New-York tribune., 1910-02-21
WAR ON POLLUTION
I7RGED BY DIR. PORTER.
CoUs Condition an This State
Public Disgrace.
rsv Telegram to The Tribune. ]

.1ho,v Feb 20-The principal recon-
roara.tiop made by DIR. Eugene II. Porter,
state Commissioner OF Health, In his an
rupI report to Governor Hughes Is that
hill he passed affording effective means Tor
nreventing pollution OF the streams OF the
state. He said that in New York State In
1909 there were 1906 deaths from typhoii
fever. largely due to polluted and lniec'eo
u,a,er supn,ies. Under the existing laws,
he declared, little relief can DE ootaihso
from these conditions, and he called IL
nnb,,e disgrace that many of the streams
of tba state have been allowed 10 reach the
limit of pollution they carry.
The report states that the department IS
making a strong campaign to secure bet
ter nrotection of public water supplies OF
the state In many places where the water
supplies are protected by rules or the de-
partment. the Commissioner has ordereo
Investigations and directed the cleaning up
of the watershed In the unprotected "atoi
supplies Investigations have been Inade oS
the department, and the water companies
and water boards have had brought sharp
ly To their attention conditions wnlch tieS
should remedy.
The der,artrnent during the last year mas
found and remedied many unsanitary con-
ditions among summer resorts. Speciai at-
tention has been paid 10 those places which
have impure water supplies ana hhPropei
methods of sewage disposal The comu1ls-
s,orar said that the condition of many OF
these places has been found TO De odi
eerous to persons visiting them. and that
he insists that they be placed IL proper
sanitary condition.
DR. Porter takes particular sauSIaclloH
in the announcement Of the State Depart
regular and SyS-
tamatic instruction In sanitary science ana
nrbIc health will be given to the nrst
eight grades in the public schools He callS
if one of the most important steps forward
In sanitary education. and possibly the
greatest ever taken in this state IL Is
proposed, says the report. To hold num-
ber of sanitary institutes for the Instruc-
ton OF sanitary experts and health offcers'
some of which will be at the quarantine
station on Staten Island. under the direc-
ton of DR. Doty the health officer OF the
Port of New York.
The denartrnent urges the construction OF
county hospitals for the treatment or tUber-
culosis, and highly commends the work OF
the great life insurance companies III
educating their policynolders regarding
tuberculosis and other diseases 1t Is an
nol1nced that the first statewide attempt
to control preventable diseases Is aoout 10
he taken. The state will De divided INTO
districts each under the supervision or
medical expert, and systematic e1"r' VIII
be made 20 stamp out such diseases aS
smallpox. scarlet fever and measles.
1t is also proposed 10 begin the "istrlou-
ton OF 81 treatment for rabies, which has
beeu largely on the increase Throughout
fine state. It is possible for tho State De-
nartnent OF Health 70 provide :his treat
ment which can be administered anywhere,
and it Is the desire of the department 70
undertake this important work at an early
date.
The report shows that the total number
OF deaths for 1909 was 1878, showing Il
death rate Of 16.t loco, as compared
with 1G.S Tor 1905. There were 20o,sto