Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-27
DIR. ROSS V. PATTERSON
DOCTOR GIVES VIVID
PICTURE OF PERILS
OF CITY TENEMENTS
Dean Patterson, of Jefferson
Medical College, Says
Housing Conditions Are
Cause of Disease.

Exposure, filth and insanitary plumbing
in cellar rooms" Of the tenement dis
trlcts, DR.. Ross v. Patterson. Dean Of
Jefferson Medical College, today said,
were the three great causes for infant
mortality.
Doctor Patterson. who has personally
visited some of the houses, which re-
semele caves. gave a graphic word pic
ture, showing why hundreds of babies
come into the world dead.
1t is also the belief OF Dean Patterson,
who is one of Philadelphias leading
practitioners, that the decrease in births
In certain sections of the city is primarily
due to insanitary conditions.
Change present social conditions and
then you will undoubtedly lower the death
toll among infants as well as mothers"
said Doctor Patterson.
Doctor Patterson is among the hun
dreds of noted experts on hygiene who
are in favor of the new Division of
Housing and Sanitation, for which Coun-
ellis refuse to appropriate funds.
The act creating a Division of Housing
and Sanitation was passed by the Legis-
lature more than O year ago and was
signed by Governor Tener. Every effort
to get Councils to appropriate S2l3710 for
the purpose of carrying the measure into
effect has failed The fate of the act
now rests with the Committee on Finance
is chairman.
CoNGESTED CONDITIONS COSTLY.
Discussing Councils attitude towards
the new housing laws, Doctor Patterson
said:
ut would be much cheaper for tho
municipality to grant the appropriations
now. Should Councils delay-it means
that the city will be compelled to pay a
high figure for the acts OF the sinners. 1
mean that II conditions are not changed
the hospitals, almshouses, orphan asyl-
ums, and other charitable institutions will
become crowded with victims OF the tene-
ments. The death toll which now exists
can never be lowered while present con-
ditions are not corrected"
Infant mortality. according to Doctor
directly to the door of the thousands of
broken down. unventilated, insanitary,
windowless, brickless and dust-covered
tenements. Doctor Patterson said many
cases of pneumonia, especially summer
complaints among infants of the tene-
ment districts, were attributable to filth
in different cellar rooms" which often
are occupied by more than five persons.
CAUSES OF INFANT MORTALITY.
"The three great causes for infant NOR
tality and death of unborn children"
said Doctor Patterson, ARE bad plumb
ing. exposure and filth. Those three de-
fects must be changed. The change must
come during the year 1914.
" feel certain and my colleagues will
agree with me that the health of the
mother and her unborn child, as we'll as
the health OF the living infant, is con-
stantly in danger whiIs the, municipality
sanctions the operations of certain tene-
ment owners of this city.
II have entered some of the cellar
rooms many times. The scenes are pitI-
full. 1t Is impossible for one unacquaint-
ed with the truth to believe that such re-
volting conditions actually exist in the
twentieth century. / have my doubts
whether such conditions are visible in
European countries.
During the summer season many in
fants are stricken with summer COM
plant. A careful study of this particular
ailment causes, me to believe that In
many cases summer complaint is brought
on by dirt, bad plumbing and other bad
conditions.
Relating to the unborn child, the
present conditions must be changed for
the sake of the next generation The
next generation can't become a healthy
race while the present conditions prevail.
often the fate of the unborn child is
settled long before II Is placed in its
mothers arms. The conditions of 1914 in
the tenement districts OF Philadelphia are
not good for the woman who is about
TO enter motherhood.
UNWHoLEsoME ENVIRONMENT.
Picture TO yourself where the pros
pective mother lives. Her home Is In
some small room. The probabilities are
that the room is dingy or has 10 be
lighted during the daytime with kero-
sene light. When not In the apartment.
which serves as a sleeping room, kitchen
and parlor, she stands in long, narrow
alley. The alley, as rule. Is sandwiched
between two fences
what does she see all day?"
similar cases as hers. She sees sick.
pale and sunken-eheeksd children, the
dirty alley where the sun shines once
I'm a great while. She hears her neigh
bors speak 10 her. Usually the topics
deal with the insanitary conditions or
the health of their loved one. Then she
unfolds her tale OF woe.
Hearing stories of misery from other
persons and constantly seeing evil con-
ditions have often a terrible effect on
motherhood"