Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1907-01-09

an ever present debt owed tho
taxpayers and Is ef equal m-
roriance with the maintenance Of an ade-
quaie police department as a protection
against crime ana criminals. The public
health daily becomes moro serious prob
lem. with the continued growth of Tie large
cities and the increased sources OF cOn-
taminaiion for tho water supply upon
which these cities depend
When n State through the agency OF an
experienced and skilled holth depart
ment, practically eliminates typhoid and
scarlet fever. when diphtheria has beN
nearly eradlcated and the waters of the
State are being rapidly purified there is a
useful lesson to be learned by other states.
and the methods employed cmbody every
element OF interest for those engaged else
where In protecting the people from the
ravages of disease.
About two years ago PENNSYLVANIA came
10 a fun realization that its health laws
were meagre and ineffective; that death
and disease were stalking hand In hand
within the environs OF the Commonwealth.
and that its negligence had grown so great
as to excite the wonder OF the country.
Almost on the spur Of the moment its ofii-
cials decided that a remedy had to be
found Resih.-rhe State. Legislature Of
1905, with tho approval Of Governor Penny
packer, placed on the statute books three
OF tho most comprehensive health laws
ever devised IN tho United States. II was
necessary that some immediate and rad-
seal steps be taken. FOR tile State was
years behind her sister states On this
work.
STATE HEALTH ORGANIZATION.
The State Board of Health. twenty years
IN existence had been IN efficient hands,
but with only a nominal appropriation
and very limited powers This Board was
able TO advise the doing OF many things.
hut had no power to put In operation nee
cssary health measures.
The Legislature OF 1906 created the De
parunent Of Health and gave rs head
abundant power and large appropriation
TO protect the health OF the people OF Penn
fylvania. An act passed hy the same
LEGISLATURE charges the Commissioner with
the preservation of the purity of the water s
OF the State while an earlier act creates
Commissioner Of Health. which bureau
VIII for the first time IN the history OF the
State collect accurate statistics OF births
and deaths.
The act creating the Department Of
Health gave the Commissioner such broad
powers as 70 create fear that unless a
thoroughly upright and level headed man
were placed In charge 0f the department
great harm would result by the use on
misuse OF the authority vested In him
These fears were quieted when Governor
pcnnypacker appointed DIT. samuel O.
Dixon. president OF the Philadelphia Acad.
envy OF Natural Science. man not onl,
o. worldwide scientific repute but an active
man OF affairs. who brought TO the office
great executive ability os well as the nee
cssary knowledge OF sanitation.
Health Commissioner Dixon, but q shor
time IN ONCE. has been making long strides
toward perfecting the largest and mosl
Important State health department IN tht
country. Commissioner Dixon, assisted by
his chief medical inspector, DIT Frederic
c. johnson. and a medical Inspector y
each county, keeps In close touch witt
every community In the State and IS able
at the first signs OF an outbreak of dlseas'
20 nut in motion the machinery for han
ding the epidemic and checking III
spread.
In a rural district without a board O.
health the Health Commissioner on learn
lnr Of afroutbreak Of typhoid fever detai
the county medical inspector TO visit th'
scene and seek to locate the origina
aource Of infection. II may be the wate
or the milk supply. Perhaps he hnos nn
rnerous petty pollutions OF the water SUP
MY that must be cleaned mp. He urges IN
water company 20 have lis watershed pa
trolled constantly. and the pollution
stopped.
TO the homes where the disease IS, AM
without interfering With the family phys
clans he sees that the necessary prccau
lions are taken TO avoid secondary cases
The county medical Inspector may fin
that the source of Infection Is the mill
supply. and under instructions from IN
Commissioner OF Health he may find
necessary to cut or an infected supply an
insist upon the diaries being put IN SAN
tary condition.
DlPHTHERlA AND SCARLET FEVER.
Cases OF scarlet fever and d.phtheri
are closely watched for as they general
occur among school children 1t must q
made certain that there IS careful isols
tion OF the patients and that the othg
school children 10 the same household al
excluded from school during the period
Illness and for thirty days after recover
and disinfection Of the premises. as II
ouired BY law.
When the daily reports of c0mmunicah
diseases come IN from the physicians
the cases IN the rural districts the recor
are taken on on large Sheets and 10 ca,
household IN which there IS q contaqio
disease Is sent a circular containing raj
observed by nurses and attendants
charge OF the patient Special attention
paid In these circulars to the necessity