The National Health Federation wasincorporated as a “¿�non-profithealthcorporation― in Sacramento, California, on January 21, 1955, with headquarters at 2454 Van Ness Avenue, SanFrancisco, California, and legislativeand legal headquarters maintained atWashington, D. C., by Benedict FitzGerald. Fred Hart, President of theElectronic Medical Foundation, waselected President and has held thatoffice for both organizations ever since.The present address is 211 West Colorado, Monrovia, California.

This group was organized as a resultof the feeling of the Electronic MedicalFoundation that the U.S. Food andDrug Administration had dealt unfairly with them in securing a consentdecree. It is their contention that theyagreed voluntarily to withdraw theirvarious instruments (oscilloclast, depolaray, depolatron, electronic bloodanalysis, etc.) from interstate distribution in return for a promise by theFood and Drug Administration thatthere would be no publicity concerningthis action until a hearing had beenheld to determine whether these machines were efficacious in healing numerous human diseases and conditions,as claimed. The day after they signedthe consent decree, the Food and DrugAdministration issued a statement concerning it; no hearing had been held.

Out of this incident grew the desireto set up a National Health Council “¿�torepresent, protect, and promote the bestinterest of the sick of the Nation, and

those progressive doctors regardless ofclassification whose first interest in lifeis the healing of their patients; and tothat end, are courageous enough to useany harmless remedy, method, or modality which their experience indicatesas efficacious.―

This National Health Council becamethe National Health Federation. Thelegislative program for which theyworked in 1961 included: “¿�Anamendment to the Federal AdministrativeProcedure Act in line with the recommendation of the Hoover Commission,which reads as follows: ‘¿�Agencypublicity found by a reviewing court tohave been released for the purpose ofdiscrediting any person under investigation or a party to an agency proceeding may be considered by the court as aprejudicial prejudging of the issue, andthe court may set aside any agency action against such a person or pat-ty orenter other appropriate order.'―

The purpose, stated on all information distributed by the Federation, is:

“¿�Everyfamily in America should belong to the National Health Federation to: 1. Protect their health; 2.Know the truth about health matters; 3. Reduce the cost of healthcare; 4. Work for beneficial healt/ilegislation; 5. Oppose detrimentalhealth legislation; 6. Secure fair andimpartial law and regulation enforcement; 7. Put a stop to injuriouschemicals being added to food anddrink; 8. Maintain health liberty andfreedom of choice; .9. Hare a strongand united voice in all health matters; 10. Insist that all -money raisedfor health research and care be used

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Unproven Methods of Cancer TreatmentProponent Organizations

The following statement concerning the National Health Federation, an organization with a program which includes the distribution of information concerning new or unproved methods for the treatment of cancet-, and active supportof legislation in the health field, was recently distributed to the 59 Divisions of theAmerican Cancer Society.

National Health Federation

for that purpose and no other; 11.Compel all health fund-raising organi:ations to give a yearly detailedaccount of the expenditure of allfunds collected.―

There are four classes of membership: regular, $3 per year; family, $4per year; active, $5 per year (with apledge to form a Local Chapter with 10or more regular members), and sustaining, $25 or more per year open alsoto firms or corporations.

Membership was originally on an individual basis, but in the spring of 1957a plan was approved whereby anygroup, which is organized to accomplishsome useful purpose in the field ofhealth, might affiliate with the Federation. Since then, the National HealthFederation has frequently stated thatit “¿�servesas a coordinating bodythrough which the efforts of the smallerorganizations having similar purposes,may be unified and directed towards theaccomplishment of a single program.―

The organization includes a Board ofGovernors, Executive Board, ExecutiveDirector, state, county and local groups,and 16 advisory councils for varioushealth methods and practices. TheBoard of Governors consists of 27 Directors-at-Large, one third of which areelected each year to a three year term,and one Director from each StateHealth Federation. Elections are heldat the annual meeting. Officers electedin January 1961 were: Fred J. Hart,President; Harold Edward, Vice President; E. Hugh Tuckey, Treasurer;Don C. Matchan, Secretary; V. EarlIrons, Chairman, Board of Governors;Charles Crecelius, Vice-Chairman,Board of Governors, and Ray Overacker, Attorney for the Corporation.At this meeting it was decided to makethe Federation a regional organizationwith Eastern, Central and Western districts, and to set up a legal panel, “¿�toconsist of lawyers, who are members ofthe Federation and who will serve for

the good of the cause,―each to make astudy of the laws and court cases in hissection of the country.

Two conventions have been held eachyear. One, the annual meeting at whichofficers are elected and business transacted, has taken place in California during the first week in January. The second, called the Eastern Convention, hasbeen held in late summer or fall, with aprogram of speakers and round -tablediscussions. The fourth of these washeld in Toledo, Ohio, in July 1960. Athird convention was to have beenadded in 1961, a one day meeting inNew York City, but this was canceled.

On February 1, 1958, the NationalHealth Federation opened a Washington, D. C. headquarters at 1900 FStreet, N.W., for a one year trial period.On January 15, 1959, the Federationopened its permanent Washington officeat Hotel 2400, 2400 16th Street, N.W.On February 1, 1960, this office wasmoved to Suite 3, 1012 14th Street,N.W. Clinton Miller, Assistant to thePresident of the Federation, is incharge. Charles Orlando Pratt, Washington attorney, is the Washingtoncounsel.

The National Health Federation Bulletin, a 24 to 36 page, pamphlet-typepublication, was founded in June 1955.This is published monthly, Januarythrough June, and bi-monthly, Julythrough December. Fred J. Hart is Editor. Subscription rate is $3.00, or included in membership dues. This servesas the spokesman for the organization.

Income is derived from member duesand donations. Imprinted stamps accompany fund-raising letters in specialmail appeals. When a state federationis chartered, half the funds raised arespent within the state. The 1959 incomewas reported to be close to $46,000. Ofthis, approximately 43 per cent wasspent on Washington office expenses,and approximately 23 per cent on publications and publicity.

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