The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-08-05
The State Board of Health De-
cides on Drastic Steps.
All the Railroads in the State to Be
Indicted for Unhealthy
Methods.
WHAT WILL BE REQUIRED

Acting under regulations prepared
three months ago, the state board Of
health has completed arrangements fol
the indictment of each railroad corpo
ration which operates in Kentucky,
charging that the health of Kentucky
citizens and passengers travelling
through Kentucky is continually
menaced by the "filthy and unsanita-
ry condition" Of the coaches provided
for transportation. It Is said that not
only will each corporation be indicted
at its terminal point, but possibly in
each county through which the lines
pass. This action has been decided
upon only after the railroads have
been given due notification and time
to improve the condition of their roll
ing stock. The movement may reach
all other methods of transportation,
such as ferryboats, steamboats, and
interurbsn lines.
The committee appointed by the
state board Of health more than year
ago, met with the representatives of
the various corporations three months
ago. At that meeting the regulations
which had been previously prepared
by DR.. Chester Mayer, were present
ed and the representatives notified
that they would be expected to abide
by them after three months had pass
ed. A few Of the roads have already
begun system Of renovation, but it
is charged that the majority persist in
using the same germ.laden cars.
The committee appointed to make
the investigation into the sanitary
condition Of the passenger coaches be-
gan work more than year ago and
was composed of Drs. Chester Mayer,
James Mathews and William Bailey,
Of Louisville, and DIR. ]. N. McOor-
mack, of Bowling Green. secretary of
the board.
The doctors spent many weeks trsv-
cling about the state, infinitely in
speoting the cars they found in use
and inquiring into the methods used
In cleaning.
II is said many instances for grave
neglect were discovered. In many
cases the railroad employees laughed at
the suggestion that an effort should
be made to keep the cars ventilated
and in anything like a sanitary CON
iition. The allegation is made that
in Pullman sleeping cars the neglect
was found to be almost criminal.
Blankets used every night were re
ported to the committee as being
washed only once in six months. Pill
lows and other bed clothes were given
airings only when the car went into
the repair shop. Wash basins. were al
lowed to accumulate 9Th for days at
, time, and the curtains used to cover
The berths were never removed. The
plush in the seats and cushions also
for ms abundant hiding places for dis
sase-ladep dust and these were clean
I'd sometimes as often as once a week,
but more frequently twice month.
When they were cleaned, il is charged
they were hastily brushed off with a
broom followed with a stream of com
pressed air oonduoed by hose. This
process knocked the dust out Of the
seats for the time, but the poor venti'
lation of the cars and closed windows
preoluded the escape of the released
dust and twenty minutes after il had
been driven from the seats, it had set
tied again.
In the coaches used for local travel,
the cars in which the people of all
classes were continually trsmpiug in
md ont, the conditions were declared
10 be nothing short of criminal. The
was found to be only what
,ir could creep in between the cracks
q the cars and laden as il was with
finders and smoke, was little better
han the belohings of the engine it.
elf. The seats were of the heavy
lush variety, capable of carrying
ust and disease germs from one end