Public health

Captain Fortescue speaks to the fifth International Sanitary Conference on the values of the Pan-American Ideal and closer relations between all American nations. Both travel and trade will contribute to this, allowing people to become more familiar with each other, but both travel and trade will require the expertise of the public health officials attending the conference to increase sanitation and prevent disease from also traveling. Fortescue also encourages nations to look at their history impartially and to learn about others.

Comments and Context

English translation of a speech given in Spanish by Captain Fortescue, special delegate from the Pan-American Union to the fifth International Sanitary Conference at Santiago, Chile, November 5-12, 1911.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

George Shiras believes the government has a duty to study and work to prevent the spread of disease, although previous bills to this effect have not passed because of the question of the limits of governmental power. Shiras feels that the government must have this power in order to negotiate and coordinate between the States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-04

The text of a bill, H.R. 19181, presented by Representative Shiras to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. The bill proposes establishing an executive-level Department of Sanitary Science, as there are no Federal level protections for American citizens’ health even though animals have similar protection at the Federal level. Federal protection is needed because American citizens travel between states.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-03-01

Governor Wood describes his work in the Philippines on behalf of education, prevention of infant mortality, and other public health and civic issues.

Collection

Arizona Historical Society

Creation Date

1922-09-20

President Roosevelt tells Samuel G. Dixon that he received a copy of the First Annual Report of the Commissioner of Health of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from Charles D. Walcott, and thanks him for sending the book.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-18

President Roosevelt appreciated Eleanora Kissel Kinnicutt’s letter and was greatly interested in everything she said.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-25

President Roosevelt accepts a honorary membership to the American School Hygiene Association and voices his approval of the organization.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-09

President Roosevelt notes that he has sent Dr. Fisher his public letter on the Committee of One Hundred regarding public health. He advises that the public letter not be used if the committee decides to publicly argue for the creation of a new Cabinet officer at the head of a Department of Health. He expresses his strong disapproval of a Cabinet officer leading a new Department of Health. He explains that he approves of creating a Bureau of Health under an existing federal department but does not approve of creating a new Cabinet officer nor an independent bureau not under a Cabinet officer. He acknowledges that a rearrangement of the existing bureaus and divisions of the Cabinet are needed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-08

President Roosevelt encloses documents that show the cases of the Goldberg children “are hopeless.” Roosevelt hates to be disagreeable but wants Senator Hoar to share his opinion on the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-10-24

President Roosevelt has decided to let the Goldberg children stay but only to see if the government doctors’ theories on their disease is correct. However, Roosevelt intends to maintain the policy of preventing “diseased immigrants” from entering the country. Currently, steamship companies attempt to evade the laws but Roosevelt hopes to pass legislation that will punish companies that transport ill immigrants.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-10-21

William Crawford Gorgas praises Theodore Roosevelt for his recent article regarding the Panama Canal. Gorgas thanks Roosevelt for his past actions to protect sanitation policy in the Panama Canal zone and states that the success of the Sanitary Department would not have been possible without Roosevelt’s support in 1905.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-10-24

This article contains demands for transparency from mattress manufacturers concerning the contents of mattresses. The article urges only clean and safe materials be used in manufacturing mattresses and that mattress companies honestly provide information about what the mattresses’ materials.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-10

M. G. Overlook, State Inspector of Health in the Eleventh Massachusetts District, has started a movement to have manufacturing companies pay the hospital bills of their employees who are being treated for tuberculosis. Because tuberculosis was often associated with poverty, many patients were unable to pay the hospital fees per week. Overlook has spread this movement world wide, but asks Theodore Roosevelt for words of commendation to share to manufacturers who have not joined in the effort. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-05-22

Joseph Gaston Baillie Bulloch sends Theodore Roosevelt an article he wrote on tuberculosis that he would like Roosevelt to read and return. He also asks who married the children of Elliott Roosevelt for the Bullock State book.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-05-03

Creator(s)

Bulloch, Joseph Gaston Baillie, 1852-

Parker H. Sercombe directs Senator Owen that a careful review of his proposal for a Department for Race Preservation shows that it circumvents the attacks against the Department of Health. He argues that those who oppose the Department of Health object to it on the grounds of being a “medical trust.” He argues that if future legislation is to be approved, it must organize educative, not regulative, institutions. Sercombe lists the proposed responsibilities of the commissioner of health, demonstrating why physicians should assist the commissioner, not lead the department.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-04-19

William C. Woodward from the Washington, D.C., health department, responds to Public Printer Samuel B. Donnelly’s letter asking if the health department can immediately notify the Government Printing Office when it becomes aware of contagious diseases. The health department will gladly do so.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-11-22

Provisional Governor of Cuba Magoon discusses with President Roosevelt the necessity of issuing government bonds in Cuba to fund the continuation of sanitation and public works as initiated by the provisional government.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-31

Ambassador Nabuco asks William Loeb if esteemed Brazilian physician, Dr. Oswaldo Gonçalves Cruz, can meet President Roosevelt during his brief stay in Washington D.C., before traveling to Mexico City for the International Sanitary Conference of the American Republics.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-15

Yale Professor J. Pease Norton is pleased that George Shiras will present a paper for the upcoming meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Chicago, and asks for the title so he can prepare a preliminary program. Shiras’ help with the direction of legislative work to establish a national health bureau will be immensely helpful. Norton will forward Shiras’ letter to Professor Irving Fisher.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-06

Governor-General of the Philippines Smith provides his analysis of the upcoming formal establishment of the Philippine Assembly to Secretary of War Taft. This includes a brief description of the history and political affiliations of the country’s governors, the party leanings of each province, and the number of votes for each party from the most recent election. Smith also reflects on how the United States can improve upon Spain to ensure better relations with the Philippines. Smith considers self-government to be the ultimate goal of American involvement in the Philippines, but cautions that granting independence too quickly could leave the country vulnerable to dictatorships or foreign invasion. Smith ends the letter with a report on the status of various government projects across the country.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-07