COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE CHARLES A. WOLVERTON, New Jersey, Chairman CARL HINSHAW, California ROBERT CROSSER, Ohio JOSEPH P. O'HARA, Minnesota J. PERCY PRIEST, Tennessee ROBERT HALE, Maine OREN HARRIS, Arkansas JAMES I. DOLLIVER, Iowa DWIGHT L. ROGERS, Florida JOHN W. HESELTON, Massachusetts ARTHUR G. KLEIN, New York JOHN B. BENNETT, Michigan WILLIAM T. GRANAHAN, Pennsylvania RICHARD W. HOFFMAN, Illinois F. ERTEL CARLYLE, North Carolina JOHN V. BEAMER, Indiana JOHN BELL WILLIAMS, Mississippi WILLIAM L. SPRINGER, Illinois PETER F. MACK, JR., Illinois ALVIN R. BUSH, Pennsylvania HOMER THORNBERRY, Texas PAUL F. SCHENCK, Ohio LOUIS B. HELLER, New York JOSEPH L. (ARRIGG, Pennsylvania KENNETH A. ROBERTS, Alabama HERBERT B. WARBURTON, Delaware MORGAN M. MOULDER, Missouri STEVEN B. DEROUNIAX, New York HARLEY 0. STAGGERS, West Virginia THOMAS M. PELLY, Washington J. ARTHU'R YOUNGER, California ELTON J. LAYTOX, Clerk Bailey, Dr. Pearce, Director, National Institute of Neurological Brooks, Dr. Glidden L., medical director, United Cerebral Palsy Forster, Dr. F. M., professor of neurology and dean, Georgetown Milhorat, Dr. A. T., chairman, medical advisory board, Muscular Dystrophy Association of America. Owen, Carl M., first president, National Multiple Sclerosis Society -- Sands, Dr. Harry, executive director, Epilepsy Association of New Tankersley, Ruth McCormick president, National Epilepsy League.. Traeger, Dr. Cornelius, Multiple Sclerosis Society - Van Meter, Karl K., executive director, United Cerebral Palsy Additional information submitted for the record by- Health, Education, and Welfare Department: Neurological and sensory disorders, prepared by National Insti- tute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness, National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service - Research program in muscular dystrophy, statement of National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness.. Muscular Dystrophy Associations of America, Inc.: National Committee for Research Into Neurological Disorders, neurological and sensory disorders. National Multiple Sclerosis Society, annual report, 1952. United Cerebral Palsy of New York City, Inc.: A report to the 991 Foote, Dr. Franklin M., executive director, National Society for the Gruber, kathern F., assistant director, American Foundation for the Johnson, Dr. Lorand, professor of ophthalmology, Western Reserve University school of medicine. Weisenfeld, Mildred, executive director, National Council to Combat Additional information submitted for the record by- Blinded Veterans Association, resolution on research into the blinding Gordon, Dr. Dan M., statement of National Society for Crippled Children and Adults, Inc., statement of Lawrence J. Linck, executive director.. Ulmer, J. M., statement of 1019 Blain, Dr. Daniel, American Psychiatric Association.. Braceland, Dr. Francis J., psychiatrist in chief, Institute of Living, Felix, Dr. Robert H., Director, National Institute of Mental Health - 1071, 1077 Kety, Dr. Seymour S., Associate Director in Charge of Research, National Institute of Mental Health... Sanford, Dr. Fillmore H., American Psychological Association.- Schlaifer, Charles, cochairman, National Mental Health Com- Stevenson, Dr. George S., National Association for Mental Health. 1065 Willey, Dr. Richard, executive assistant, American Psychological Wortis, Dr. S. Bernard, professor of psychiatry and neurology, 1033 Council of State Governments, training and research in State mental 1129 Health, Education, and Welfare Department: Mental illness, prepared by National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, HEARING DEECTS Bailey, Dr. Pearce, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness, Public Health Service Elstad, Dr. Leonard M., president, Gallaudet College, Washington, Glorig, Dr. Aram, head, Audiology and Speech Correction Center, Walter Reed Army Hospital, Washington, D. C.. Hardy, Dr. William, director, Johns Hopkins Hospital hearing and speech center, Baltimore, Md.-. Stone, Dr. F. L., Chief, Extramural Programs, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness, National Institutes of Health. HEALTH INQUIRY WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1953 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C. The committee met, pursuant to adjournment, at 10 a. m., in the committee room of the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, Hon. James I. Dolliver (the acting chairman) presiding. Mr. DOLLIVER. The committee will come to order. I hope it will be understood that the present occupant of the chairman's chair is not the chairman of this committee. Mr. Wolverton . was called back to Camden, N. J., yesterday, but will be back before this hearing has proceeded very far. He asked me to get started this morning, so that we would be under way by the time he arrived. Today, our hearings are to be concerned with the problems of the neurological disorders, with those disturbances causing blindnessand later—with diabetes. The various neurological diseases are closely linked, a fact which is symbolized by the existence of the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness. We shall hear something of this interrelationship, but the hearings for each group we shall take up separately. This morning we are to concern ourselves with the neurological disorders. Up to very recently, these medical disturbances were not conceived of as a single problem, and it may be inevitable that for some time people will continue to consider such conditions as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy as single, independent entities. Because these are disorders of the nervous system, however, most often of the brain and spinal cord, they are intimately related to each other. As the various types of cancer or heart disease have been considered here at these hearings as either cancer or heart disease, we shall try to consider the neurological disorders together in this hearing. These disorders (of which, I understand, there are more than 150) constitute a major health problem for the Nation. They are a leading cause of death and the most common cause of permanent crippling. Because they are such cripplers and their victims, thereby, must frequently retreat from both the economic and social scene, it is probably inevitable that none of us has really understood the full burden of these disorders as they are felt by the individual sufferer and by the community which must aid in their care and welfare. I hope we shall reach that understanding today, and I am looking to the witnesses, who have so kindly agreed to some here, to help illuminate more specifically the nature of these disorders, their costs to the coun 865 try in both humanitarian and economic terms, and finally what we are and should be doing about them. I would like to enter the agenda which will be used as a general guide for this morning's discussion, together with a list of participants. (The statements above referred to are as follows:) a NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-AGENDA 1. Purpose of the inquiry-statement by committee chairman. What are the neurological disorders ? tivity, wages, tax revenue, welfare services provided by community, State or Federal Government? Cost of neurological disorders to the individual and family in terms of medical expenses and personal tragedy? 3. The attack on the neurological disorders : What do we know today concerning methods of prevention, diagnosis, and cure of the neurological disorders? In terms of the knowledge available, what medical, educational, and other facilities and what medical manpower is presently available to deal with these problems? What research has been achieved in the past decade to successfully combat the neurological disorders; to what degree is new knowledge being applied; how profound is the research attack on these problems; to what degree is manpower being available to combat these disturbances? 4. The needs of the future: How much must medical, paramedical facilities and services be extended to meet the problems in various neurological disorders; what is needed and what are the present and probable financial handicaps in securing them? Promising areas of research which must be pursued, new areas of research to be opened up in this field vitally necessary. 5. What can we do organizationally or by legislation about strengthening the Nation's attack on the neurological disorders? In research, research facilities, and training? PARTICIPANTS Dr. Cornelius Traeger, National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Association. Blindness. Dr. Harry Sands, executive director, Epilepsy Association of New York. Mr. Carl Owen, executive committee, National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Dr. G. Milton Shy, clinical director, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness. Dr. Frederick L. Stone, chief, extramural programs, National Institute of Neuro logical Diseases and Blindness. Dr. Seymour Kety, Associate Director-in-Charge of Research, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness, It is my understanding that Dr. Cornelius Traeger will serve as discussion leader for the group of witnesses. It will be appreciated, Dr. Traeger, if you will stand and introduce yourself for the record, and if the other witnesses will do the same, please. After that, Dr. Traeger, will you please proceed to develop the agenda in anyway which seems most apropriate to you? |
0 Reviews Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified Write review |