Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-05-08
The Health Authorities Attribute
Spread Of Disease 10 Breathing
OF Initiated Air.
CAUSE OF THE WHITE PLAGUE.
Strenuous Efforts Being Made TO Rem,
edy Existing condItlons--lesIsIa
ton Needed
Special Correspondence.


Washington. ID, c., May 5--ln the
course Of his inquiries as to the pos.
siblc spread OF disease over the ooun.
try through the unsonltary condition
OF railway passenger and street cars,
Surgeon General Wyman, OF the U, :,
marine hospital service, has received a
large number Of leltcrs from health
officers OF the various states and elites,
From these letters II appears 10 be the
almost unanimous opinion among
health officers that many diseases are
contracted by the travelling public
through breathing vtiutcd air IN the
cara, or by the reception Into their
gystoms of disease germs from others
infected, Especial Is this said TO DO
true Of the white Plague"
From these letters II also appears
that health boards and health officers
IN almost all parts OF the country are
making strenuous efforts 10 remedy
this great owl, but that they are ham
percd IN their efforts by the lack Of
legislation, only one or two OF tho
states have laws giving authority TO
the health boards 10 enforce sanitary
rules and regulations on the railroads,
In some other states the health OH.
Gers have undertaken this good work
without waiting for legislation.
Or HURTY's OPINION,
Al OF the health Officers who have
written upon this question rocog.
nlHe the importance ~ the subject and
express an earnest willingness 10 aid
In every possible way TO protect the
public health by enforcing rigid regus
l0tlons ON the question OF the ven.
tllatlon Of street ana passenger cars,
Dr. D. ~ Hurry, secretary OF the In
diana state board Of health writes,
ITS importance can hardly be- oXag-
geratod, indianapolis has good street
cars and very satisfactory service, but
tho ventilation IL simply horrld. nov.
or thlnk Of riding In the inside OF the
cars, but always stand out on the
platform, even In cold weather because
the air inside In always 80 extremely
foul II IL my opinion that the people
are more 10 blame for this condition
than the street ear company, Az YOU
Know, the only method for Ycntilating
street cars IL by the yontIlntors IN the
roof ana by tho windows and doors. No
passenger VIII permit window 10 be
even moment, some ono viii rise and
close them. The same IN true IN regard
TO tho vcntllntors In the roof ! have
repeatedly opened these yon,ilators
only TO see them Immediately closed
again by some other pasngr The
street railway authorities viii give or.
dcrs 10 their conductors TO keep the
Ventllalors open, but passengers viii
close thom
"'rho problem Of car ventilation liz n
most difficult one, Cars have been
termed houses on wheels" In these
moving houses space Is AZ u high pre-.
MUM and 10 keep them supplied with
sufllclent pure mir for the crowded oo-
cupnnis IL n matter of extreme AIM
Guilty. Indeed, no dinicnlt " tho prob
lem, ! do not believe that cars can be
thoroughly ventilated without creating
drafts and without, In cold weather,
lowering the temperature below com.
Portable endurance, passnbo yontIla-
ton VIII doubtless be some day so.
cured"
ENDORSED ny OTHERS.
These comments by Or Hurry arc
practically reiterated by every other
health officer who has written on tho
question, except that some are more
optimistic and forosee adequate ven.
tilatIon through the application Of sim.
pie scientific principles Dr Hurry
goes on In hls letter TO speak strongly
on the question Of the unsHnitary con.
dltlon Of passenger cars and Of the
spread " diseases by the nlthy habit
Of oNpoctoptIng upon the floor. Al
Of the health officers who have written
on tho subject express an earnest de.
sire that Congress may enact the nee.
oseary legislation 10 place tho santa.
ton or passenger cars under the di,
rootlon OF the Interstate commerce
commission, under regulations pre-
acrbod by tho u, \, Marine hospital
service.
Many OF tho moro important milroad
companies are using every effort 10 so.
cure n better system OF car ventilation,
&, ~ Goodnow general manager OF
the Chicago q Alton Railway com pnny,
writes that HIS company has been oX.
porlmonting with u new device and
that nv II has proved 10 be sn,lsfao.
tory tho company VIII doubtless oquIp
NIL thclr cars with IT,,
PULLMAN TAKES STEPS,
The Pullman company has appointed
a superintendent Of sanitation whose
special duty II IN TO make thorough and
complete tosis Of whatever devices
may DO offered untIl one IL found that
WIN prove satisfactory Other railroad
companies are working along tho same
lines ana II 10 believed that tho rail.
road authorities and the health boards,
acting IN harmony, VIII soon work dc.
cldod changes for tho better proserya-
tion OF the public health,