The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-11-18
DR.. CHAPLIN
IS AGAINST
ADULTERAT|0N

81 heartily indorse Federal supervision
milk supplies and the prevention of adul-
GRAFTON OF food products" said DIR.
Charles V. Chaplin In discussing some OF
the features of the coming gathering of
the American Civic association and the
National Municipal league. to be held in
this city beginning tomorrow.
mot, however" he adds, Ito the ex-
tent OF interfering with the work OF the
local boards In tho experiments which
the latter may make and with their or
dinary routine work. and by this mean
the city and state boards. These should
be allowed the same freedom which they
now enjoy, for greater progress will be
made and we will not get hidebound.
"If men think for themselves, better
results will be obtained. III they do moth
ing excepting what they are told is ex-
pected OF them they will reach a dead
level To avoid arriving at such a condl-
ton there should be an avoidance of alb
solute Capitalization OF authority.
Under a vote of section / of the
American Association for the Advance
ment of Science, in furtherance of Fed
eral regulation Of public health, COM
mittee OF 100 has been appointed TO con-
slider the estabIishIng or Tederaf de-
partment OF health. not I'm the technical
sense, which would mean the creation of
member OF the presidents cabinet
such a plan as that / would not approve
but a department Of coordinate parts.
embracing the leading institutions and
scientists OF the country. N
There should be such department.
and i have always thought so. We had
a national board OF health In the '7Os.
which for one reason and anotner pc
tered out 1t had its headquarters at
Washington. This was followed by the
establishment OF the Marine Hospital
Service, which had quarantine powers
conferred upon 1t and which did good
work during the cholera scare about 1882
and the success of whose work has been
one of the principal reasons for asking
for national supervision, through ma
tional board, on the ground that, having
a medical man at the head and surgeons
at all the ports. it might take on other
powers.
There are a great many people who
think that we ought to have public
health service. and In connection with
the Federal government. In this connec-
ton there is a government literary bu-
reau, with headquarters at New Haven,
from which are sent out publications
which bear upon the public health and
which are OF value.
ton of milk as advocated by the commit
tee of 100 This is sensible and reason
able.
The matters which are OF the greatest
consequences, to my mind are milk, wa
ter, quarantine ana vital statistics. These
should all have Federal supervision. II
is not only important that the milk sup
ply should be pure; that 1t should be kept
from contamination. not only In the sense
ne zVmOttC
ease germs, but greater attention should
be paid TO safeguarding the public water
supplies.
'In our own state we lcok after the
purity the cleanliness of the Ten Mile
river by enforcing the law prohibiting
the contamination of that stream, but
we are unable to prevent the people Of
Massachusetts from depositing fecal mat
ter in that water supply. If the authori-
ties OF Massachusetts, would consent to
enforce the law for the benefit OF Rhode
Island users OF water, there would be
less danger from the spreading OF dis
ease.
"The betterment, the safeguarding of a
common water supply, in many instances
is not secured. and cannot be under eX-
listing conditions. because there are no
interstate laws covering river pollutions.
There are a number of rivers in the west
ern part of this country which run
through different states and for the rea-
son that these streams are used as COM
mon sewers. typhoid germs are carried
from one community 10 another.
This is the reason that I'm some parts
of the country typhoid is increasing.
"The establishment OF a Federal de-
partment OF health would be most inn
portant for the purposes of investiga-
ton.
"The meeting OF the American Civic
association and the National Municipal
league in this city this week is oppor-
tune. / presume that something will be
done during the convention to bring the
important subject of establishing Fed
eral department of health to the atten-
ton of congress at the coming session.
AS I have already said / heartily ap-
prove Of the plan and trust that prompt
and proper action will be taken"