Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-11
rrRcN A srAFF CORRESPONDENT. ;


JoHNsTowN, July 10.-The annual
meeting of the State Board of Health was
held here to-day. After re-electing DR..
David Engelman, of Easton, as President,
the board devoted the rest of the session to
considering the sanitary condition of the
Conemaugh Valley. Drs. Lee and Graf,
who have been the agents of the board, sub
mit.ed detailed report OF the work that has
been done here under their direction. In
this report the physicians explained how
they had divided the valley into districts
aud placed a medical inspector and a fore
man in charge of each district. 1t told how
they had established posts for the dis
tribution of disinfectants, and how all
garbage and purifying and drying vege-
table and animal matter had been removed.
1t was only by the hardest kind of work
that they had kept the valley in healthful
condition. The work of cleaning cellars,
the report says, has been most difficult, but
it is now well under way. Those that are
still in bad sanitary condition will in a
few days bethoroughly disinfected. People
are advised to whitewash their cellars, and
they carry out the instructions of the board
completed sanitary medical survey which
shows the condition between Nineveh and
South Fork of every family as to over
crowding, sickness and sanitary condition
of cellars. The greatest number of en-
ployes the board has had at any one time has
been 285 men. The force now at work num-
bers 153. The report was approved by the
board and the two physicians highly com
mended for their work.
THE WORK TO GO ON.
A committee, consisting of President
Eugelman, Secretary Lee DR.. Howard, DR..
Murphy and DR.. j. +. Edwards, was ap-
pointed to keep a vigilant watch over the
sanitary condition OF the Conemaugh and
Juniata valleys and the Lockhaven and
Williamsport districts. Drs. Lee and Graf
were authorized to remain here for another
month at least and, if necessary, they were
directed to stay until fall. When the busi-
ness of the meeting had been completed DIR.
Lee took the members of the board on a trip
through the valley in carriages. They were
out all the afternoon. Upon their return
DR.. Edwards, of Philadelphia, said to your
correspondent: "We have learned from our
trip this afternoon that all the rumors of
sickness alleged to be due to the food that
have been sent out of here have been false.
There is not a single case of sickness that
can be attributed to the food This
We consider as remarkable, and it
speaks volumes for the work of
DR.. Lee and the Red Cross Society. DIR.
Lees whole system of work is perfectly
satisfactory to the board, and all his ar
rangements for the continuance of the work
are perfect. That there has not been an
epidemic here is due to the excellent work
OF DR.. Lee and the Red Cross Society. The
condition OF the valley, however, is still
such that it will require constant watching.
If the people will cooperate with the Board
of Health there need be no fear of an epi-
demic this summer. We must have the
help of the people, however. They must
exercise great personal care and cleanliness
both of their persons and premises"
PRAISE FOR THE RED CROSS.
Dr. Edwards said the board had inspected
the hospital of the Red Cross Society, and
was very much pleased with its manage
ment. He and other members of the board
said the Red Cross Society could not be
given too much credit for its work here.
DR.. Edwards said the members had visited
the cemeteries and found that all bodies had
been decently buried. The graves of the
unknown dead were in just as good condi-
tion as those of the persons who had been
Identified. He said there was not the
slightest foundation for the statements that
bodies had been unearthed by dogs and
wolves.
DR.. Lee took the members on another trip
up the valley this evening. They returned
int time to have a consultation with Chief
Engineer Hamilton. The members all left
tor home on the 1880 train
MCSwIGAN.