New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-02
Research Bureau Criticises
Methods in Handling
Typhoid Outbreaks.
REPORTTO GOLDWATER
POINTS OUT DEFECTS
Findings of Records of Epidemlcs
Discussed by DR.. Billings
Recommendations.

In rsport issued yesterday. when
Ernst J. Lederle retired as Health Conn
missioner. the Bureau OF Municipal Re-
search severely arraigned the Depart
ment of Health for inefficient methods
I'm handling typhoid fever IL is asserteu
as "a conservative estimate that slVo'-
600 year could Gasily be saved in
wage loss and funeral bills due TO pre-
ventable typhoid"
The report follows an analyzauon or
the handling by the department or l.loo
cases I'm 1911 and 94S cases In 1913
The defects shown during the cpl
demic Of 1919" says the report, could
easily have been corrected after the cpl
dcmic of 1911 had not the department.
fought to the highest courts the citl-
zc1s' right to see how typhoid cases
were being handled or mshandled.
II is said that after the epidemic or
1913 the bureau renewed the request
which was denied in 1911 and obtained
access to typhoid records for two years
TO see whether ways could be found 10
increase the city's protection by improv-
ing the methods of Investigating sources
Of typhoid.
The findings were thoroughly dis
cussed al conferences with DR.. BILLINGS
head of the Bureau of Infectious DIS
eases. on January % and 20. 1t Is said
that DR.. Billings agreed that the ou-
reaus findings as to departmental meth
DDS were correct, and, except for minor
questions as to detail, certain recon-
mendations were agreed on as sound and
for the Improvement of the service. The
report when printed will be submitted
TO DR.. s. :. Goldwater, who becomes
Health Commissioner to-day as VIII
recent report on food inspection. Some
of the recommendations are:
Improved supervision Of field work
and more careful checking of inspectors
reports.
More careful and prompt invesuga-
ton of cases and milk sources.
The transfer OF the right TO control
milk shipments when infectious disease
is suspected from the Bureau of Food
Inspection to the Bureau Of Infectious
Diseases.
More extensive and intensive work in
immuniza ton. Reduction Of part time
inspectors to three, thus releasing s4,5oo'
and delegation of the greater part OF
their work To the one hundred and nifty
district nurses Of the division Of con-
tagious diseases. In most cases nurses
could get permission to perform immu-
nization.
More active measures to secure
prompt reporting by physicians and hos
pitfalls.
Employment of sanitary police for
investigation Of milk sources and en-
forcement of the regulation as TO the
filing of milk tags. which is now gem
orally violated by retail stores.
In addition DR.. Billings proposed that
the Bureau Of Infectious Diseases should
be made responsible for prompt action
I'm analyzng suspected milk sources and
i'm taking the initiative to stop conta mi
mated sources.
Belated examination, the report sets
forth. showed that in the 1911 epidemic
the Department of Health knew which
milk supply should be smut off three
weeks before II was shut OFF.
Had defective methods been correct
ed in 1911" says the report, the 1913
endemic and several thousand cases be-
tween 1911 and 1914 would have been
impossible"
Of e4s cases, including the epidemic
period OF 1918. 80 per cent were not In
vestigated within three days from the
time they were reported to the depart