The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-06
is THE ICE SUPPLY
OF SCRANTON PURE ?
Matter was Brought to the Atten-
tion of the Board of Health at
Its Meeting Last Night.

Is the ice supply of the city of Scran-
ton pure or is it not and is there any
danger of an epidemic Of contagious
disease resulting from the use of any
Of the ice sold in this city? That is
the question which agitated the board
of health last night
The question came mp in the form
of Il letter from Henry q. Silliman.
calling attention To the fact that sew
age finds It's way plentiiuily into
Lake Ariel from which ice is cut in
the winter Cottagers at Lake Henry.
of which he is the owner. want the
privilege of srwerir% into that lax.
but up to this tim" he has re-
fused permission. However, If freez-
ing destroys the impurities he would
like 10 be informed that he might give
the Lake Henry cott"sgers the boon
they ask AMI still retain the ability
to house ice from the lake IN winter.
lnasmuch as MI SilKman's letter
asked for an opinion as to whether di-
seasc germs are killed by the freez
ing process Health Officer Allen was
asked to give his views on the matter.
Some germs az" destroyed by freeZ-
inw" said he. land some are not.
n
by freezing are tho germs of typhoid
fever. that most dreaded disease. r
there are disease germs in water and
that water is frozen and then used
by people, in the form of ice, there
is. of course. risk that those persons
will contract the disease.
II think this is 4 very serious uueS-
ton and | would advise that commit
nication be made directly with the
companies furnishing ice to the city.
for the purpose of finding; out whether
or not they will agree TO having Il
bactrrioloSical examination made at
theil own expense of the water in the
various lakes from which they obtain
their supply of ice. This cXaTna-
ton could hc made unGer tn" direc>
ton of the board of iea!th and when
the result was made known We could
decide at once which lake, If any,
should be condemned"
1t was decided to instruct Captain
Burke to confer al once with the o!Ii-
ciais Of the various ice companies. IL
they are willing IL have the eNamfna-
tiun made. the health officer was in.
structcd to procure samples of the
water from all the lakes from when
ice is harry ested and forward the same
To some expert bacteriologist.
The board also took up the vaccinu-
ton question which was laid over at
the last meeting. Dr. Allen had Il
COPY of the act of 1895 with him ana
read portions governing the vaccina-
ton OF children. The act prohibits
any principal of II school from permit
ting any child to remain in school who
cannot produce certificate showing
that h, or she has been Vacclnated.
1t was decided IN have the doctor
appear before the board of control ut
ncvt Monday nights meeting and
point out To them the urgent neces-
sitN of enforcing the provisions of this
act.
The doctor reported also THAI ty-
phoid fever and diphtheria are on the
decrease while measles are coming TO
the front. there being eight cases ro'
ported last month
The report of the secretary for the
month of November showed that the
actual city mortality To have been
1l3. with 23 deaths resulting from ar-
Cidents. There We're 6o births and ~
cases of contagious diseases.