New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-12
STATE HEALTH REPORT.
Dr. Porter 4d1ises Rigid Inspection
Of Potable Water.

Albany, Feb n.-Three State authorities lay spe-
cial stress in their annual reports this year the
question of prevention Of pollution of public
supplies The State Water Supply Commission de-
voted much space TO the matter of the purity Of
these supplies in all parts of the State especially
with reference to the increasing probability that
New-Hork City will eventually have the
Ter OF the Hudson River. The State River Improve
ment Commission emphasizes the bearing which
water storage on its tributaries would have on the
purity of the water in the Hudson at Troy and AL
bany.
Now comes DR.. Eugene H. Porter the State Com
missioner of Health. in his annual report made
public to- night. with these words:
During the last year 55i deaths from typhoid
geratfOn TO say that almost every OF these
deaths was caused by infected water.
The purity and protection Of public water sup
plies. stream pollution and its suppression, the
control and regulation Of sewage disposal and the
urgent need of sufficient funds to enable his de-
partment 10 conduct its sanitary engineering work
the principal subjects treated In the report
Dr. Porter says:
The efforts of this department to prevent further
pollution of water supplies should be Supplementary
potable waters Of the State by providing that all
plans for public water supplies be approved by the
State Commissioner OF Health. and also to secure
Inspection of proposed and existing sewer systems
and water supplies. The problem or securing the
the cities and villages Of the State only be
solved by intelligent and comprehensive action 1t
is readily apparent that the problem OF the pre-.
ventton of the further pollution OF the waters OF
the State and the one Of control and the conserv-
ing Of public water supplies are so closely inter
woven and so dependent on each other that they
should be hand in hand and broad broad and and
solution Of these important questions
or the problem of sewage disposal, DR.. Porter
says:
1t is often most perPiexing and d d. a prob prob,
q DQrfty streams
their fitness for potable water supplies; Not only
are gil the proposed sewer systems in the different
towns and municipalities in the State to be hives
tigated, comparisons made examinations conduct
ed and but men ba is e69gS important every
system and sewage disposal plant. every manufact-
summer resort should be thoroughly examined at
IN every When it is added that the amount
appropriated for the most important work Is IN
plies the dicuities the department at present Ia
bors under may be apparent.
Speaking of the registration Of births which he
says is far from satisfactory. DR.. Porter says:
The most incomplete registration of births in the
state is shown in the cities OF Albany and Troy:
popule tion. against resident death rate of 1877
death rate Of lsi. 1t is doubtful whether onehaif
OF the births occurring in these cities are reported
10 the local boards of health and doubt from Is
90 per cent OF the births occurring in other
cities are not registered It is to be regretted that
the Importance of preserving such valuable records
certificates of births is not appreciated by the
attending
While the registration Of marriages is more COM
pete than that of births. yet il is unsatisfactory
and IL would appear that the most effectua remedy
enforce the proper registration OF marriages sol
emnized I'm the State would be the enactment OF
law requiring the contracting parties to procure
marriage license from the county clerk OF the
" in which the marFiage is be performed, and
that such license and the certificate OF marriage
after being properly recorded in the County Clerks
office. be transmitted 10 this department and filed
for safekeeping.
DR.. Porter cites the following cities report
Ing fewer births than deaths Albany, Binghamton
Cohoes. Corning Fulton. Hudson. Ithaca Middle
town. Newburg, Oswego Rensselaer,. Rome Troy
and Watervliet He recommends an amendment 10
the public health law which would require Buffalo
Albany and Yonkers file all certificates of births
marriages and deaths with the State Department
Of Health
The vital statistics OF the State the year show
172 go births 49, SIG deaths, and rs 2 marriages.
as against 1904 births 1H.3es deaths and a.
677 marriages IN 1901 Based the population Of
the State shown by the recent State census
(s Or. Sos) the above figures show a birth OF
21S per 1000 population and a death rate or II.
The report describes in detail the sanitary
condition Of the State.