New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-13

I ties which hold human life so chcaply
that they maintain no public health ser
vice at all; others-and there are many
of them-have n mere skeleton service
A recent investigation in New York State
at the instance Of Governor Sulzer has
uncovered the humilating fact that We
have numbers of such communities we
take a practising physician. as "A rule
and make him a health officer. We eA-
pect him to have a general knowledge OF
sanitation and the science OF disease pre-
vention and 10 apply il earnestly In IN
forcing the health regulations. We expect
him 10 exercise this police power over
the very people upon whom lac must he
pend for his living as physician, no
matter how many enemies he may make
or what effect il may have on his finances
or his future.
"An investigation was recently made
of forty-four Illinois cities, averaging IN
population 1900 Fifteen Of them had
more than 1900 population and three haJ
more than 5000 The average salary paid
the chief health officer was $500. Twelve
of these cities paid nothing for health
population and one OF 5000.
I'm one city Of ZOO inhabitants the
police matron served as health officer
when she was not otherwise engaged
Twenty-Five Of these cities made no pre-
tencc of supervising their milk supply
and only nine of them had isolation nos
pitfalls for contagious diseases. Thirty-one
OF them kept no mortuary records what
ever These conditions. it will be noted
exist in a prosperous agricultural and
manufacturing state, and they doubtless
exist in varying measure In every state
of.the Union.
There is one city Of 10000 population
which thinks il is saving money by hay-
: ing a part time health officer There
/ is a thrifty city of 10000 inhabitants IN
an adjoining state which appropriates sSDl
year for its health service. and 20 per
cent of deaths in that city are of babies
under five years Of age. There is another
city which has but seven men to inspect
| 5000 neat shops, and only p of its 10
slaughter houses are under official ~
spectfon.
There is a university city near by with
|
about segregating its tubcrcular paupers
/ in order to protect the lives Of other IN
mates of its poorhouse. II finally had q
special law passed for this purpose, but
it does nothing whatever through its pub
lie health service TO protect its citizens
outside Of the poorhouse against tins
plague.
The people Of New York City have
good reason to he proud of the efficiency
and achievements Of their official health
service and Of the splendid work OF the
unofficial health organizations which are
supported by the contributions OF the
charitable. But they have equally good
reason to be ashamed and Inundated
when brought face to face with the APP
palling life waste that is still going on
large portion OF which is due 10 the in
excusable neglect of the body polite to
support its life conservation service.
Let US suppose that it suddenly be-
came known that 3ooo0 persons of this
CITY were to be destroyed and 10000 in
iured next Friday by a preventablo holo-
caust What would happen? The whole
civilized world would be shocked beyond
measure. A great wave OF human
sympathy would come to US from the
furthest corners of the earth. Millions
Of money would be forthcoming, especial
" from the people of this city, 10 pre-
vent such a disaster Men would night
for the privilege Of risking their lives to
assist I'm preventing il. Yet the people
of this city suffer a calamity of this
kind every twelve months without even
commenting upon IL.