Repository: UIHistories Project: Book - History of University of Illinois at Chicago (1921) [PAGE 11]

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HISTORICAL SKETCH xx COLLEGE OF M E D I C I N E

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most impressed me was the fact t h a t the state was engaged in giving custodial care and incidental treatment t o terminal cases, and was not doing anything worth while in research, and had no ideas apparent upon the subject of preventive treatment. ' " I t seems obvious t h a t any activity, whether state or private, which spends onefifth of its revenue upon a single thing, should know something about that thing, and should spend a considerable sum for the purpose of ascertaining causes, with the idea of reducing the cost. Why hasn't the state conducted research for humans the same as it has for hogs? This has been a current question in Springfield for some time, a n d I think the answer is t h a t research on hogs has been conducted by the University, whereas research on humans has been attempted by an administrative department which is not fitted to do so. " N o definite ideas regarding preventive treatment occurred to us until we had reached the conclusion t h a t research must first be undertaken by some competent agency; then it a t once became apparent t h a t research was not the function of an administrative organization. " T h e necessity for rebuilding the old and valuable Illinois Charitable Eye and E a r Infirmary caused department officials to study the subject of relocation, and it was promptly found t h a t a proper location would be one adjacent to other medical institutions, for the reason t h a t no particular type of medical service can stand by itself, and t h a t all types of medical service are interlocked and need to co-operate. " A t the same time, the department found itself charged with the duty of locating a Surgical Institute for Children, a n d a s the department already knew t h a t it needed adequate facilities for the study of insanity, mental defectiveness and problems of behavior, it at once became evident that the best results could be achieved by placing all of these institutions in a group, because they all needed contact with skilled men, they all involved research and rehabilitation, and they all required dispensary service. Inasmuch as the administrative and dispensary service could be consolidated, the economy of handling them in group form was apparent. " I n studying the organization for the group, it did not take long to discover t h a t t h e department's greatest difficulty in performing high class service would be its inability t o furnish a trained personnel of the type needed. As the University College of Medicine was also a creature of the state, organized for precisely the purposes required, we turned to it for assistance and found t h a t it would need exactly the things which t h e department would have to offer, namely, hospitals. Each having what the other wanted and each being a complement of the other, an effort was made to assist each other by some form of joint service. I n July, 1919, there was concluded a joint agreement between the University and the Department of Public Welfare, whereby the University would furnish the professional service, and t h e department would undertake t h e administration functions of the group. " U p o n the strength of this agreement, t h e Legislature promptly appropriated t h e money necessary to purchase the old West Side Ball Park, to erect the three buildings needed by the department, and a clinical hospital required by the University. T h e legislators were quick to see the advantages of the group scheme and of the joint plan of operation, and gave it their approval by appropriations, and with the understanding t h a t it was committing the state to a project involving several millions of dollars additional." President James s a y s : ' ' The state and nation are largely indebted to Director Charles H . Thorne of the Department of Public Welfare for the development of this plan, which will constitute one of the greatest endowments for medical education and research ever provided." President Kinley speaks of the project in the following words: " F r o m the point of view of t h e University College of Medicine, Mr. T h o m e ' s plan has many advantages. I n t h e first place, it will bring all the medical agencies supported by the State into one great medical institute, thus affording the advantages of economy and efficiency referred to before. In the second place, this combination of agencies will make it possible to do some real work for humanity in the investigation of the causes and cure of diseases. I t will enable the State, through its College of Medicine, to make thorough study looking to the prevention and cure of epidemics and to the eradication of some of the great plagues t h a t still afflict the world, such as tuberculosis, syphilis, mental disorders of one kind or another, scarlet fever, and many other of the diseases t h a t annually carry off thousands of the people of our State. " T h e facilities which this great project will provide will be equivalent to an endowment of many millions of dollars. Of course it will be necessary for the State to provide t h e University its expense are tocarry out Departmentthe Public Welfare, theentire administration and with means to be in the its p a r t of of plan. While the Uni-

• • ii.v in expected to provide the professional staff for the care of the sick and the defec< • in I, I ieae institutions, and also to provide the research staff and laboratories necessary < ' i in* ntudy of the prevention and cure of disease. The successful continuance of the < •!«• University College of Medicine is dependent upon adequate hospital, clinical f • iiii.ii'H and laboratories. Unless the State wishes the University to abolish its Coli• -•• "f Medicine it will have to provide these necessaries, in any case. To provide them 1 • ii"' College of Medicine while at the same time providing most of them in other i " limns would obviously be an unjustifiable expenditure of public money. Putting «i«« • buildings all together in proximity to the College of Medicine greatly reduces the

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Briefly then, the plan will provide, as already remarked, the equivalent of a large • <"i"\vm<mb, adequate clinical facilities with fine equipment, adequate opportunities • •"I iiu-.ilities for medical investigation, and the highest efficiency in operation. I t is "•M"«r!.!inb to emphasize this last point. The State would be obliged to continue to • ii«i«»H< a great public health organization if it had no State College of Medicine. ii • • mg a College of Medicine, it is under the necessity of making adequate provision • i"i 1 The two projects if conducted independently would necessitate in large measure 1 •• I "plication of plant and facilities. The coordination and consolidation eliminates • '!" expense of this duplication, in buildings, and in administrative and professional i >ii •.. Moreover, the larger opportunities afforded to the members of the staff of the • • 'H'-f/e of Medicine will be an attraction t h a t should draw the best men in the profession, i>" . uled the State appropriates sufficient to the University to enable it to pay proper • I H u-s to its medical professors. 'To the people of the State this great project means, then, economy in expenditure, I'l-.u- adequate provision for the preservation of the public health, more adequate care ••I i lie charges of the State in sickness, and extension of scientific medical knowledge Hiii will increase still further our power to combat disease, and the placing of the State • i i lluinis in the forefront of the governments of the world in this field of public activity •Mnl inquiry. " T o the practitioners of medicine in Illinois, as well indeed as in other states, this i-I-in when perfected will give unequalled opportunites for further study and research. li I>• mid become the center for post-graduate study to medical men to keep them in • •"»!• 1 with the progress of their profession. 1 Medical students will find here in this perfected plan opportunites for ordinary in. iliml study unsurpassed anywhere, and opportunities for advanced study and re••• i• eh which should in time be equal to those available anywhere else. ' l«\>r some years past the University of Illinois has been, studying the soils of the i Me in order to learn what they lack to yield the largest crops. I t now proposes, Hii.»ugh the statesmanlike plan of Mr. Thorne, to study the health of the people of • In , Itate in order to find what is lacking tio produce health conditions which will mean . = 1 • lujer average of human life for its people. For years the University has been study-' » 1 Mir methods to enable the farmers to save their animals from death through disease. li i«"W proposes to extend its studies to help save boys and girls for stronger manhood «H"I womanhood. The co-ordinated scheme of the Director of Public Welfare will nt-il e these things possible."

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