KING LEOPOLD III OF THE BELGIANS UNDER WHOSE PATRONAGE AND THAT OF DOWAGER QUEEN ELIZABETH AND THE LATE QUEEN ASTRID, THE EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF MILITARY MEDICINE AND PHARMACY WAS HELD. Eighth International Congress of Military and Meetings of the Permanent Committee REPORT OF CAPTAIN WILLIAM SEAMAN BAINBRIDGE MEMBER OF THE PERMANENT COMMITTEE FOREWORD That the nations of the world have for more than 15 years sent medical officers of their armed forces to the successive biennial International Congresses of Military Medicine and Pharmacy is sufficient evidence of the importance of such gatherings. Medical officers have much in common. They share each other's problems and plans. Between them there is nothing of the mystery which is at times supposed to shroud the plans of other military services. They are concerned with alleviating suffering wherever found. To them the care of foe is no less important than the care of friend. As a group they were first to recognize that preventive medicine is even more important than curative. In time of peace as in time of war theirs is the duty of preventing sickness and injury. His late Majesty Albert the Good, King of the Belgians, added to his other contributions to the world by first summoning medical officers to meet in his capital and discuss these problems not only in the light of the late terrible war but in the light of science's latest advances. The meeting was held in 1921. Since then there have been meetings each second year, successively in Rome, Paris, Warsaw, London, The Hague, Madrid, and Brussels again. The United States of America, recognizing the need of these meetings, has been officially represented at each one and has recently authorized the attendance of a delegation on the part of our government at the forthcoming meeting in Bucharest in 1937; and the Congress of the United States has authorized the President to invite the 1939 Congress to meet in this country. Captain William Seaman Bainbridge, Medical Corps-Fleet, United States Naval Reserve (retired) has faithfully reported each of the Congresses, and the present volume is his most recent contribution to the series. Our thanks are due him for his continued interest. It has been unflagging, even when his attendance as official delegate has had to be at his own expense. This book brings the reports up to date and will be welcomed by medical and military libraries, as well as by medical officers of our three Federal services. WAR DEPARTMENT, 974749 CHARLES R. REYNOLDS Major General, United States Army The Surgeon General III |