be fairly satisfactory. The expenses had certainly been kept well within the income, but the income from members' fees, etc., was less than might have been expected.

The great interest of the meeting centred around the question as to what action should be taken at the present juncture. Sir James A. Grant moved, seconded by Mr. Perley:

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"Whereas the following resolution was agreed to unanimously by the House of Commons on the 20th of February, 1905, viz., That in the opinion of this House the time has arrived when Parliament should take some active steps to lessen the widespread suffering and the great mortality among the people of Canada caused by the various forms of tuberculosis';

"It is hereby resolved that this Association do now and hereby respectfully petition the Dominion Government to take such action as may be expedient to constitute a Royal Commission with authority to enquire into and report upon what active steps should be taken to lessen the widespread suffering and the great mortality among the people of Canada caused by the various forms of tuberculosis."

By arrangement between the mover and seconder, Mr. Perley first spoke to the resolution as follows:

"Since the resolution was before the House of Commons there had been considerable private discussion as to what the next step should be, and the matter was carefully considered this morning by the Executive Council. They thought it best that the resolution to be proposed to this meeting should take the precise form of the one now before you. It simply asks the Dominion Government to appoint a Royal Commission, whose business it would be to interview the authorities of the provinces as to what they would be willing to do, and what form the Commission thought the co-operation of the Dominion Government ought to take, and then the Commission would report back to Parliament as to the best ways of accomplishing this object. There is no need that we should ask the Dominion Government to do anything that would contravene either the letter or the spirit of the B.N.A. Act. The Dominion has a right to take such steps as it thinks best with regard to any matter of public health. Public Health, as such, is not mentioned in the Act, and it is, therefore, a joint matter between the provinces and the Dominion. Either can take steps to put down this dread disease, and the first thing is to find some workable plan under which the Dominion should do certain things and the provinces certain other things. They should work hand in hand, because even the Dominion Government, powerful as it is, cannot cope with this matter alone. It requires the combined efforts of the general, the provincial, and the municipal authorities, as well

as the co-operation of benevolent individuals, to secure the desired end. This present movement ought to be satisfactory, but, of course, we do not expect to turn the world over this year. I am glad to say that we got more satisfaction from the members of the House than I think any of us expected to get. The object we have now in view is to take the next step, which will in due time lead up to the active intervention of the Dominion Government in the way of a substantial grant."

Sir James A. Grant, in supporting the resolution, said: "I do not suppose that any person here will labor under the impression that we have not had the entire sympathy and cooperation of the Government. From the very inauguration of this Association, down to the present time, we have received the warmest support from the Honorable the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Fisher. Judging from what the Association has already received from the Dominion Government, I am sure that when this resolution is placed before them it will command the closest attention. Because we all know, and the Government of the Dominion knows, the fearful loss entailed upon the whole country by the ravages of consumption, a very great part of which can be prevented."

Prof. Robertson said: "I think it gratifying that a member of our Executive did the country the large service of bringing this matter before Parliament. You will observe that in the resolution which was adopted by the House of Commons, Parliament declared that the time has arrived.' It is not for us to say that the time is opportune. Parliament has stated that the time has arrived when Parliament'-not this Association'should take some active steps.' Parliament has decided that itself. It is for us to keep the necessity for action before Parliament. Having decided that something must be done, the next thing is to get information as to what that something' should be, and how it should be done. To formulate such a scheme is fitting work for the Commission for which it is now proposed to ask, and I know of no more momentous question that concerns the welfare of Canada to-day."

Dr. Sheard, Toronto: "I think that the Executive should be congratulated upon having put into practical shape the wisest move ever made by this Association. Everyone who has paid any attention to this matter knows that the handling of tubercu losis is a very expensive matter, for which no one likes to assume responsibility, and which everyone is anxious to push over upon the shoulders of someone else if he can. I think that if the idea, as embodied in the resolution, is carried out, and a Commission appointed which will make full and exhaustive enquiries, so that they can find out the best mode of action, I think we will have

taken a very important step. I think this Association should lend its every energy towards pushing the thing to a finish and bringing home to the Dominion Government the great importance of appointing a Commission which will take the work seriously in hand and collect the necessary information to enable the Government to lessen this dread disease."

Dr. Rutherford: "As you are aware, I have, from time to time, pointed out that there were difficulties in the way of the Dominion Government taking hold of this question. I am very glad that this resolution has been drawn up in such a way that I don't think anyone can raise any objections to the object outlined in it. It simply urges upon the Dominion authorities the necessity of taking some definite action at the earliest possible moment, which is what everyone wants."

Dr. Hodgetts: "I hail with pleasure a resolution of this kind, as nothing will really be done until such a Commission is appointed. I trust it will be a stimulus to the people of Ontario to go still further in health matters. I think we should have a Minister of Health in the Province of Ontario. Over onequarter of our expenditures in Ontario are given to health matters, and we should have a man to look after it more particularly. I trust we will be able to stir up our province in that direction and carry out this good work in that way."

Dr. Noble: "As regards the question, there are many difficulties to be encountered. Even if we had a sanatorium I am not sure we would have what we most need. The battlefield for tuberculosis is in the home, not the sanatorium. Assuming the correctness of Sir James Grant's figures, we have about one death from tuberculosis every hour the whole year through in Canada. If the whole truth were known, possibly a good deal more than one in every hour. Our need would not be met by having one sanatorium in each province. The distribution of literature is a great benefit, and I think the plans adopted by the Montreal Association of having a dispensary is a very good Some do not consider that a patient is suffering from tuberculosis until the bacilli are found in the sputum, but the doctor who discovers it only at that stage will not have many cures to report. When we are in doubt, the patient should be treated as a candidate for tuberculosis. The resolution has my hearty support, but after all it is individual effort that will reach the home that is going to do the best work."

one.

Dr. Bryce: "I think it is now three years since a resolution. showing the necessity for co-operation between the Dominion, the provinces and the municipalities regarding the work of eradicating tuberculosis was adopted. During the last year, we have been dealing with the counties and other municipalities,

and have elicited considerable information. It is gratifying that this resolution still carries on the same idea of co-operation between the Dominion and Provincial Governments and the municipalities. The adoption of the course proposed will enable us to find out for what and in what way co-operation is really practicable."

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Dr. Third: "I agree with Dr. Sheard that there are many difficulties in the way. I am not one of those who think that the sanatorium offers the final solution of a problem. We have had general hospitals for many years, yet only a small percentage of people who are ill go to hospitals, and I am sure only a small percentage of tuberculous patients will ever go to the sanatoria for consumptives; the great mass will ever remain in the home, and it is here, I am convinced, the battle must be waged and won. Some may say, ' Compel all consumptives to go to these special institutions.' With a disease so general as tuberculosis this could not be done. Legislation must only keep pace with public opinion. We must make haste slowly,' that there may be neither coercion nor hardship. Besides, many of these incipient cases continue to work, occasionally, throughout the greater part of their illness, without injury to themselves, and with great advantage to those depending upon them. Of course, these patients should be carefully instructed how to care for and disinfect sputum. I see no reason why sanatoria for incipient cases should not be, to some extent, self-supporting. A deeprooted conviction that our methods are right, voluntary individual responsibility, and determined effort, the outcome of these two, must be fundamental factors in the stamping-out process. The practice in vogue in Montreal, as outlined by Dr. Adami here to-day, appears to me to be along the right lines. These organizations should be, as far as possible, in close touch with the central organization, which, again, should have the pulse of the best organization in the world engaged in this work. I do not wish to decry the work the sanatoria have done or are doing. They are doing good work, and deserve generous sup— port. Let us, however, not rely too implicitly on the sanatorium for the eradication of this universal scourge.

Dr. Barrick: "For five years this subject has been before the Dominion of Canada. The consensus of opinion of those who have been working upon this line is that it is a question so broad that nothing short of all that the Dominion Government can do and all that the Provincial Governments can do, and all the municipal authorities can do, is required to cope with it. It has never been thought that the mere matter of sanatoria was going to be the end of the work in view. Every report of this Association every year says that we do not depend upon munici—

pal sanatoria alone, but on all matters of hygiene, the teaching of the public, the teaching of the whole public. There is nothing, however, that will teach the public more effectively than a municipal sanatorium, one in each county, where the people who suffer from this disease can go and learn how they should take care of themselves in their own homes. It has been said that home treatment is the only thing. What is to be done with the people who have no homes? What is to become of the people who live in boarding-houses when they get sick? Where is your home treatment then? We have to have sanatoria, so that when the people are seized with this disease and have no homes in which to be cured, they may have a place where they can, at the expense of the Dominion and Provincial Governments, the municipal authorities, and benevolent individuals, all combined, be cured, like those who have homes. I am in hearty sympathy with the resolution which has just been moved. I believe it is the next step to be taken, and it is the immediate step. I also believe, with Dr. Noble, that in our municipality we must take the next step to help this matter."

Mr. Edwards: "I have been chairman at a great many meetings, but I have never put before a meeting a resolution that I think so important as this one. Is it your pleasure, gentlemen, that the resolution be adopted?" (Carried unanimously.)

The meeting then proceeded with the election of officers, with the following result:

Honorary President-His Excellency, the Governor-General. Honorary Vice-Presidents-Rt. Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, G.C.M.G., K.C., D.C.L. (Oxon.), LL.D., P.C.; Rt. Hon. D. A. Smith, Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal and High Commissioner for Canada in London, England; His Honor Wm. M. Clark, K.C., Lieut.-Governor of Ontario; His Honor Sir L. A. Jette, K.C.M.G., Lieut.-Governor of Quebec; His Honor, the Hon. A. G. Jones, P.C., Lieut.-Governor of Nova Scotia; His Honor J. B. Snowball, Lieut.-Governor of New Brunswick; His Honor Sir D. H. McMillan, K.C.M.G., Lieut.-Governor of Manitoba; His Honor Sir H. Joly de Lotbiniere, K.C.M.G., Lieut.-Governor of British Columbia: His Honor D. A. MeKinnon, Lieut.-Governor of Prince Edward Island; His Honor A. E. Forget, Lieut.-Governor of North-West Territories; F. T. Congdon, Esq., Acting Commissioner of the Yukon.

President-Hon. W. C. Edwards, Senator, Rockland, Ont. Vice-Presidents-James Thorburn, Esq., M.D., Toronto, Ont.; Wm. Bayard, Esq., M.D., St. John, N.B.

Honorary Treasurer-John Mortimer Courtney, C.M.G., I.S.O., Deputy Minister of Finance, Ottawa, Ont.