The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-11
THE HOLSTERS HEALTH
STATE BOARD ISSUES \ WARNING AS
TO PREVAILING CONDITIONS.
Pollution of Streams q Source of Great
Danger-New Health Law
Is Inadequate.

The quarterly bulletin of the State Board
Of Health for the quarter ending June so
was issued yesterday. The report furnishes
some interesting statistics on deaths in In
diana and their causes In addition to this
the report of the health office shows that
during the quarter the state board made
twenty-five water ANALYSES, eighteen speci-
mems being condemned; eleven diphtheria
cultures were developed, nine proving to be
true diphtheria; of four sputum examina-
tions three contained tubercle bacilIi This
work is done without charge, upon the
written application of any state health Of
ficer.
Contained in the report are several ar
ttcles on sanitation and it's abuses. In re-
gard to the effect of natural gas on the
eyes DR.. 7. NJ. Jay, of Portland, says
That natural gas does exercise an in
fuence over the eye apd it's diseases is I'M
doubtedly a fact, and the manner in which
1t operates we shall inquire into. In the
gas belt the principal illuminant used is
natural gas, of course and, while electrici-
ty and coal-oil lamps are used by many,
yet am safe in saying that three-fourths
OF all methods of artificial lighting is by
natural gas. The flames from the various
forms OF gas burners have, with the posi-
BILE exception of One-the Welsbach-One in
variable, pernicious characteristic, and that
is a constant pickering, ebb-and-flow mo-
ton. AS result of gas lights we usually
upon this fact depends the evil results of
such illuminant. The pickering motion re-
ferred to above has a tendency 10 act as a
series OF shocks upon the retin2, similar to
the faradic current upon a muscle or nerve,
the continuous movement of the image its
increase and decrease of brightness, sub
jects the accOmmodative apparatus of the
eye to similar shocks in the effort to ac-
commodate for the ever-wayering image,
resulting in fatigue, headache and dizzi-
ness.
MUST FILTER LAKE WATER.
A full report of the meeting of the In
diana State Medical Society," held at Terre
Haute in May, is given. The now water
supply at the state prison at Michigan City
is given attention. Concerning this it says:
1.-THE last Assembly appropriated $4,000
Tor new water supply at the state
prison The prison has long been supplied
from wells within the walls. Upon this
area, about eight acres, average of five
hundred men have lived constantly for over
twenty-five years. During part Of this time
all excrement was deposited in pits within
the walls. 1t is alarming to know that
any management should for moment be-
lleve 1t possible to secure potable water
from such ground. Twelve driven wells,
averaging sixty feet in depth, in sandy
soil lying upon an mpervous layer Of clay,
have for about five years furnished the
water for drinking and steam making. The
prisoners early discovered the water to be
unhealthful, for it caused nausea, diarrhea,
etc. The appeal to the warden, as re-
lated by that official to give them
ufInkdDle water, was exceedingly D9IQeIlC.
The supply was not only contaminated with
organic posOns, but contained. also, ele-
ments corrosive to steel and IRON The de-
struction of boilers and steam pipes was
very great The new supply will be taken
from Lake Michigan. 1850 feet from the
shore. The analyses of samples Of water
collected at the point of the proposed in
take show it to be of the same compost
tion as the Chicago supply, which, as is
well known, is taken about four miles from
the shore. The Chicago health department.
shows that the number Of cases of typhoid
fever, dysentery, etc, go up and down oTi
cago pours into the lake 175000,00o gallons
of sewage daily. This, in the course of one
year, is all sufficient to pollute the whole
southern half of the lake. It is certain
that the part of the lake named is now poll
luted. and it is the pronounced belief of this
necessary to filter the Lake Michigan
water.
the prison authorities. and they have ac-
knowledged our formal protest against fur
nishing unfiltered lake water to the prison.
They are, however. helpless in the matter,
because the appropriation ($15 OOO) will not
admit of filters the amount being barely
sufficient to construct pumping works and
lay the necessary pipes. While this board
is constrained to publicly declare it's belief
that the raw lake water will be found dam
gerous to health, it at the same time is
confident a decided Improvement over the
present conditions will attend the unfiltered
lake supply. The Improvement is a credit
to the State yet at the same time it is a
money to secure the helpless prisoners
against likely disease and death. The State
Board of Health will call the attention of
the next Assembly to this demand of hu-
mainly which can be met by the expendi-
ture of a few dollars
NEW STATE HEALTH LAW
The new state health law passed by the
last Legislature is spoken of in this man
ner:
Among the many faults and imperfec-
tons of the existent health law the mode
of appointment of county city and town
heath ofneers' tnelr compensation and
adequate The law permits the appointing
of any male for one year The year tenure
About the time an appointee becomes IA
miliar with and measurably effective in his
office, his time expires, and he then either
grows lax or gives his energies to securing
reappointment. The omission Of the law