DEATH OF SEÑOR LICENCIADO DON JOSÉ

ALGARA.

It is with profound sorrow that we announce the death of Señor Don José Algara, Assistant Secretary of Foreign Relations of Mexico and one of the Delegates of the Mexican Government to the Third International Sanitary Conference of American Republics, which occurred on the 10th of March, ultimo. Señor Algara was one of the most prominent officials of the Mexican Republic, where he held very important positions, filling them with the ability due to his personality, talents and learning.

The repeated acts of kindness and courtesy that he extended to the Members of the Convention, as an official of the Government, as a friend and as a private person, won for him the gratitude and friendship of the delegates, and thus the pain that they feel on account of his untimely death is still deeper.

The undersigned feels that he is faithfully interpreting the sentiments of all the members of the Third International Sanitary Convention of American Republics when he offers collectively, to the Government of Mexico and to the family of Señor Algara, the protests of our sincerest condolence for the irreparable loss they have suffered.

New York, March 15, 1908.

(Signed) JUAN J. Ulloa, Permanent Secretary.

Undersecretary of Foreign Relations of the Republic of Mexico, and a Member of the Mexican Delegation to the Third Sanitary Conference of the American Republics, held in Mexico City in December, 1907. He died March 10, 1908.

THIRD INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION OF AMERICAN REPUBLICS.

FIRST DAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 2.

Morning-Opening Session.

The Convention was called to order at 10 A. M. by Señor Don Ramón Corral, Vice-President of the Republic of Mexico. Eleven Republics were represented at this opening session by the following Delegates: Dr. Oswaldo Goncalvez Cruz, Brazil; Drs. Ernesto Soza and Pedro Lautaro Ferrer, Chile; Drs. Ricardo Gutierrez Lee and Genaro Payan, Colombia; Dr. Juan J. Ulloa, Permanent Secretary of the Convention, Costa Rica; Drs. Juan Guiteras and Hugo Roberts, Cuba; Dr. Juan Horacio Esteves, Ecuador; Drs. Salvador Ortega and Juan Azurdia, Guatemala; Dr. Luis Lazo Arriaga, Honduras; Dr. Eduardo Liceaga, Chairman of the Convention, Senor Licenciado Don Jose Algara, and Engineer Hilario Elguero, Mexico; Dr. Gregorio Mendizabal, Nicaragua; Dr. Rodolfo B. Gonzalez, Salvador, and Drs. Walter Wyman, J. Gatewood, P. J. Straub, H. L. E. Johnson, Rhett Goode, and R. H. von Ezdorf, United States. The Vice-President of the Republic welcomed the Delegates as follows:

"Honorable Delegates:

"The most important of the resolutions adopted by the Second International Conference of American Republics, held in this city in 1901-2, was perhaps the one providing for the meeting of periodical sanitary conventions for the purpose of studying and adopting measures of prevention in the countries of this Hemisphere against the propagation of infectious diseases through littorals and frontiers, and for the encouragement of sanitation in each country. And I consider that resolution of the illustrious Assembly referred to as one of the most transcendental, because, besides the excellence of its purpose, it has the quality of being entirely practical.

"A result of that resolution have been the two Sanitary Conventions held in Washington in December, 1902, and October, 1905, and the one whose opening assembles us here today. Among other positive benefits that have been obtained, the Convention signed on the 14th of October, 1905, in the city of Washington is worthy of special mention. That convention specifies, not only the measures of defense that countries should adopt against infectious diseases appearing in other nations, but also encourages the Governments to enforce all reasonable measures for the purpose of quenching the propagation of epidemics that constitute a real scourge to the people. Based on the Convention of Paris of 1903, adopted by most of the European countries, and by some of America, Asia, and Africa, that of Washington offers all

the guaranties of righteousness, not only because of the knowledge of the authors of that of Paris, but also for the reason that the Delegates to the Washington Conference supplemented it and perfected it in accordance with the last conquest of science. Of the eleven Republics that signed it, seven have ratified it, and two of the Central American countries that were represented thereto have adhered to it. These countries are beginning to enjoy the benefits derived from the enforcement of a sanitary legislation wisely codified, and which is profoundly scientifical, for the protection against certain infectious diseases by means of uniform and reasonable measures which enable them to do away with all customs that, based on the fear of the outbreak of an epidemic, caused considerable damages.

"As in everything that tends to eradicate deep-rooted prejudices and errors that have been transmitted from generation to generation, the new sanitary systems, in spite of being founded upon the serious and profound study of men and things, encounter with difficulties before becoming general, and such result is not accomplished but with the slowness that is necessary to overcome the obstacles that old ideas offer; but at last they are beginning to be universal, as all that has truth for basis. For that reason it is to be hoped that this Honorable assembly, composed of learned men from nearly all the countries of the continent, and which throws new light on the work that has been accomplished, will take one more step towards the end sought, rectify errors, from which no human work is free, widen, if possible, the conquests that have been gained, and succeed in obtaining the adherence of not only the nations represented in this Convention and that of 1905, but of all the countries of America, in order to make uniform upon scientific basis the sanitary measures which have for object the protection of human life.

"If in all the activities of life countries and men evolve continuously, seeking always their welfare, and if the principal aim of progress is to render human existence more comfortable, worthier, and more prolonged, it is obvious that the questions relating to public health are very important and must occupy a prominent place in the policy of every Government, inasmuch as nothing tends more to the accomplishment of those ends than the measures of public hygiene, a proof of civilization and of the improvement of mankind.

"These facts are so elementary that they are within the reach of all persons that have some education, however incipient. The more educated the citizens of a nation are, the greater is their persistence in requiring from the public administration the enforcement of sanitary measures of a general character, and the Governments, as civilization becomes more and more diffused, pays more and more attention to this science, propagating its principles by means of the schools, in what regards private hygiene, and carrying out costly improvements and establishing proper institutions to meet the requirements of public health. For that reason, we see, that conventions meet in the more advanced cities of Europe and America for the purpose of encouraging interest in the science of hygiene, propagating its principles, and applying the latter in a practical way to the life of countries; also for the same reason, new sanitation works are projected or carried out, and new discoveries and applications are made in the war against disease.