290 



SCIENCE. 



[ISr. S. VOL.XVUI. Xo.453. 



Marine-Hospital Sei-\'iee, now bearing the 

 title of the Public Health and Marine- 

 Hospital Service of the United States, has 

 become so developed and strengthened, and 

 the state health organizations have been 

 so perfected, that a sentiment of respect, 

 one for the other, has been established, 

 finding its expression in this law of 1902, 

 and, in particular, section 7 above referred 

 to. 



To my mind the outlook is bright. The 

 great problems to be solved in sanitary 

 affairs; the great work to be done in the 

 .suppression, and even elimination, of dis- 

 ease, and the cultivation of health and 

 strength, so that physically, as well as in 

 other respects, the United States may take 

 ■a leading position among the nations, are 

 propositions which should not be consid- 

 ered impossible of solution, and a proper 

 development under the terms of this law 

 will be an important step in this solution. 



One of the most important features of 

 : this assemblage is its official character. 

 AH of us are familiar with conventions of 

 ■ similar purpose, productive of much use- 

 ful information but entirely lacking in 

 official significance. Here, however, are 

 assembled the legalized health authorities 

 of the states, representing the practical 

 administrative experience as well as the 

 theoretical and scientific knowledge re- 

 quired in the consideration of public health 

 affairs. 



Many of you have devoted the best years 

 of a long professional life to the consider- 

 , ation of the subjects which will come before 

 , us, having acquired, in individual in- 

 stances and on special subjects, unusual 

 knowledge and wisdom. 



Combined effort appears to be a distin- 

 guishing feature of this new twentieth 

 century. This is seen in nearly all forms 

 of civic and commercial life and even sci- 

 entific and professional effort. It would 



seem that when the history of the twentieth 

 century is written there will be lacking 

 those great and single characters looming 

 far above the average, leading, directing 

 or dictating; instead, there will be an ele- 

 vation of the average, the best individual 

 effort will, neither in purpose nor effect, 

 aggrandize the individual, but will be ex- 

 erted in connection with other effort of like 

 nature for the establishment of a parity 

 of well-being among all. This, I take it, 

 will be the keynote of our action, bearing 

 constantly in mind the actual results to be 

 attained and being determined to attain 

 them. 



To refresh your memory I will now read 

 section 7 referred to, and also section 8, 

 which is somewhat analogous. 



It will be seen that section 7 provides 

 for three kinds of conferences. First, the 

 surgeon-general may invite as many of the 

 health and quarantine authorities as he 

 deems necessary, not more than one from 

 each state, territory or District of Colum- 

 bia, to a conference, whenever in his 

 opinion the interests of the public health 

 would be promoted thereby. Second, a 

 conference must be called at least once a 

 year of all the states, territories and Dis- 

 trict of Columbia. Third, upon the ap- 

 plication of not less than five state or 

 territorial boards of health, quarantine 

 aiithorities or state health officers, he must 

 call a conference, but in this event only 

 those states joining in the request are to 

 be called. 



"VA^iile the present is the first annual con- 

 ference, it is not the first conference called 

 under the law. Last January, upon the 

 request of twenty-two states, a so-called 

 plague conference was called to consider 

 the sitiiation in San Francisco. The pro- 

 ceedings of that conference in detail have 

 been transmitted to each of you. The 

 ■ effect of it was undoubtedly very great in 



