Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1910-04-01

AatN1 III NA1 AMNARANAAN NSNNA n.y.
and a large. well equipped hospital
building for the advanced cases. ~
this sanatorium Pennsylvania has
treated up to Dec. 81, 1893, 1855 pa
tients,l a large number Of whom have
been permanently cured and q still
larger number so effectually strength
ened that they are In far better con-
dition than formerly to fight the dis
ease.
Ground is now being cleared for
second state sanatorium on the beau
tiful site at Cresson. which Mr.. Car |
negle has so generously given to the ,
commonwealth, and a third site has /
been selected in the foot hills Of the |
Blue mountains. near Hamburg, In the
eastern end of the state.
For Pure Water.
In fighting such a widely prevalent
disease as typhoid fever, the useful
ness Of a central state health organi-
Eation is especially demonstrated.
Against typhoid local board Is prac-
tically helpless. This is because the
chief sources Of infection are the wa
ter courses. Our rivers unfortunately
do not recognize state or county lines.
A municipality may prevent water pol
luton from the banks within its own
| Jurisdiction. but cannot prevent It in
| other sections. Pittsburg may stop its
own citizens from .sewering into the
streams. but she cannot stop other
communities from polluting the wa
ters from which she draws her own
supply. And the dlscouraglng fact is
that, while one town may refrain from
pollutiBg the stream SO that another
further down may not have to drink
Its filth: its own water supply may be
polluted by less conscientious neigh
bors living upstream Up to the year.
1906 man in Pennsylvania appeared
to have lost the natural instincts Of
the lower animals and seemed indif-
ferent to the danger of loading his
system with that which nature has
once thrown off as poison. Man. un-
like the beasts Of the field had taken
on the habit Of discharging his offal
into the streams from which he took
his drinking water. Only some central
body, which has absolute control over
all water courses, can accomplish
general publication of the streams.
The legislature recognized this ne
cessity for central control when. in
1905. II placed all water courses. 80
far as public sanitation was concerned,
under the Jurisdiction Of the governor,
attorney general and commissioner OF
health. But there are also other pri-
vate sources of pollution-especially
the old-fashloned privies and wells
} which still are found in large mum
bers, overfowing into streams. These
! the department Of health has now the
, power to abolish. The department has
in file complete and detailed maps
! showing all the states water courses
large and small Whenever case OF
typhoid fever is reported 1t can i'm
mediately put its finger on the water
; shed where the disease originated and
r investigate accordingly. No municipal
ity can now construct water works
without first obtaining the states ap
proval of its plans. It cannot build
sewerage plants without similar con
t sent. Acting through these broad pow
' ers the health department, through
+ its army of inspectors, has penetrated
r the remotest recesses of the state, In
g specting premises, noting palpabl'
Q nuisances. investigating water anC
I sewerage systems. wholesom,
: cleanup has ensued In most cases tn,
nave reaIIEvu rHv uvOUssIry VI RENE
J. dial measures and have accepted tn,
/ work in a proper spirit. Up to date I
d has inspected 256,62s premises in rura
o districts and caused the abatement o
Il 1S,945 pollutions, It has issued 2O4 de
9 crees requiring changes in public wa
y ter works. Under its advice and sug
q gestion. all over the state, cities an(
I municipal bodies have awakened ant
I voluntarily begun to improve theiI
water supplies. Under the supervi,
j ion of the department sixty-seven sew
e nge disposal plants and thirty-hye wa
r ter filter plants have been built or ar,
8 now under construction.