The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-10-27

! people shptnd be lifted up, or, bette
still, that they should be melted 70
climb up TO a higher plane OF liyiar
and morality Thus they become b.
ter citizens, better producers, and III.
commonwealth is so much the health
ier, weather. and happier thereby
In October 1905, Health Commis-
sioner Dixon inaugurated free dirtri-
button of diphtheria anti-toxin by the
state. Up to December, 1910, 27.31S
cases of this dread disease, mostly
little children, were treated for cure
with the life-saving serum. From
statistics 1t is gathered that without
anti-toxin forty-two out of every one
hundred of these children probably
would have died, but thanks to the
states benencence only 1924 died. Free
| anti-toxin was also given for immuni.
zation purposes In 20,2s4 cases, mostly
children who had been in contact with
the disease. All but 335 of these were
absolutely protected against diph-
iberia. The actual saving of child
life resulting from the states free dis
tribution OF diphtheria anti-toxin in
these Ave years was in cold figures
| 9152 lives.
Pollution of Water Supply.
The battle for pure water supplies
has been waged in Pennsylvania with
unparalleled success, In 1905, when
the present purity of water law was
enacted the streams of the state from
one end to the other were open SOW
ers for municipalities large and small
and we're poisoned by the individual
property owner without any regard
whatever for the neishbors down
stream. Up to Aug. /, 1911, private
sources Of stream pollution to the
number Of 34,4s1 had been abated
upon formal notice from the depart
ment, and thousands more have been
stopped through the moral influence
of this WORK .r.. ..r..
Eighty-nine modern sewage disposal
plants have been either built or are
in process of construction as approved
| by the state. Two hundred and eighty
four municipalities and private sewer
age corporations are building compre-
hensive sewerage systems in accord
ance with approved plans for sewage
treatment works Eighty-six modern
water filtration plants have been ap-
proved by the state and are either
built or being erected.
And what Of typhoid fever, in view
of the work for pure water?
Tn 1f
sons in Pennsylvania, 565 died of ty-
phoid fever; in 1907, sos; in 1908,
34.4 in 1910, 245 There are now liv-
ing more than 240o persons who, had
the death rate of 1906 prevailed in
1910, would have died from typhoid.
Results OF Health Campaign.
Consider the economic value to the
state of such a saving of life. The
most conservative economists place
the average value of such a life at
$4,000. This means that the reduction
in the death rate from typhoid fever
alone saved the commonwealth $7,200,-
900. No account is taken in this esti-
mate of the untold suffering and an
guish from which thousands of homes
were saved
Thousands of physicians throughout
Pennsylvania are being constantly
aided in diagnosing their cases by the
examinations of pathological speci-
mems sent by them to the state depart
ment of health laboratories. Important
research work is being done by the
state in these laboratories, work that
is adding to the worlds knowledge of
preventative medicine.
More than once in the past few
years the federal government has held
up as a model Pennsylvania's system
for the collection of vital statistics,
| that phase of work that lies at the
foundation of all successful santa.
ton.
All this has shown striking results
In 1906 the death rate in Pennsylva-
mia per 1000 of population was 1856;
in 1908 it had dropped to 1877, and in
1910 to 1876. Bearing in mind Penn
sylvania's 7.655,000 population, this
decreased death rate, small as 1t ap.
pears on its face, means In reality a
tremendous saving of human lives.
Had the death rate of 1906 prevailed in
1908, the latter year would have wit
messed the death Of 1914 more people
than died. Had this same rate ap.
piled in 1910, instead of the decreased
percentage recorded by the depart
ment of health, 6S9S men, women and
children now living and presumably
in good health and spirits, would have
| died.
Pennsylvania is reaping the benefits
of the state governments health cam
paign. This work will be continued,
ans as more and more the people real
ize its blessings, will be attended by
even greater results.
Town Topics.