The Penn's Grove record., 1914-09-18
STATE HEALTH
SHOWS GAINS
Legislation and Science Add to
Length Of Life
DEATH RATES GREAT FALL
tuberculosis, Typhoid, Diphtheria and
other Ravaging Diseases Hard Hit
Hundreds of Thousand Dollars
Spent to Make Living Easier.

Especial Trenton Correspondence.
Trenton.-The Legislature spends
hundreds of dollars annually to make
the State a better place to live in.
The returns show that the Legisla-
ture is not wasting it's money, that
the State is really a better place
in which to live than it was a few
years ago.. 1t would not be a very
great exaggeration to say that the
entire State is practically a health re-
sort and is becoming more so each
year. In health matters as in corpor-
ate legislation this State has adj
vanced. There has been this differ
ence, however, about the progress in
both lines. The corporations had
things all their own way until Gov
ernor Wilson appeared on the scene,
while in health matters the improve
ment has been gradual; year by year
it has been better until now the death
rate is about IA in every 1000 in
habitants each year, while in 1898 it
was about 20.
Even Consumption Yielding.
The great reduction in the death
rate has not been because of the
advance of science in any one disease,
but in all diseases it is shown that
science is slowly but surely master
ing the mysteries of nature. Con-
sumption, of course, has been the
great reaper for years, but the NOR
toli+xr for thic dicooco in tho poct
"a years in the State has been cut
exactly in half. This result is made
by different organizations to combat
the disease. Various societies have
been doing fine work in instructing
by exhibits and lectures for the III
time the State Board is conducting
an instructive exhibit, consisting of
motion pictures and charts, accom-
panied by a specialist on tuberculosis
who lectures on the care and pre-
vention of the disease. This exhibit
is furnished free to any municipality
in the State which applies for it, and
in the summer months considerable
time is spent displaying motion pic
lures concerning the disease in the
public parks of the State. In 1879
about 81 in every 10000 persons died
Of consumption, while in 1913 about
Is persons in every 10000 died of this
dread disease. The diphtheria rate
.or the past two years was the low
est in the history of the State. In
this regard it is said to be a fact
that the work of the State Laboratory
of Hygiene in examining specimens
from suspected cases of this disease,
and the information supplied by the
laboratory to the attending physicians,
is largely responsible for saving the
lives of many infants.
The efforts to keep the potable wa
ters of New Jersey free from pollution
is thought to be largely responsible
for the gradual disappearance of
typhoid fever. In 1888 there were IA
deaths of typhoid fever out of every
10000 population, while in 1913 it
was down to a little over n death
to every 10000. The campaigns car
ried on throughout the State for the
determination of flies are also COM
mendable, and should be continued,
as this source of contracting disease
is largely beyond the efforts of or
ganized health boards, but a matter
for the individuals themselves. The
State board has requested that all
persons should see that their homes
are properly screened and other eff
forts made for the determination of
flies. This city is pointed out as an
example OF what has been accomplish
in the way of purifying the waters
of the State. The Board ordered this
city to place hypochlorite of lime in
its drinking water and the typhoid
fever gradually disappeared from the
city. The Board has also notified
Trenton and Phillipsburg and all
cities sewering into the Delaware to
cease, and when the sewage disposal
plants are erected it is expected that
there will be a still greater reduction
in the typhoid death rate.
The gradual decrease of deaths
from malarial fever in this State is
directly due to the action taken by
the Legislature in providing appro-
priations for the determination of the
mosquito. The first definite step for
the determination Of the mosquito
was made when the Legislature, dur
ing the session of 1902, passed an act
which provides for an investigation
and report by the Agricultural Expert
ment Station upon the mosquito prob
lem, in relation to the sanitary, agri-
cultural and other interests of the
State, and the sum of $4,000 was
appropriated to carry on the work.