Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-26
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THE PUBLIC HEALTH

II IMAM ABBOTT, ID. D.; Felix
IL Adler, President Angel of Ann
y Arbor, President Eliot of Har-
ward, Archbishop Ireland, Joseph III.
Choate, John Mitchell of the United
Mine Workers of America and a
number of other men of intelligence,
comprising the committee of 100 of the
American Association for the Advance
lnent of Science, are engaged in the
preliminary labor of outlining a plan
for federal department of health. The
powerful organization responsible for
the initiative in this matter has acted
in response to what it believes to be a
strong public sentiment which demands
that the federal government shall take
cognizance of the neglect or perversity
of the various state governments in
dealing with the most vital problem of
the health of the nation. Whether the
plan of operation suggested-which ap-
parently contemplates the centraliza-
tion of all authority in matters per-
tanning to the public health-will meet
with the approval of the majority OF
people or not, there is no doubt that
the agitation of the subject will pro-
duce ultimate results of beneficent
nature.
Our recollection is that the opening
of Chicago's great drainage canal,
which it was believed would be fol-
lowed by the pollution of the waters of
the Illinois and the Mississippi rivers,
was responsible for the crystallization
of sentiment in favor of federal regula-
tion of the public health. The inhabi-
tants of st. Louis, it will be recalled,
dumping of Chicago's sewage into the
Mississippi would seriously menace the
health of the Missouri metropolis.
Time has proven that the fears of the
Missourians were not altogether we'll
grounded; but that st. Louis has not
suffered a horrible epidemic of fever
as the direct result of Chicago's act
does not prove that the course of one
state or city in Kidding itself of disease
producing filth may not. at some time
In the future, produce the effect which
the inhabitants of st. Louis feared.
The distance between these two great
cities is such that the polluted water
which leaves Chicago purifies itself, to
a great extent if not wholly, before It
reaches the Mississippi; but if Chicago
were located on the site of Beardstown,
on the Illinois, or Quincy, on the Miss
issippi, the menace to st. Louis would
be such that the federal government
probably would be compelled to inter-
vene to prevent tragedy of unparall-
eled proportions, unless st. Louis could
secure an adequate supply of drinking
water from some source other than the
great Father of Waters.
This is but one aspect of the general
conditions which naturally prompt
thoughtful people to inquire into the
adyisability of the establishment of a
national board of health. But there are
SO many arguments that may be raised
against such an institution that it is
hardly to be expected that the COM
nittee of the American Association for
the Advancement of Science will suc-
ceed in doing anything more practical
than SO agitating the question as to
produce in the various states senti :.
nent that will result in ultimate CO.
operation In the adoption OF measures
for the safeguarding Of the public
health.