Message to the Second Pan American Conference of Directors of Health.

Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Conference:

It has been most gratifying to me to be able to receive and welcome you individually on the occasion of your Second Quinquennial meeting in the capital of this Republic.

I now take the opportunity of expressing to you collectively my sympathetic interest in your present important deliberations which are for the purpose of protecting the health and promoting the well-being of all the people of all the American Republics. Indeed, if I may judge from your program, your recommendations with regard to yellow fever and aerial transportation will have profound effect throughout the world.

It is pleasant to recall that, during the last thirty years, through advances made in the science of medicine and through the cooperation of the health authorities of all the American Republics, as manifested in your Pan American Sanitary Conferences, in the activities of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau and in your conferences of Directors of Health, the ravages of the major quarantinable diseases, such as yellow fever, plague, cholera, smallpox and typhus fever, diseases which formerly often decimated whole cities have nearly ceased. These pestilences are now almost entirely robbed of their power for harm. This being the case, you are able to turn your attention to the combating of other diseases and other unhealthful conditions which still interfere with the happiness and comfort of our people.

I note with satisfaction in your program the provision for the interchange of ideas with regard to the securing of safe water supplies, safe milk, the prevention of blindness, the welfare of the child, the study of nutrition and of many other interesting and important topics.

I wish to bid you God-speed in your humanitarian work.

Yours faithfully,

HERBERT HOOVER