THE MAYO CLIMO.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1924, Page 1

THE MAYO CLIMO.

ITS GREAT WORK. Ai CkI.AND. February 23. \ u i:-t iugnixied delegate to the Medical Conference arrived by the Niagara to-day in the person of Dr. \\ J. J.lavo. a world-famous surgeon. V itb iiis brother. C. fi- Mayo, he "as founder of the Mayo Clinic at Rochcsi , . Minne-ota. ( nited‘Slates, Tim in tgiu and gi owt.li ol ilie-.ylinic ai ■ • quite romantic. It all happened through an accident. The authorities i ere building a bridge at Rochester. \ hurricane occulted suddenly, levelled tie rtmst met ion winks. killed many et the workers and injured more. Nuns io a local convent took the injured in aml the Ala.vrf brothers attended them, lit the end the Mother Kni-rior asked. ‘ Now would not we make good nurses ! ft we build a hospital will you patronise us?"

Di .Mayo accepted the offer. A hospital va.s built ami rim Mayes started then work. From smli small beginnings toe Mavo Clinic has grown until this year it. will he responsible tor the euro of 57,000 pationCl. The buildings, equipment and endow merit of the

clinic represent an investment oi Ki.UOOUOO dollars. There are 202 oil the professional staff, 101 .Fellows and iOl permanent staff members. The non-professional personnel of the clinic is about 000. Approximately 1000 bods

are in almost constant demand by patients and 150 nurses arc on the staff.

"Fifty per cent of all sickness is preventive,” is one of the mottoes animating Dr. Alayo in his words. In practice of his belief lie surrounded himself with the largest clinic, in the world. There is hardly a part of the human body which has not its specialist with all modern means of investigation of the diseases to which it is suhjeci. This great organisation tlie .Mayo brothers have handed over the I niversity of .Minnesota, so that oil iheir death its perpetuation may be assured.

Speaking to-day of advances in medical science. Dr. Mayo avoided n direct question as to the greater or less susceptibility of tlie human race to disease by gyealei knowledge of the contributory causes. He himselt bad always believed prevention better than cure, and the Alayo Institute had always been largely devoted to preventive' medicine. Tn the United States since the Civil War twelve years had been added to the average durafion ol human life. That, was the statistical measures of the advance. Measures of the average health, happiness and enjoyment of life, of course, were not so easy to estimate.