New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-31
IF OYSTERS SIP, BEWARE.
Enforced Tipping May Make
BivaIve Spread Typhoid.
LAWS NOT BEING 0BEYED
Mr.. Hatch Gives Warning That
Prevalence of Disease En-.
hances Danger This Season.

Zeal epicureans who would not think OF
eating an oyster on the 18th OF August uu'
who will fail upon the succuient O'aN0
with gusto when the oysters X In eea-
SON. sign is hung out from restaur""'1
Tomorrow are cautioned TO have carr
Edward y. Hatch jr., chaiima OF inc
pollution committee Of the Merchants f'".
ISOLATION. who has made the oyster anu
the unhealthy methods 10 which oyster
men resort to fatten their catch Tor the
market a study for years. is the one from
whom the warning comes.
THE consumer Is protected by law,
Mr.. Hatch said yesterday and II tue
laws were enforced there would be slieht
danger Of the New Yorker who cats
oysters becoming Ill from oyster poison
Ing or typhoid fever. They are not 'l!-
forced. however, and that Is where TIE
peril lies"
1T Is Well known that the oysters when
taken are thin and gray" he continued
TO fatten- and bleach them the oyster
men place the she'lfish on RATS which
are lowered nj the mouths Of fresh water
streams. The oysters drink this water
and whatever sewage there Is In 1t. ana
become fat, white and pleasing 10 the
eye.
Last year ,he Department Of Agri-
culture forbade the feeding Of oysters i'll
the waters around New York on account
Of the excess pollution from sewers. The
law has not been rigidly enforced ana
oysters ere still being fattened within
few miles OK New York.
In 1908 a health ordinance was passed
which stated that no oysters should be
offered for sale anywhere in the city
without a permit from the Board or
Health. Thore are many dealers who are
violating this law. and the laXness OF tne
officials In this respect is amazing. A2-
pa rently the ordinance has been forgot
ten. IL IL n matter of common knowi-
edge how New Workers we're fed for years
on sewage fattened oysters, and u was
not until many cases Of typhoid fever
We're traced directly To oysters That meas
ures 10 protect the consumer were ~ II.
Apart from the danger that ordinarily
attends eating oyster7 fed in New Iork
waters the warning that Mr.. Hatch wishes
20 convey has a more sinister aspect Ut
present typhoid fover Is unusually prev
alent in the city. particularly In Brooklyn.
and the sewage that emptics into the
Bay IS without doubt laden with typhoid
bacteria. Through the oyster there Is
chance Of the germs finding their way to
the systems of countless New Workers I'M
less they are careful IN choosing the
restaurants al which bivalves are eaten.
Besides calling the attention Of the pub
lie to the danger which besets them. Mr..
Hatch also refers TO the manner in which
federal and city laws are being violated
by oysterrnen. An act passed In Deem
Der of last year classes oysters fed In
such manner as he has described as
"adulterated food
oysters brought to the market directly
from the beds and set upon the table
without having undergone the 'fattening"
process are as healthful as newly
plucked squash. Mr.. Hatch asserts, but In
spite Of measures taken 20 protect those
who eat them there Is a chance OF Il
typhoid fever epidemic in the city solely
through oysters unless immediate action
is resorted 20 by the authorities.