The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-30
State MUST AID
IN||.F|GHT ON DISEASE ! | J |.
Schedule Of Important Bills Pre-
pared for Presentation at Com
ing Session Of Legislature
POLLUTION OF STREAMS.
Vaccination Of School Children
to BE Made Compulsory-Be
ter Mortality Record Wanted.

. q 7.
ter Mortality Record Wanted.
Continuing the crusade against cons
tagious diseases. the state Board OF
Health has drafted several bills, which
are OF the, most vital Importance to tile
public welfare. and which willsbe pre-
scented to the coming Legislature for
consideration. IT is believed that they
will furnish the basis for one OF the
most Important acts OF the General
Assembly Of 1908. !,
. Governor Swnnson was one OF the
first to see the. vast amount OF good
self IN favor of the enactment or
laws which will give the State Board
source OF 3protection to the people.
Whnt Board Wants.
It Is deemed OF the utmost impor-
lance by the board that complete
record OF the death of every person.
M Sa kt the ans and manner Of death
preserved as basis for the work OF
the board In future. Although since
It's it organization the board has striven
cooperation OF the various towns and
cities Of the State. these efforts have
met with but little success. there be-
ths maLe az, y, e.essn CLUES IN virginia
treating the diseases OF chlldrenlit is
quite Important that the physician be
wei INFORMED as to infant mortality
Importance. of these records. Dr. VIII
bur bur. Chief stntistician of the Bureau OF
cens .yo. IN ~, his Il last report. says:
Tor the indivlduKI. as proteatfnw
Important leRnl interest ana for
tie welfare of society. whose duty
citizens. but II il universally recos-
hixeu az the most important amt
nnsoiuteiy fundamental basis OF IS
modern. effective public hcaItf,
Apart from the fact that thew a;a
80 materially in the combating of dis
ease, death certificates are Of the nj.
most mo- importance legally. The records
and by the life Insurance companies.
W idows are often embarrasseds by the
absence Of such official data. lack II
W Nnr. 1eopardizes their means Of sup
5surance or pensions.
Pollution of Streams.
Hardly next in Importance to a rc-
quirement for correct and full vital lsta-
ustlcs Is law to prevent the pollution
OF the potable waters of the State
w ,rf,n ~, the board will propose 1t Is
the statute books of Virginia, hut II
seems to be a mere make-shift. and the
protection that II affords 10 the citi-
"ehs OF the State Is practically nothing.
With the growth of the manufacture
NE interests, the most potent factor in
the pollution OF the streams. comes the
assembling of many people, operatives
ana others. whose lives are endanger-
60 by the very source from which they
mortality from which is second only
10 tuberculosis. can In great mary
eases be traced 10 bad water. In fact,
1t is considered by the hes, autlorities
to be a water borne disease
Aside from the loss OF human life
from the filthy waters of streams.
most OF the game fish especially tho
bass. are becoming extinct In the most
celebrated fishing grounds OF the State.
From the poor statistics which are now
available 1t Is estimated that the loss
70 the State from polluted water alone
Is more than $S.5o0.OOO. The state
Board OF Health thinks it much wiser
to protect streams and watersheds by
to correct the evil and remove the
cause after scourgc or epidemic has
developed.
Insist on Vaccination.
Despite the fact that. such great
strides have been made in the work
poS. it has come under the observation
OF the board that in great measure
these laws are being disregarded. espe-
cially in the country districts. where
are obliged to close on account OF
outbreaks of the disease The board
therefore will propose that it be made.
obligatory upon the teachers of all
Is protected by vaccination before en-
rolment. AS the law now stands it is
left optional with the school trustees:
hence the regulation Is practically not
observed eXCent In a few of the CITIES
and large towns. II the proper pre-
cautions are taken in systematic
way, there will be bar little danger OF
Infection.
Up soths present time Virginia has
tives, and worse than this. has &C.
complshed but-little toward the pre-
vention of the disease which causes
for some time been endea.voring to
arouse the people to the Importance
of fighting this scourge. and is offer
suits OF It's own observations and OF
what has been learned from the re-
cent exhibit here
Teach Cures In School.
Besides those measures mentioned.
the board has also drafted bills for
the modes by which dangerous and
communicable diseases are spread and
| the best ethods for their restriction
and preyentton: and for requiring the
and sleeping cars, with penalty for
Violation. b 81
Each of the bills has been prepared
In g concise and eomprehhe n: form
lture iii it's entirety as theSresult2of the
mature and careful thought of the
llphys cians to- whom the State has in-
trusted the welfare of the people Of
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