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A caricature of Dr. Porter drawn in 1912 by his friend Lawren Harris, who later became one of the famous Group of Seven. |
"For more than a decade, Dr. Porter traveled across Canada, arousing public interest in the prevention of tuberculosis. During the fourteen years Dr. Porter served as executive secretary of the association he addressed over 450 meetings, organized seventy-five local societies, and arranged twelve annual conferences throughout the country; he also prepared various reports and wrote pamphlets and papers. Besides lecturing Dr. Porter was active in the establishment of sanatoria, the opening of dispensaries, and increasing the number of visiting nurses. Under his leadership thirty-five new leagues were organized, and much space was given by numerous newspapers to the topic of tuberculosis. It was during his term of office that interest in the international tuberculosis scene began.
In 1921 he retired from the association to become the first director of the University of Toronto Health Service. His gift of oratory and his facility for organizing the public and getting support from health personnel in federal, provincial, and municipal areas have never been equaled."
-- taken from Wherrett in The Miracle of the Empty Beds, 1977.
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