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Montreal, Sept. 13th, 1907.

On motion by Dr. R. W. Powell, Ottawa, seconded by Mr. I. H. Cameron, Toronto, the Association reaffirmed its opinions in the various resolutions upon the minute book as to the creation of a Department of Public Health for the Dominion of Canada; also reappointing the Halifax Committee and adding thereto those members of the Canadian Medical Association, who were members of Parliament.

Special Committee on Public Health Department:-Dr. E. P. Lachapelle, Montreal (convener); Dr. R. W. Powell, Ottawa; Dr. J. W. Daniel, M.P., St. John; Lieut.-Col. Carleton Jones, Ottawa; Dr. H. A. Bruce, Toronto; Dr. H. H. Chown, Winnipeg, Man.; Dr. J. B. Black, M.P., Windsor, N.S.; Dr. Wilbert McIntyre, M.P., Strathcona, Alta.; the Hon. M. Sullivan, M.D., Kingston; the Hon. J. H. Wilson, M.D., St. Thomas; the Hon. L. George DeVeber, M.D., Lethbridge, Alta.

Ottawa, March 3rd, 1908.

A deputation comprising members of the Special Committee on Public Health of the Canadian Medical Association was introduced to the Prime Minister and the Honorable the Minister of Agriculture by Dr. Black, M.P. Dr. Lachapelle, the Convener of the Committee, then presented the following memorandum :

MEMORANDUM ON THE DESIRABILITY OF ESTABLISHING A
"NATIONAL BUREAU OF PUBLIC HEALTH," PRESENTED
TO THE DOMINION GOVERNMENT ON BEHALF OF
THE CANADIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

The progress of hygiene and preventive medicine, known under the name of "Public Health," has been so rapid and marked in the last decade that there is now an ever-increasing demand for governmental recognition of its importance. In England they are moving for a Minister of Public Health. In the United States, the Marine Hospital Service has been, by Act of Congress, enlarged into a Public Health Service. There are already Departments of Public Health in some of our sister colonies, and the medical profession of Canada, speaking through the Canadian Medical Association, has called upon the Government to create a Department or Bureau of Public Health under one of the existing Ministers. The importance of the subject will thus be recognized; and the reiterated demand comes from the representatives of the 6,000 medi

cal men who move amongst and influence the 6,000,000 people of Canada.

The intention of such a department or bureau would be the consolidation within it, with a view to both efficiency and economy, of those matters concerning public health and sanitary questions which are already within the jurisdiction of the Dominion Government, although scattered amongst the different departments hereafter alluded to. The establishment of this department or bureau would obviate the confusion and extra correspondence often caused by the public's ignorance of the Minister of Agriculture's jurisdiction in public health matters, as well as facilitate the business of those coming to the Capital in connection with the various sanitary matters now divided up amongst the different offices of the Government, and many of them under non-medical heads.

There is no intention whatever, either direct or remote, of infringing in any way upon the autonomy of the Provinces or the matters of public health which are now within their jurisdiction. It is simply a matter of internal domestic consolidation within the Dominion Government itself. And its further objects are the governmental recognition of the importance of public health and the authority that such a department would have to issue rules, regulations, etc., in the name of the Department of Public Health. Our own experience, and the example of other countries, have taught us to believe that such publications so issued carry much more weight than similar ones issued in the name of any other depart

ment.

Amongst the sanitary and public health subjects now scattered over several departments, and without co-ordination or homogeneous supervision, that should be grouped together in a Department of Public Health, may be mentioned the following:

From the Department of Agriculture:

1. Sanitary advice to Dominion Government.

2. Quarantine, maritime and frontier.

3. Leprosy throughout the Dominion.

4. Public Works Health Act.

5. Health of animals.

6. The sanitary part of the census. 7. Vital statistics, Dominion.

From the Department of the Interior:

8. The sanitary and medical side of immigration affairs.

9. The sanitary and medical side of Indian affairs.

From the Department of Marine:

10. Sick seamen and marine hospital.

From the Department of Inland Revenue: 11. Adulteration of Foods and Drugs.

Additional:

12. Supervision of sanitary measures and sanitary police in the territories which have no organization corresponding to a Provincial Board of Health.

13. Sanitary direction of the service of protection of international waterways.

14. Sanitary supervision of the protection of the public health against the invasion of tuberculosis or other diseases by the importation of sick animals or of unhealthy articles of food.

15. National Bacteriological Laboratory. The Department of Public Health could be equipped with a national bacteriological laboratory, as is the case in other countries. Such a laboratory could report promptly on suspected specimens of micro-organisms from vessels, trains, etc., held under quarantine of observation.

The quality and purity of the various protective and curative agents such as vaccine, tuberculin, Haffkine's prophylactic plague fluid, and the anti-toxins and serums of plague, cholera, diphtheria, typhoid, anthrax, etc., are of the utmost importance to the public health and to the well-being of the country. Their manufacture should, therefore, be controlled by the Government and not left in the hands of private interests as a commercial enterprise. They should be prepared by salaried officials in a national laboratory, and issued under the supervision and stamp of the Department of Public Health. In this way the maximum protection of the people of Canada in this matter can alone be obtained, and that confidence secured which will induce the people to properly avail themselves of these all-important means of protection from epidemic and infectious diseases.

With a Department or Bureau of Public Health so equipped Canada should then take a place worthy of her great position and destinies in original research under governmental control, towards the advancement of science, and the consequent benefit of all mankind.

The Provincial Board of Health of Manitoba, the Medical Society of St. John, N.B., and the American Public Health Association, have passed resolutions similar to those of the Canadian Medi

cal Association, asking for a National Department of Public Health, under one of the existing Ministers.

On behalf of the Canadian Medical Association.

The Committee: E. P. LACHAPELLE, M.D., Convener.
R. W. POWELL, M.D.

CARLETON JONES, M.D.

J. W. DANIEL, M.D.

H. A. BRUCE, M.D.

H. H. CHOWN, M.D.

J. B. BLACK, M.D.

WILBERT MCINTYRE, M.D.

Dr. R. W. Powell, Ottawa, the General Secretary of the Association, Lieut.-Col. Carleton Jones, M.D., Dr. Schaffner, M.P., and Dr. Wilbert McIntyre addressed the Premier and his Minister.

The Prime Minister and Mr. Fisher were very much interested in the different addresses, at the close of which Mr. Fisher, in response to the query of Sir Wilfrid, as to whether it were feasible, stated in his opinion it was, but that he could foresee some difficulties in the way of an immediate re-organization and consolidation of the different medical services of the Government.

ONTARIO MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

The 28th annual meeting of the Ontario Medical Association. will be held in the Normal College Building, Victoria Avenue South, Hamilton, May 26th, 27th and 28th, 1908.

OFFICERS.

President Dr. Ingersoll Olmsted, Hamilton.

Vice-Presidents-Dr. H. J. Hamilton, Toronto; Dr. D. E. Mundell, Kingston; Dr. C. E. Casgrain, Windsor; Dr. T. S. T. Smellie, Fort William.

General Secretary-Dr. Charles P. Lusk, 99 Bloor St. West, Toronto.

Assistant Secretaries-Dr. Samuel Johnston, 169 Carlton St, Toronto; Dr. J. Heurner Mullin, 201 James St. S., Hamilton. Treasurer-Dr. Frederick Fenton, 75 Bloor St. East, Toronto. Chairman, Committee on Papers and Business-Dr. R. R. Wallace, 113 Main St. W., Hamilton.

Chairman, Committee on Arrangements-Dr. A. B. Osborne, 42 Charlton Ave. E., Hamilton.

To the Members of the Profession of the Province of Ontario

We have pleasure in announcing to you the 28th Annual Meeting of the Ontario Medical Association, which will be held in the Normal College Building, Victoria Avenue South, Hamilton, May 26th, 27th and 28th next. In response to the very evident feeling of the members at the last meeting, that the work of the Association could be broadened and the sympathetic co-operation of a larger number of the Profession secured by a departure from the routine of the last few years, it was decided to hold the 1908 meeting in Hamilton. The members in Hamilton have enthusiastically responded in making preparation for the event, as a perusal of the programme will show.

The meeting will again be divided into sections of Medicine and Surgery, and probably sections in Obstetrics and Pediatrics in the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat, and in Preventive Medicine, which will meet in the morning for the reading of papers and their discussion, and General Sessions meeting in the afternoon,

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