter of a century's labors and tuberculosis activities, such as 

 were directed by Dr. Biggs. In 1920 the death-rate in New York 

 city for pulmonary tuberculosis had been reduced to 110.7 P er 

 100,000 population. 



Since Dr. Biggs has been at the helm of the New York State 

 Department of Health he has transferred his enthusiasm and in- 

 terest in the tuberculosis problem to the state at large. He inau- 

 gurated a special tuberculosis division of the State Department of 

 Health for educational propaganda, and a few years ago was 

 instrumental in working out a plan for traveling clinics. These 

 clinics are of invaluable help in the discovery of early cases of 

 tuberculosis, in the supervision of former sanatorium cases, and 

 in education in the prevention of tuberculosis through visiting 

 nurses. The local physicians are invited to cooperate and to visit 

 these clinics. 



Dr. Biggs came to the New York State Health Department 

 immediately upon its reorganization in 1914. His administrative 

 skill and far-seeing vision are best shown in the decline of the 

 death-rate from tuberculosis. In 1914 for "upstate" New York, 

 the pulmonary tuberculosis rate was 118.8 per 100,000 popula- 

 tion. In 1920 it had dropped to 98.0 per 100,000 a decline of 

 17.5 per cent. 



Dr. Biggs' activities in anti-tuberculosis work and his vast 

 knowledge and experience were, of course, utilized during the 

 recent World War. He became a member of the Council of Na- 

 tional Defence, of the Advisory Committee of the United States 

 Food Administration, and of the American Red Cross. The 

 Rockefeller Foundation sent him to France to investigate the 

 unfortunate tuberculosis situation which was reported to exist 

 throughout that country, particularly in the war zone. Dr. 

 Biggs' report on his return from France resulted in the appoint- 

 ment of a tuberculosis commission under the leadership of Dr. 



