Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-02-01
SnYThE INTERESTED
IN THE owen BILL
CITY HEALTH OFFICER SENDS
LETTER TO GRoNNA ASK.
ING FOR SUPPORT.

ING FOR SUPPORT.
Senator Replies That He viii Presen
Views Of Physician to COMMITTEE
on Public Health.
Recently, DR.. Smyth, city health OF
ficer. wrote to U. S. Senator A. J
Gronna, urging him to support Sen
ate Bill No: l, bill creating a Ma
tional Department of Public Health
which would have the same relation
to the prevention of disease anon!
human beings that the bureau of ami
NAL. industry has in regard to ami
mails.
The doctor pointed out that the twt
principal rivers in this state were, a!
navigable rivers, under the jurisdic
ton of the federal government ant
yet not only were no steps taken tt
prevent the pollution of the water
used as a water supply by many cit
les, but one of the rivers were p0llut
ed by sewage from federal school
and military post. His letter follows:
Bismarck, N. D., January 20, 1912
Hon. AISLE J. Gronna,
U. s. Senator, for North Dakota
Washington, D. c.
Dear Mr.. Gronna:-
My attention has been called to the
fact that Senate Bill, No. /, introduced
by Senator Owen. to organize a Ma.
tional Department of Public Health. is
before committee of which you are
a member.
It is very desirable that the mat
ter Of public health should receive
the attention from the general govern.
ment that IT'S Importance warrants.
At present public sanitation and pre-
vention of disease. amongst people,
is scattered through several bureaus
and as a result there is want of re-
a."'nsibility.
Our own state is victim of the
want Of responsibility or power on
the part of some particular depart
ment Of the general government to
enforce the ordinary rules of santa.
ton.
Grand Forks and Fargo obtain their
water supply from the Red river, a
river po.4uted with sewage. This be-
ing a navigable river the general gov
eminent has jurisdiction and ought
to be able to prevent its pollution.
As it is the two cities have to install
filtration plants at great expense and
residents and visitors have to drink
filtered sewage.
Bismarck gets it's water supply
from the Missouri river. Or this wat
er supply the Surgeon General of the
U. s. Army says:
Fort Lincoln, N. Dak., is depend.
ent (for water) upon the municipal
system o9 q neighboring city (Bis-
marck) which draws its supply from
a contaminated source
The writer. as health officer, has
appealed to the United States Public
Health Service to prevent the pollu-
ton, with sewage, Of the Missouri
river. a navigable river, but nothing
has been done. Not only 10 munici.
palities discharge unpurified sewage
into the river but the United States
army post, at Fort Lincoln, and the
Indian School, at Bismarck. discharge
sewage into the same river.
Our state has rather unenviable
record in public health matters and
the state public health officer, DR.. J.
Grassick, has on several occasions
called attention to the high rate of
infant mortality.
With a government department as
efficient in preventing and controlling
disease among beings as the bureau
of animal industry is in doing the
same work amongst animals, am
sure, that the health of our people
would be protected and the death rate
reduced.
Hoping that you will be able to
give the bill in question your valuable
support, I am
Yours very truly,
F. R. sMYTH,
City Health Officer. Bismarck, N. D.
The senator has acknowledged the
receipt Of the letter. as follows:
United States Senate, Jan. "a. 1912.
Dr. F. r. Smyth.
Bismarck, N. D.
My dear Mr.. Smyth:
I am pleased to acknowledge receipt
of your letter of January goth to.
gether with your report as Commits
sioner Of the Public Health, which
are not only interesting but instruc-
tive.
am member of the committee
on Public Health and National Quar-
antine and when the committee again
meets shall take the privilege of
presenting your letter and also your
report to the committee, because
you suggest many important things
which ought to be given considera-
ZION,
Assuring you that shall be glad
to hear from you at any time when
I can be of service I remain,
Very truly yours,
(Signed) A. J. Gronna.
PRESBYTERIAN BROTHERHOOD
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