Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-12
AID HER0'S FAMILY
Senate Votes $500 to the
Widow of Dr.. Miller.
DIED IN LINE OF DUTY
Contracted Typhoid Fever While
Investigating Cause of Epi-
demic in District.

AS tribute to William w. Miller who
lost his life in a work Of humanity es-
pecially in the interest of residents OF
the District of Columbia, the Senate yes
terday authorized an appropriation OF
$500 for the benefit of his widow and
child.
DR. Miller was a bacterioloeist in the
public health and marine hospital service.
He was assigned to make investigations
with view to determining the cause of
the prevalence of typhoid fever in the
National Capital. During the course of
his inquiry he contracted the disease
which he was endeavoring to stamp out
and died in Providence Hospital in No
vember, 1908.
His death left wife and child en-
tirely unprovided for. Senator Taylor
introduced a bill for the relief of the
legal representatives of William w. Mil
ler." and on the basis of reports from
officials of the federal health bureau
that DR.. Miller had contracted his fatal
disease while acting in the line of his
duty, the Senate committee on claims
acted favorably OF the bill. The Senate
approved the bill without discussion just
before adjournment yesterday afternoon.
Tribute to His Work.
The report of the committee on claims
was a notable tribute to DIR. Miller's
work In the interest of humanity" es-
pecially for the people of the District.
After pointing out that DIR. Miller stood
first in his class, when he took the com
petitive examination for admission to the
marine hospital service, and that he was
New York, to the hygienic laboratory in
this city, the report continues:
In that service. on account of his spe-
cial training and fitness for research
work. he was assigned to the duty OF
making examinations of pathological
specimens and ARCHAEOLOGICAL investiga-
ton of the prevalence of typhoid fever
In the District of Columbia.
while engaged i'll this special work,
which was extrahazardous and a work
in the interest of humanity, Or. Miller
contracted typhoid fever and died from
the effects thereof in Providence Hos
pital November "a, 1908.
Surgeon General Wyman, in speaking
of Dr. Miller and the value of his sery-
ices to humanity, says:
During the summer OF 1908 and up
until the beginning of his illness he made
large number Of meteorological exam
nations of infected and presumably In
fected specimens in connection with the
Investigations of typhoid fever in the
District of Columbia This work alone
included over 1909 meteorological exam
| nations in the search for bacillus car
riers, and the typhoid infection which
caused his death November a. 1908 was.
In my opinion, contracted in the line of
his duty.
DIR. NJ. J. Rosenau, former director of
the hygienic laboratory, public health
and marine hospital service. during DR..
preventive medicine and hygiene in Har-
ward University, In speaking Of DIR. Mil
iers services I'm making these fnvestiga-
tions with respect to typhoid fever, says:
Danger Inherent In Work.
"'The danger inherent in such work Is
evident from the fatal infections which,
not uncommonly. are contracted by re-
search workers in scientific laboratories,
and all for the cause of public health.
Dr. Miller was a particularly capable,
conscientious and tireless worker, and
gained the respect and confidence of all
his associates. He took sick in the line
Of duty, and his death cut short career
of promise and usefulness.
LAS will be seen from these statements
and as appears from the testimony fled
before the committee. DR.. Miller lost
his life by reason of the extra hazardous
and dangerous character of the work tn
government, the people Of the District OF
Columbis and In the interest of science.
DR.. Miller was an exceptionally cap
able and faithful public servant. and was
a man of unusual ability in his special
line of work Without fault on his part.
he gave his life in trying to discover the
causes and the remedy for the presence
of typhoid fever in the District of Column
bia. He died at the age of twenty-eight
years and left a wife and one child to-
tally unprovided for.
1.-The committee were of the opinion
that the amount provided for in this Dill
was insufficient, but in view of prece-
dents they directed the bill TO be reported
for the amount specified therein.
"A precedent is found for this action IN
the case of Assistant Surgeon John w
Branham of the public health and marine
hospital service. who died in Brunswick.
Ca, in 1893, of yellow fever contracted
In the line of duty. Surgeon Branh2m
was engaged in the work of investigating
the causes and trying to discover the
remedy for yellow fever, and Congress.
by special act, approved June II, 1895,
authorized and ordered the payment Ia
his representatives of an amount equal
to his salary and allowances for Two
years..