‘Ye

REMARKS

RECOGNIZING THE HISTORICAL TREASURES
AT THE
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE

BY

C. EVERETT KOOP, M.D., SC.D.
SURGEON GENERAL
OF THE
U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

PRESENTED AT THE
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE ROTUNDA

MARCH 17, 1989
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WE ARE MOST APPRECIATIVE, © THE FRIENDS
OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE AND THE
LOCAL D.C. CHAPTER OF THE COMMISSIONED
OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, FOR THEIR SUPPORT IN
MAKING THIS RECEPTION POSSIBLE. SPECIAL Bee e
THANKS TO BELIA [PRONOUNCED "BELL"] CEJA SAg 44
[PRONOUNCED "SAY HA"] ON DR. DONALD
LINDBERG’S STAFF; JANET JOY FROM MY STAFF,
AND REBECCA ASHERY, CHAIRMAN OF THE D.c.
CHAPTER OF THE COA, WHO WORKED DILIGENTLY TO
MAKE THIS EVENT HAPPEN.

PreT OF

WHY ARE WE HERE THIS EVENING? THIS IS,A
CONTINUING ACTIVITY COMMEMORATING THE PUBLIC
HEALTH SERVICE CENTENNIAL OF THE COMMISSIONED
CORPS. WHAT BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE THAN TO
LOOK AT SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR HISTORY.
-2-

THE EXHIBIT ITSELF WAS ORGANIZED AND
PREPARED BY MARGARET KAISER ON THE STAFF OF
THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE DIVISION. OF
PARTICULAR NOTE IS THE EMPHASIS PLACED ON THE
PROFESSIONAL CATEGORIES, REPRESENTING
SIGNIFICANT EXAMPLES OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS %
-- CONTROL OF DISEASE, FOOD AND DRUG
REGULATIONS, BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH, MENTAL
HEALTH, Aas DRUG ABUSE, AND DELIVERY OF HEALTH
CARE.

DO TAKES FEW MINUTES TO LOOK AT
EXCERPTS “@& THE VIDEO TAPE. PLEASE NOTE THAT
DR. PARRAN SITS AT THE VERY DESK THAT | DO AT
PARKLAWN -- SO WE KNOW tHAT THIS _IS THE
CH PPEWw pce
AUTHENTIC SURGEON GENERAL’S,DESK. \Vieper Some
RALE TAGS GSEERTES COULD BE TOLD BY THE SURGEONS GENERAL

WHO HAVE SAT AT THAT DESK.
-3-

ACTUALLY, IN A FEW MONTHS, DR. FITZHUGH
MULLAN’S BOOK, PLAGUES AND POLITICS, WILL BE
PUBLISHED, AND WE WILL HAVE AN ENLIGHTENING

AT LEAST Some
REVELATION OF REEH OF THE POLITICS THAT WENT
ON AND DIRECTED HEALTH POLICY DURING THIS
PAST CENTURY BY THESE VERY SURGEONS HAS OLEvrey,,
GENERAL. SEGAUSEOF DR. MULLAN’S WORK, es
MY HOPE TO ESTABLISH A PERMANENT OFFICE OF

PUBLIC HEALTH HISTORY.

IT 1S SIGNIFICANT THAT THIS EXHIBIT
SHOULD BE HERE IN THE ROTUNDA OF THE NATIONAL
LIBRARY OF MEDICINE. AS YOUR SURGEON
GENERAL, | SIT ON THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE AND LET ME TELL
YOU THIS IS NO LAID BACK GROUP. UNDER THE
DIRECTION OF DR. DONALD LINDBERG, THE LIBRARY
IS FORGING A NEW GENERATION OF "INFORMATION
-4-

ACCESS" AND "INFORMATION SYSTEMS" MAKING USE
OF MODERN ELECTRONIC AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO LIBRARY AND
INFORMATION RESOURCES. TRAINING @® HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS TO USE THESE TECHNOLOGIES IS
CENTRAL TO THE MISSION OF THE NATIONAL
LIBRARY OF MEDICINE. THE LIBRARY IS ALSO
REACHING OUT TO HEALTH SCIENCE INSTITUTIONS;
HEALTH ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS AND HEALTH
SCIENCE LIBRARIES TO IMPROVE OR FACILITATE
THE USE OF HEALTH INFORMATION TRANSFER.
(m SORE You ACC

TiaeOU KNOW THAT LAST NOVEMBER, FORMER
PRESIDENT REAGAN SIGNED PUBLIC LAW 100-607
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL CENTER FOR
BIOTECHNOLOGY INFORMATION® THIS IS A NEW
DIVISION WITHIN THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF
-5-

MEDICINE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DR. DAVID J.
a

LIPMAN \ek@ PROVIDE A@=EMRE NEW VISIONS
REGARDING MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, BIO-SEQUENCING

INFORMATION AND THE HUMAN GENOME.

SO, HERE (WE HAVE IN THIS GREAT NATIONAL
alot Oey

LIBRARY, A REPOSITORY OF OUR PAST
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT ALSO THE TALENTED STAFF

AND RESOURCES THAT WILL *43=-GS=35F5F=FHE
Pomemc. 1Cf0P vi OW PAF CuUI*HE socé

(MW THE FoToRE
Ddvtvprnie AF

ANOTHER GREAT TREASURE @F THE NATIONAL
LIBRARY OF MEDICINE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR THE
LINKAGE OF DATA BASES WITH ALL THE NIH
INSTITUTES SUCH AS NOW EXISTS WITH THE
NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE. DR. LINDBERG IS
ACTING VIGOROUSLY TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL AND
HAS APPOINTED AN OUTREACH COMMITTEE CHAIRED
BY DR. MICHAEL DEBAKEY TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES
TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, SPORT.
Youve

-6-
) /dvio re NICHT
Ya HOPE THAT EACH OF YOU VEEL TELL THE
STORY THAT YOU SEE UNFOLDED HERE TONIGHT TO
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS EER 444HERE SO THAT THEY
MIGHT CONSIDER CAREERS IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH
SERVICE.

IF WE DO OUR JOB WELL, HOPEFULLY WHEN WE
CELEBRATE THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PUBLIC
HEALTH SERVICE IN 1998, WE CAN SEE ON THESE
WALLS POSTERS DEPICTING A CURE FOR AIDS;
ERADICATION OF SOME INFECTIOUS DISEASES SUCH
AS MEASLES; ACCOMPLISHMENT OF OUR GOAL$TO
HAVE A SMOKE FREE SOCIETY; HEALTHIER BABIES
AND MOTHERS GREATER CONSCIOUSNESS TO PREVENT
DRUNK DRIVING A LESS VIOLENT SOCIETY, AND
LESS DRUG DEPENDENCY.
-7-

THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE COMMISSIONED
CORPS AND CIVIL SERVANTS, TOO, HAVE BEEN
REFERRED TO AS MY HEALTH ARMY. INDEED, THEY
ARE -- BUT UNLIKE OTHER ARMIES, OUR
ARMAMENTARIUM RESIDES IN THIS GREAT LIBRARY
PROVIDING US WITH THE INFORMATION AND

TECHNOLOGY TO DO OUR JOB AND ACCOMPLISH THE -
TASKS AHEAD. )WE04R £7 Fo PF el hor

ys
m whos THAD wete SERSE YA
? SOME As wEmiw OCR 6 PFtS Daw.

ENJOY YOURSELF -- TAKE TIME TO STUDY THE
EXHIBITS AS YOU ENJOY THE REFRESHMENTS.
FOR: DONALD A. B. LINDBERG, M.D.

"IN RECOGNITION OF HIS SUPPORT FOR HISTORICAL
RESEARCH ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE AND
THE COMMISSIONED CORPS AND ITS PRESERVATION

FOR POSTERITY.”

DATE: MARCH 17, 1989
FOR: PETER HIRTLE

"IN RECOGNITION OF HIS WORK AS THE
BIBLIOGRAPHER AND ARCHIVIST OF THE PUBLIC
HEALTH SERVICE AND FOR SPIRITED ASSISTANCE
PROVIDED TO ALL THOSE STUDYING THE HISTORY OF
THE COMMISSIONED CORPS IN CONJUNCTION WITH

ITS CENTENNIAL.”

DATE: MARCH 17, 1989
FOR: LUCINDA H. KEISTER

"IN RECOGNITION OF HER SKILL AND DEDICATION

IN PRESERVING THE PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD OF THE
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, THEREBY ENRICHING THE
CELEBRATION OF THE CENTENNIAL OF THE

COMMISSIONED CORPS."

DATE: MARCH 17, 1989
FOR: JOHN L. PARASCANDOLA, PH.D.

"IN RECOGNITION OF EXTRAORDINARY COUNSEL AND
SUPPORT PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
IN CELEBRATING ITS HISTORY ON THE OCCASION OF

THE CENTENNIAL OF THE COMMISSIONED CORPS."

DATE: MARCH 17, 1989
FOR: MARGARET KAISER

"IN RECOGNITION OF HER CRAFT AND SKILL IN
EXHIBITING THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE UNITED
STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE COMMISSIONED
CORPS AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE CELEBRATION OF

ITS CENTENNIAL.”

DATE: MARCH 17, 1989