Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-18
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
REPORT COMPREHENSIVE
Sanitary Conditions Discussed.
Great Lakes Fast Bec0m-
ing Polluted.

Pretty much all the natural ills that
flesh is heir to are discussed in the
forty third annual report of the public
health service, made public today. A
prominent feature of the report is the
showing of cooperation between the
Investigators of the public health serv-
ice and state. county and municipal
health agencies throughout the coun-
try \ notable instance OF this CO.
operation was the typhoid investiga-
ton at Rockville. Nd. where field in
vestigators of the public health serv-
ice, working with state and local health
officials, traced typhoid pollution from
a public well to its source, suggested
repressive measures and, aiding in
carrying out the steps suggested, put
an end to an epidemic of typhoid fever
of deaths and a much larger number
of serious illnesses.
Practically all of the public health
services work which, is detailed in the
annual report already has been COW
cred in the bulletins which have been
issued at frequent intervals during the
year by the service. Among the
diseases investigated, according to the
report, were Beriberi, diphtheria, en-
demic goitre. hookworm disease, lep-
rosy, typhoid fever, malaria, peiagra,
trachoma, Tuberculosis, typhus fever
and certain classes of occupational
diseases In this connection the annual
report says:
Sanitary Conditions Studied.
investigations of diseases of man
from q public health standpoint must
necessarily include studies of sanitary
conditions. In addition to the diseases
| mentioned, therefore, systematic inves-
legations of rural sanitation, school
hygiene, industrial hygiene and health
organization and administration were
taken Up and enlarged.
1.-The investigation of water supplies
and sewage has included three dis
tinct lines of study, namely, pollution
of rivers and coastal waters, disposal
of sewage and treatment of industrial
wastes. All of this work has direct
bearing on the protection of water
supplies and the shelltish industry and
the sewage studies will, in addition, b.
of practical benefit to householders and
small communities in the prevention
of disease"
The greater part of the report, which
! covers $40 pages, is couched in Ian
guage more fitted to the understand
ing of physicians and men of science
than of the layman. The Technology
of the various ailments classified and
discussed in the report, particularly.
is practically impossible of UNDER
standing as far as regards the aver
age individual, the appellations inciud-
ing such mysterious diseases as ''un-
cinariasis," "ascariasis," "schistoso-
miasis," "filariasis," "amebiasis" and
"sprue." The casual reader of the re-
port is left quite in the dark as to
the nature of the latter monosyl liza bic
stranger in this list of polysyllabic
human weaknesses. However. the re-
port shows the catholic scope of the
investigations by briefing results,
alike, of chemical Investigations of
rubber nipples such as are used on
baby's nursing bottle and the use of
ultra violet sterilization apparatus at
the Capitol.
Pollution of the great lakes and tribu-
tary rivers is becoming serious menace
to health, according to the report. II
points out that about 16,0O0,0U0 passen-
gers are carried each year over the great
lakes. and that more than 1000 vessels
use these waters. 1T becomes apparent,
therefore," the report declares, that
these inland vessels play an important
part in the maintenance of the high
typhoid fever rate in the United States.
1.-The degree Of pollution of the great
lakes and rivers contributary thereto is
becoming serious question These large
bodies of water are constantly becoming
more polluted. thus lessening their value
as a source Of water supply. Practically
all of these vessels obtain the water used
| aboard for all purposes by pumping from
| the lake 1t is recommended that water
SO taken be purified before being used for
! drinking PURPOSES