Conservation of Being the Papers and Discussions of a Conference Under the Auspices of the American Academy of Medicine together with Several papers (not presented to the Conference) prepared Reprinted from the Bulletin of the American Academy of Medicine CALIFORNIA EASTON, PA. PRINTED FOR THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF MEDICINE. 1912. UNIV. OF CALIFORNIA FOREWORD. The Conference on the Conservation of School Children under the auspices of the American Academy of Medicine was held at Lehigh University, South Bethlehem, on April 3 and 4, 1912. The sessions of the Conference were held in Drown Memorial Hall, which was kindly placed at the disposal of the Conference by the University authorities. At the first session (Wednesday, April 3rd, 2 P.M.) the President of the Academy, Dr. Alexander R. Craig, of Chicago, in calling the meeting to order, said: This Conference is called to discuss a subject that interests the public. We are grateful for your attendance and we want you to feel that this is not a meeting of the American Academy of Medicine but a conference of all interested in the subject. The discussions are open to any who have thoughts to add to those presented in the papers read, questions to ask or comments to make on the subject presented; you are welcome to the floor of the conference whenever you will contribute to its discussions. The Secretary of the Academy then presented the program for the Conference and explained the registration system, making a distinction between the members of the Conference and visitors, a registration fee of two dollars being charged to the former which entitled them to a badge and a copy of the transactions of the Conference. He also called attention to the invitation of the President of Lehigh University for the Conference to make use of the University Commons, thus enabling the social opportunities of the meeting to be increased. The President introduced Henry S. Drinker, LL.D., President of Lehigh University, who said: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Academy, our Guests: The University is highly honored to be allowed to be the host of this distinguished body and you are very welcome. We hope we shall be able to make you comfortable. It will certainly be our object and pleasure to do whatever we can to minister to your wants and show you how welcome you are. 250815 AIMBOTLIAD Some of you have come from a distance-one gentleman from Minnesotaand may wish to know something about this institution. Lehigh is peculiarly a Pennsylvania institution. It was founded by a Pennsylvanian who did much to develop our transportation, our industrial and our mining interests-Asa Packer. It was founded by him to make some return to the State of Pennsylvania for what Pennsylvania gave him. He did a good work, in starting this University, for the Lehigh Valley, for our state, and for the country at large. The conditions have been markedly changed since its founding. As you go over to the town you will probably notice a small brick building facing on the street that runs east and west to the north side of the campus. That was the original Lehigh University. At the time it was built it was a Moravian Church. Judge Packer bought it and provided another site for the church. Lehigh has naturally developed since those days, but what is significant to us who have graduated from this institution is that Judge Packer in 1866 is said to have made the largest donation to public education up to that time. He gave more than two million during his life and at his death, and no doubt set the pace for the many gifts that have come since this to the cause of education in America. So he not only founded this institution but he pioneered those who followed him in the generous promotion of education in our country. Lehigh has made her main reputation on the technical side. Naturally she should, being located here at a railroad center and near the anthracite mining region—and at the time she was founded—in the middle of iron and zinc interests, some of which have since died down. A location peculiarly favorable for the development of technical work, but I ask you gentlemen of the medical profession to remember that Lehigh too has had at heart what you and I know, that the foundation of a thorough technical training should be a broad culture. If you have time to go over our grounds I beg you to give us the benefit of your inspection of our buildings and courses. You are here in vacation time, so you will have a free foot. You should understand that this building is the Academy's during the time of your stay. The ladies will find comfortable resting rooms in the Y. M. C. A. quarters. Drown Hall is our Students' Club House, started by our Alumni with the help of friends of the institution, so that our students might have their own place. It is run and managed by the student body under the system at Lehigh of student management of everything possible to turn over to them. We have a student organization managing the honor system in the University and which is also charged with all matters affecting the good name and fame of the institution and I think they bear their responsibility well. To-night I believe the University is peculiarly charged with your care, and it struck us that (as is often done in meetings of this kind) it would be well to have one of our meetings devoted to social intercourse. Therefore after Dr. Lovejoy's address this evening we shall have a social gathering and try to show you how very, very welcome you are, and how delighted Lehigh is to have you here. Dr. Craig, as President of the American Academy of Medicine, responded to the address of welcome as follows: It falls to my lot to make response to this very courteous and very warm welcome. Before doing this, however, I want to assure you again that the discussions of this Conference are not limited to members of the Academy of Medicine. This is a conference of those interested in the conservation of school children. While held under the auspices of the Academy, the members of that organization will have no privileges that are not accorded to all in attendance. The American Academy of Medicine realizes that these subjects are not strictly medical, they belong to the people. The physician is interested in them because he meets them in his work as he goes from house to house, as he visits this and that hospital, or other institution; as patients from their physical sufferings come to his door seeking relief. Constantly he feels the need of a new sociologic adjustment. He has tried to better conditions but he has found a wall opposing the efforts he has made to benefit society. His active interest in public health movements has been misunderstood; frequently when he has asked for legislation that a sociologic evil might be corrected, it has seemed that his interest has roused adverse sentiment and has caused the people to say: "This is a doctor's 'job;' we do not understand his interest, and will not stand for the restriction of personal liberty asked." Now we come to you trying to show you that the solution of these problems is not a doctor's “job,” nor is it the doctor's “job;” but it is the duty, the high office of the citizens of the state. The citizen must defend the commonwealth by conserving not only its physical forces, but the forces of humanity in the community. With this as our purpose, we assemble, accepting the hospitality of a great university, to discuss themes of great interest to physicians because they are of value to the people. We thank Dr. Drinker and Lehigh University for the kind welcome given us and we are sure we are to have a delightful and profitable meeting. The reading of papers was then entered upon and the following program carried out: "Remediable Conditions in the Feeble-Minded and Backward" was presented by Walter Stewart Cornell, B.S., M.D., Philadelphia, Lecturer on Child Hygiene, University of Pennsylvania. The discussion upon this paper was opened by Maximilian P. E. Groszmann, Pd.D., Plainfield, N. J., Educational Director of the National Association for the Study and Education of Exceptional Children, and continued by Drs. Tuckerman and Carey, Dr. Cornell closing. |