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Link to Images of the History of Medicine: Poastcards, Posters, Portraits, Caricatures and Photographs
Images from the History of Medicine provides online access to over 70,000 digitized images of the approximate 100,000 items from the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s (NLM) Prints and Photographs collection.
Source: U.S. Library of Medicine
Brother Nathan Straus (1848-1931) was best known as a philanthropist. It is not generally known that Nathan was also a public servant. He was the Commissioner of Parks in New York City, President of the Department of Health, a member of the Forestry Board of New York State and Forest Commissioner. He was an independent Democrat who ran for the office of Mayor of New York City and was proposed as the nominee of the Democratic Party for the Senate of New York State.
On Nathan's 75th birthday in 1923, congratulatory messages were sent from around the world. Theodore Roosevelt wrote, "There are no two men for whom I have a greater respect than Nathan Straus and his brother Oscar. Both of them have given the best that lay in them to the public service. Both of them have been ready at all times to contribute not only money, but more important still, their untiring devotion and work to the service of their fellow citizens." President Harding sent his greetings, "Mr. Straus's public service and private and public philanthropies have deserved [sic] much of his fellow-citizens and I hope that he may live many more years of similar usefulness."
]]>When we think of public service and the Straus family, we usually think of Oscar S. Straus (1850-1926). A few of his positions include Minister to Constantinople, Ambassador to Turkey and Secretary of Commerce and Labor. But Oscar and Isidor were not the only Straus siblings to serve.
Brother Nathan Straus (1848-1931) was best known as a philanthropist. It is not generally known that Nathan was also a public servant. He was the Commissioner of Parks in New York City, President of the Department of Health, a member of the Forestry Board of New York State and Forest Commissioner. He was an independent Democrat who ran for the office of Mayor of New York City and was proposed as the nominee of the Democratic Party for the Senate of New York State.
On Nathan's 75th birthday in 1923, congratulatory messages were sent from around the world. Theodore Roosevelt wrote, "There are no two men for whom I have a greater respect than Nathan Straus and his brother Oscar. Both of them have given the best that lay in them to the public service. Both of them have been ready at all times to contribute not only money, but more important still, their untiring devotion and work to the service of their fellow citizens." President Harding sent his greetings, "Mr. Straus's public service and private and public philanthropies have deserved [sic] much of his fellow-citizens and I hope that he may live many more years of similar usefulness."
Links:
“Nathan Straus 1848-1931” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 6 No. 1 (New York: February 1998); pp. 4-8.
http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/________nwsltr298.pdf
“Nathan Straus 1848-1931” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 6 No. 2 (New York: August 1998); pp. 4-7.
http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/________nwsltr898.pdf
“Nathan Straus Pasteurized Milk Laboratory” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 4 No. 2 (New York: February 2002); pp. 4-9.
http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/____nwsltr202.pdf
“Nathan Straus, Public Servant” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 4 No. 2 (New York: February 2003); pp. 4-8.
http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/________nwsltr203.pdf
“The Nathan Straus Soup Kitchens in Palestine” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 16 No. 1 (New York: August 2014); pp. 1-5.
http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/nwslttr814.pdf
Nathan Straus (1848-1931) became interested in milk pasteurization for several reasons. Two of Nathan and Lina Straus' six children, Sara and Roland, died in early childhood. Although the family could avail themselves of the best and most modern medical treatment of the day, there was nothing that could be done to save either child. The Strauses owned farm animals, including cows from which the family's milk was obtained. When a seemingly healthy animal died suddenly, Nathan wondered if the germs that caused the animal's death could be transferred to her milk. This led to his conviction that pasteurization was essential.
Nathan's first pasteurized milk depot opened at the foot of the East Third Street Pier on June 1, 1893. It was a small building containing a refrigeration unit, storage rooms, a pasteurization laboratory and salesrooms. The goal was to distribute low cost, high quality pasteurized milk to the city's poor. Milk was sold in bottles, by the glass and in cans. Modified formulas were also sold for babies. These formulas were devised by Nathan's medical advisors and often contained barley water, milk sugar, white sugar, lime water and salt. Modified milk was sold in deposit bottles provided with a nipple, both being sterilized in the pasteurizing laboratory. Ice was also supplied so that people keep the milk from spoiling once it was brought home. The milk bottles had rounded bottoms so that no uncorked bottle could be left standing, thereby becoming contaminated by unsanitary conditions in the homes. Lectures were provided in the many languages of the city's residents to educate them about the benefits of pasteurized milk. Nathan had coupons printed so that doctors could "prescribe" the milk which would then be given at no cost.
The program was an immediate success among the city's poor. Nathan set up his laboratories and milk depots as a demonstration model to prove to governmental officials and the medical establishment that the large scale distribution of pasteurized milk would make a difference in public health. He wrote, "The tragedy of needless infant slaughter, desolating so many homes and wringing the hearts, lies like a dark shadow on our boasted civilization. It is nothing more or less than permitted murder, for which the responsibility must lie at the door of the agencies of government that fail to recognize its existence and demand its prevention."
]]>After the Civil War, there was some recognition that the quality of the milk sold to the city's poor was substandard. Small, but unsuccessful, efforts were made to improve sanitary conditions. Milk continued to be an agent that carried diphtheria, typhoid fever, scarlet fever, tuberculosis and the "summer complaint," diarrhea. Thousands of children died each year, especially during the summer months, as a result of drinking unsterilized milk.
Nathan Straus (1848-1931) became interested in milk pasteurization for several reasons. Two of Nathan and Lina Straus' six children, Sara and Roland, died in early childhood. Although the family could avail themselves of the best and most modern medical treatment of the day, there was nothing that could be done to save either child. The Strauses owned farm animals, including cows from which the family's milk was obtained. When a seemingly healthy animal died suddenly, Nathan wondered if the germs that caused the animal's death could be transferred to her milk. This led to his conviction that pasteurization was essential.
Nathan's first pasteurized milk depot opened at the foot of the East Third Street Pier on June 1, 1893. It was a small building containing a refrigeration unit, storage rooms, a pasteurization laboratory and salesrooms. The goal was to distribute low cost, high quality pasteurized milk to the city's poor. Milk was sold in bottles, by the glass and in cans. Modified formulas were also sold for babies. These formulas were devised by Nathan's medical advisors and often contained barley water, milk sugar, white sugar, lime water and salt. Modified milk was sold in deposit bottles provided with a nipple, both being sterilized in the pasteurizing laboratory. Ice was also supplied so that people keep the milk from spoiling once it was brought home. The milk bottles had rounded bottoms so that no uncorked bottle could be left standing, thereby becoming contaminated by unsanitary conditions in the homes. Lectures were provided in the many languages of the city's residents to educate them about the benefits of pasteurized milk. Nathan had coupons printed so that doctors could "prescribe" the milk which would then be given at no cost.
The program was an immediate success among the city's poor. Nathan set up his laboratories and milk depots as a demonstration model to prove to governmental officials and the medical establishment that the large scale distribution of pasteurized milk would make a difference in public health. He wrote, "The tragedy of needless infant slaughter, desolating so many homes and wringing the hearts, lies like a dark shadow on our boasted civilization. It is nothing more or less than permitted murder, for which the responsibility must lie at the door of the agencies of government that fail to recognize its existence and demand its prevention."
Links:
“Nathan Straus 1848-1931” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 6 No. 1 (New York: February 1998); pp. 4-8.
http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/________nwsltr298.pdf
“Nathan Straus 1848-1931” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 6 No. 2 (New York: August 1998); pp. 4-7.
http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/________nwsltr898.pdf
“Nathan Straus Pasteurized Milk Laboratory” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 4 No. 2 (New York: February 2002); pp. 4-9.
http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/____nwsltr202.pdf
“Nathan Straus, Public Servant” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 4 No. 2 (New York: February 2003); pp. 4-8.
http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/________nwsltr203.pdf
“The Nathan Straus Soup Kitchens in Palestine” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 16 No. 1 (New York: August 2014); pp. 1-5.
http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/nwslttr814.pdfConstitution of the World Health Organization: Principles
Source: World Health Organization
]]>WHO began when our Constitution came into force on 7 April 1948 – a date we now celebrate every year as World Health Day. We are now more than 7000 people from more than 150 countries working in 150 country offices, in 6 regional offices and at our headquarters in Geneva.
Constitution of the World Health Organization: Principles
Source: World Health Organization
World Health Careers
The development of global guidelines ensuring the appropriate use of evidence represents one of the core functions of WHO. Recommendations that can impact upon health policies or clinical interventions are considered guidelines for WHO purposes. Below is a list by topic of some of the most recent guidelines.
The Senate adopted Senator of Virginia James Barbour’s motion to established the Committee on Finance as a standing committee of the Senate, on December 10, 1816,. Three days later, its first Members were appointed: Senators George Campbell of Tennessee (the Committee’s first Chairman), Jeremiah Mason of New Hampshire, Thomas Thompson of New Hampshire, Rufus King of New York, and George Troup of Georgia.
Since the start of the 21st Century, the Finance Committee has continued its leadership on tax, trade, and health issues. As it nears its bicentennial in 2016, it is apparent that it continues to be a prime focus of many issues that affect the nation and one of the most influential committees in the United States Senate.]]>During the Senate’s first 27 years (1789-1816), it had no standing committees. The early Senate was a small body. It conducted its work through temporary committees that met as needed and disbanded when the Senate enacted the legislation that had prompted the Senate to form the committee.
The Senate adopted Senator of Virginia James Barbour’s motion to established the Committee on Finance as a standing committee of the Senate, on December 10, 1816,. Three days later, its first Members were appointed: Senators George Campbell of Tennessee (the Committee’s first Chairman), Jeremiah Mason of New Hampshire, Thomas Thompson of New Hampshire, Rufus King of New York, and George Troup of Georgia.
Since the start of the 21st Century, the Finance Committee has continued its leadership on tax, trade, and health issues. As it nears its bicentennial in 2016, it is apparent that it continues to be a prime focus of many issues that affect the nation and one of the most influential committees in the United States Senate.