The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1910-04-21

ease.
Ground is now being cleared for a
second state sanatorium on the beau
tiful site at Cresson, which Mr. Car
negie has so generously given to the
commonwealth. and 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 sucL widely prevalent
disease as typhoid fever. the useful
ness of central state health organi.
zation 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 llnes.
A municipality may prevent water pol
luton from the banks within Its own
Jurisdiction, but cannot prevent II in
other sections. Pittsburg may stop ita
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 discouraging fact 10
that. while one town may refrain from
polluting the stream 30 that another
further down may not have to drink
its filth, it's own water supply may be
polluted by less conscientious neigh.
bors living upstream. Up to the year
1905 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, It placed all water courses, so
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-fashioned privies and wells
which still are found in large mum.
bers. overflowing 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 a case OF
typhoid fever is reported 1t can i'm.
mediately put its finger on the water.
shed where the disease originated and
investigate accordingly No municipal.
ity can now construct water works
without first obtaining the states ap.
proval of It's plans. II cannot build
sewerage plants without similar con-
sent. Acting through these broad pow.
ers, the health department. through
its army Of inspectors, has penetrated
the remotest recesses OF the state, In
specting premises, noting palpable
nuisances, investigating water and
sewerage systems. A wholesome
cleanup has ensued. In most cases the
individuals and municipalities affected
have realized the necessity Of rene
dial measures and have accepted the
work in proper spirit. Up to date II
has inspected 256,62S premises in rural
districts and caused the abatement OF
18.945 pollutions. II has issued 204 de.
crees requiring changes In public wa.
ter works. Under its advice and sug.
gestion. all over the state, cities and
municipal bodies have awakened and
voluntarily begun to improve their
water supplies. Under the supervis
ion OF the department sixty-seven sew.
age disposal plants and thirty-hve wa
ter filter plants have been built or are
DOW under construction.
Typhoid Cut Down.
The publication OF the states drink
ing water is q large task and will take
many years, but already the improve
ments have cut the typhoid death rat,
IN half. In 1906. 56.5 out of every 100.
900 people died from this disease; fl
1907, sos; In 1908. s44, and In 100.
z3.9 That is there are now lvin
1868 people who. had the death rate Of
1906 prevailed in 1909. would have
lied.
believe enough has been said to