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The Children's Bureau (April 9, 1912–April 9, 1962)
EDITOR'S COLUMN
Fiftieth Anniversary greetings to the Children's Bureau I N T H I S month, which represents the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Children's Bureau, the Editorial Board of the JOURNAL OF P~DIATRICS takes cognizance of the significant achievements which the Bureau has made possible in the field of Child Health. The opportunity is also taken to express confidence in the continuation and growth of the
Bureau's work and influence. We pledge our support to aid in whatever ways are possible. Dr. Philip Barba, Liaison Representative of the American Academy of Pediatrics with the Children's Bureau, has also been given the opportunity to express his greetings in these pages.
The Children's Bureau (April 9, 1912--April 9, 1962) The Bill creating the Federal Children's Bureau and signed by President William Howard Taft was a recognition of the importance of children to our nation, and the need for a national governmental agency to keep the administrative and legislative branches of the government aware of and informed on conditions and needs relating to the health and welfare of our young citizens. Voluntary organizations had developed at local and at national levels with interests in various fields such as Child Labor, Orphans, Education and Welfare. Individuals in these organizations were enthusiastic in their support of "The Bureau," and through the years this interest has continued so that cooperative endeavor has been a strong feature of the activity of the voluntary agencies and the Children's Bureau.
In the fifty years since the creation of the Bureau much has happened to our way of life and to our thinking. Two major wars, in addition to minor "conflicts" and "episodes" not officially dignified by the designation "war," have affected our economy and lacerated our emotions. A feverish inflation and a terrifying depression have also aroused our basic instincts of self-preservation. Over the world we have seen sweeping changes in commerce, in transportation, in political ideologies, and perhaps even in the ideals which have characterized the various religions of the world. Certainly we have seen one atheistic philosophy grow in physical, if not in the spiritual, domination of people. In April, 1912, The Federal Children's Bureau was charged "to investigate and report upon all matters pertaining to the wel643
644
Editor's column
fare of children and child life among all classes of our people." Especially was it charged to investigate "infant mortality, the birth rate, orphanages, juvenile courts, desertion, dangerous occupations, accidents and diseases of children, employment, legislation affecting children in the several States and Territories." During the fifty years of its existence Julia Lathrop, Grace Abbot, Katherine Lenroot, Martha Eliot, Katherine Oettinger have in turn served as Chief of the Bureau and John F. Kennedy is the ninth President in whose administration they have flmctioned regardless of political affiliation. Through the various political changes and the social and economic muta-
April 1962
tions and vicissitudes already mentioned they and their staffs have devotedly, patiently, and resolutely carried out the assignment originally given to the Bureau and the new assignments allotted to them by Congress. With vision and courage as well as determination they have stimulated the development of such new assignments when the needs became evident. We can be sure that the next fifty years will produce change, varieties of stress, and many dangers. We can hope that we will have dedicated people with wisdom and courage to strive for the best for children and for the nation. PI~ILIP S. BARBA~ M,D.
The antenatal origin of disease; a balanced perspective I N T H I $ issue, by happenstance and by the editor's choice (Cohen, Lowe, and Zinkham), there is a concentration of articles on genes, chromosomes, and cellular function. It should be obvious to even the casual observer that studies in these areas are dominating investigative activities at the moment. The current era will probably be remembered for its disclosures of cellular structure and function, even as recent eras have come to be known for their contributions to antimicrobial therapy and to identification of corticotropin and cortieosteroids and their functions. It is becoming increasingly evident that many patterns of maldevelopment and many disorders termed idiopathic or attributed to accidents of nature are the result of variations in genes a n d / o r chromosomes. It is appreciated that not all of the recognized genetic disorders may be manifest at birth. Some may be, but some may spontaneously become apparent at a later age, as for example, pseudohypertrophie muscular dystrophy and diabetes mellitus. In others the disorder becomes clinically manifest only when there is a triggering mechanism, as for example: trauma in hemophilia;
bacterial infection in agammaglobulinemia; and ingestion of certain substances such as lava beans and naphtholquinoline in persons with deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. In some instances the initial clue to a genetic disorder may be provided by an atmospheric factor. An example of such a situation is the febrile response to high environmental temperature by an infant with cystic fibrosis, ectodermal dysplasia, or nephrogenic diabetes insipidus at a time before the disease has been made evident by other clinical manifestations. It can be expected that the demonstration of congenital deviations in cellular and enzymatic structures and functions will provide the key to the pathogenesis of a number of disorders whose origin is not now understood. It behooves the clinician to keep pace with developments in the genetic and chromosomal fields, so that on the one hand he will be informed in respect to clinical detection, and on the other he can serve effectively as a genetic counsellor or will know when and where to get such service for his patients. But not all congenital disorders are genetic or chromosomal in origin. Some result from
Fiftieth Anniversary greetings to the Children's Bureau I N T H I S month, which represents the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Children's Bureau, the Editorial Board of the JOURNAL OF P~DIATRICS takes cognizance of the significant achievements which the Bureau has made possible in the field of Child Health. The opportunity is also taken to express confidence in the continuation and growth of the
Bureau's work and influence. We pledge our support to aid in whatever ways are possible. Dr. Philip Barba, Liaison Representative of the American Academy of Pediatrics with the Children's Bureau, has also been given the opportunity to express his greetings in these pages.
The Children's Bureau (April 9, 1912--April 9, 1962) The Bill creating the Federal Children's Bureau and signed by President William Howard Taft was a recognition of the importance of children to our nation, and the need for a national governmental agency to keep the administrative and legislative branches of the government aware of and informed on conditions and needs relating to the health and welfare of our young citizens. Voluntary organizations had developed at local and at national levels with interests in various fields such as Child Labor, Orphans, Education and Welfare. Individuals in these organizations were enthusiastic in their support of "The Bureau," and through the years this interest has continued so that cooperative endeavor has been a strong feature of the activity of the voluntary agencies and the Children's Bureau.
In the fifty years since the creation of the Bureau much has happened to our way of life and to our thinking. Two major wars, in addition to minor "conflicts" and "episodes" not officially dignified by the designation "war," have affected our economy and lacerated our emotions. A feverish inflation and a terrifying depression have also aroused our basic instincts of self-preservation. Over the world we have seen sweeping changes in commerce, in transportation, in political ideologies, and perhaps even in the ideals which have characterized the various religions of the world. Certainly we have seen one atheistic philosophy grow in physical, if not in the spiritual, domination of people. In April, 1912, The Federal Children's Bureau was charged "to investigate and report upon all matters pertaining to the wel643
644
Editor's column
fare of children and child life among all classes of our people." Especially was it charged to investigate "infant mortality, the birth rate, orphanages, juvenile courts, desertion, dangerous occupations, accidents and diseases of children, employment, legislation affecting children in the several States and Territories." During the fifty years of its existence Julia Lathrop, Grace Abbot, Katherine Lenroot, Martha Eliot, Katherine Oettinger have in turn served as Chief of the Bureau and John F. Kennedy is the ninth President in whose administration they have flmctioned regardless of political affiliation. Through the various political changes and the social and economic muta-
April 1962
tions and vicissitudes already mentioned they and their staffs have devotedly, patiently, and resolutely carried out the assignment originally given to the Bureau and the new assignments allotted to them by Congress. With vision and courage as well as determination they have stimulated the development of such new assignments when the needs became evident. We can be sure that the next fifty years will produce change, varieties of stress, and many dangers. We can hope that we will have dedicated people with wisdom and courage to strive for the best for children and for the nation. PI~ILIP S. BARBA~ M,D.
The antenatal origin of disease; a balanced perspective I N T H I $ issue, by happenstance and by the editor's choice (Cohen, Lowe, and Zinkham), there is a concentration of articles on genes, chromosomes, and cellular function. It should be obvious to even the casual observer that studies in these areas are dominating investigative activities at the moment. The current era will probably be remembered for its disclosures of cellular structure and function, even as recent eras have come to be known for their contributions to antimicrobial therapy and to identification of corticotropin and cortieosteroids and their functions. It is becoming increasingly evident that many patterns of maldevelopment and many disorders termed idiopathic or attributed to accidents of nature are the result of variations in genes a n d / o r chromosomes. It is appreciated that not all of the recognized genetic disorders may be manifest at birth. Some may be, but some may spontaneously become apparent at a later age, as for example, pseudohypertrophie muscular dystrophy and diabetes mellitus. In others the disorder becomes clinically manifest only when there is a triggering mechanism, as for example: trauma in hemophilia;
bacterial infection in agammaglobulinemia; and ingestion of certain substances such as lava beans and naphtholquinoline in persons with deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. In some instances the initial clue to a genetic disorder may be provided by an atmospheric factor. An example of such a situation is the febrile response to high environmental temperature by an infant with cystic fibrosis, ectodermal dysplasia, or nephrogenic diabetes insipidus at a time before the disease has been made evident by other clinical manifestations. It can be expected that the demonstration of congenital deviations in cellular and enzymatic structures and functions will provide the key to the pathogenesis of a number of disorders whose origin is not now understood. It behooves the clinician to keep pace with developments in the genetic and chromosomal fields, so that on the one hand he will be informed in respect to clinical detection, and on the other he can serve effectively as a genetic counsellor or will know when and where to get such service for his patients. But not all congenital disorders are genetic or chromosomal in origin. Some result from