The Cardiac Catheter and the American Heart Association

receptors Carotid and aortic baroreflexes Hemorrhage Muscle afferents Sympathetic nerves THIS YEAR we are met not only for the 46th Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association but also to celebrate its 25th year as a national voluntary health agency.The Association came into being in 1922, and Lewis A. Conner of New York was elected the first President.Also, he was the first editor of the American Heart Journal which the Association began in 1926.I did not have the privilege of knowing Dr. Conner, but I share your admiration of the wisdom and dedication of our predecessors, which set the stage for the great ac- complishments of this organization.Twenty-five years ago, the change was made from a medical society to a national voluntary association committed to raising funds from the American public and to using these funds for the cure of heart disease.In that year, 1948, the principle was established that the primary emphasis of the American Heart Association was the support of acquisition of new knowledge through research; in the year 1972-1973, over fifteen million dollars was expended in research support.By 1948, it was evident that the cardiac catheter provided unique opportunities for the study of the human circulation, and the funds provided by the American Heart Association for training and support- ing investigators did much to let us realize its full potential.As experience was gained, all chambers of