The symposium that follows brought together individuals from varied professional spheres, all of whom have evidenced deep concern and expertise in recognizing, caring about, and preventing abuse and neglect of children. The purpose of the symposium was several fold:
1.To present in a cohesive form the present knowledge concerning etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of the abused child.
2. To present in some detail the legal as well as the medical and social methods of handling the problem.
3. To illustrate current and possille future approaches to the handling of the child and family involved.
4. To allow those involved in the field to have the opportunity to direct questions and problems to the gathered group of experts.
While much of the material concerning law and social agencies relates to New York state and city, the implications for other parts of the nation are self-evident.
The symposium was organized by Dr. Edmund N. Jovner, III, in his capacity as Chairman of the Special Committee on Child Welfare of the Medical Society of the County of New York. Assisting Dr. Joyner in this effort were the members of his committee as well as Mrs. Ruth Altman, secretary to the committee, and Mr. David Beiles, public relations representative for the Medical Society of the County of New York.
The sponsor of the Symposium, the Medical Society of the County of New York, was given generous financial support by the Edwin Gould Foundation for Children, New York, Mead Johnson and Company, Evansville, Indiana, and Ross Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio, which made possible the presentation and subsequent publication of this symposium.