Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-19
STATE HOUSE,
Two Bills Relating to Health o
the State.
One Would Have State Board in Power nv,
Water Supplies.

1t is said there is likely TO ha COW,
legislation asked for, this wintar ;,
the line of giving the State board =,
health more authority over the wa,a,
/ supplies of the cities and town Of RI.
State. Already many of the municipa
officers of the cities and towns bav.
expressed their desire that some act;o,
OF this sort be taken.
| AS the law now stands the boar3 has
| nothing to do with the water SUNNY
| of any place even though it is teem,ne
with germs of typhoid fever. They
can in the latter case only warn the
people that the water is not good h,,t
they have no power to act in the mat
ter. and they say certain amount OF
power should be given the board in re-
gard to the supplies of the cities at
| the State.
There is a large city thinking of put
ting in gigantic filter and the MANY
manufacturers of the appliances OF
this sort have been notified of the af
fair, and asked to compete for the
purpose of selling one. The men who
| are engaged in the selection are the
municipal officers and they of course
know but very little about such things.
The man who is the best talker and
make the best qualities of his filter
whether they exist or not, show I'M the
best. Us the one who will sell the filter
as the officers are business men and
| they take what seems to them to be
the best. Should a matter of this sort
| be left to the State board of health
which is composed of scientists, they
| would know better what should be
| used, both from the records of the
other State boards and from their per-
| Sonal observance.
The ladies of the State may take a
| hand in the matter from the way that
| some of the wonan's clubs of the State
are now discussing the sanitary ques-
| ton. The ladies of Bath and Bruins
wick in particular are very much in
terested in the sanitary question ana
it has occupied some of the time at
their meetings. The ladies from these
cities and in fact from all over the
partment for circulars relating to san
itary matters.
| Secretary Young of the State board
| says that though there is vast
amount of work still on hand to get
the people of the State to fully under
stand the value of matters pertaining
to the sanitary conditions, he thinks
| the State in this respect as q whole,
| ahead of the other States in nearly
everything.
The State board of health will doubt
4 less present bill to the Legislature
similar to the one that was presented.
| last year, and the effect of which was
destroyed by the action of the judici-
airy committee. This was the bill that
/ was introduced for the prevention OF
| the spread of Asiatic cholera, scarlet
/ fever, diphtheria, typhus fever and ike
\ diseases. The judiciary committee re-
vised it, making it bill to prevent the
spread of the Asiatic cholera alone.
Later the report of this committee was
II defeated by the action of the Legisla-
Il ture in putting back the original dis
II eases that the bill named. However,
II the most important part of the Dill
II was where the expense was 10 De
h horne. The original bill drawn by the
| board Of health laid all the expense
I upon the towns wherein the work was
/ done. but the judiciary committee re
ported that the expenses shoulu De
Maid by the State by order of the Gov
ernor and Council. The State poaro
believes that the local boards should
| pay all the bills that are necessary
as they realize if the State is mace 10
nav one bill all will be shirked Off upon
the state that is possible by the local
boards and soon the State would nave
TO lug all the work. The bill that I'M
allv passed the Legislature mas never
haen used during the past two years
as some other way out OF the cases
have been found, though many rave
been very unhandy to hanSie' Inc
hoard will probably ask that the OIL
he revised the expense in all the cases
where it is necessary to WORK lor 'ne
prevention of the spread OF the eoii'"7
inn mentioned will be pald TOT Wy 'h'
local boards.
railroad Commissioner Benjamin
c,odbourne passed the day, SATURDAY
insnecting the new section OF LIN
washington County Railroad.
cocratarv McKeen was at the olal'