Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-01-05

monwealth is in position TO determine
the value of these assets. The totals
in this inventory aggregate s62,743.
S76.S5, divided as follows: Real Es-
tate, $40. 356. .392.S4: Personal Prop
erty, S5,625. .766.S5; General Fund and
Sinking Fund in the State Treasury,
! S7,76t. .717.15.
This inventory has been prepared
in detail and has been deposited in
the office of the Executive Controller,
and should prove of much value for
comparative purposes in all future in
ventories.
Health
The Department of Health has rem
dered invaluable services to the peo-
pie of the Commonwealth--in fact, it
| enjoys an enviable international repu-
! tation. The work performed at Aus
! tin. after that municipality was
washed away, and at Gettysburg in
/ looking after the sanitary and hos
| pital conditions at the time of the Re-
union of the Blues and the Grays. is
especially worthy of notice.
In its tuberculosis work the de-
partment makes it's biological prod
ucts after its own formula: its sana-
/ toria buildings have been planned so
as to furnish the greatest possible
+ amount of air and sunlight; and from
/ it's 115 dispeusarieS have not only
come the patients for these Sanatoria,
the capacity of which has been
trebled in the last four years. but
their nurses enter the homes of our
people and help them to protect
themselves against the spread of dis
ease. Thousands of patients have
been discharged from the Sanatoria
apparently cured, or with their dis
ease arrested
BY establishing and maintaining
quarantine in rural districts; super
vising and assisting in the suppression
of epidemics at the request of local
authorities: cleaning up the premises
and purifying the water supplies. the
danger TO the people from epidemics
of contagious disease has been greatly
reduced. Trained inspectors have
policed watersheds and diverted many
thousands of pollutions from streams.
Sewage disposal plants have been
constructed TO care for municipal sew
age. Filtration plants are now fur
nishing filtered water to more than
one-half of the population of the
State.
The records of the Bureau of Vital
Statistics show a decrease of almost
20 per cent. in the death rate from
typhoid fever since the establishing
of the Department of Health, and a
decrease in the general death rate OF
nearly II per cent.
Under the provisions of the Board
of Health Act of June Il. 1913,
boards of health have been secured or
reorganized in nearly every borough
and first class township. These boards
are constantly advised and assisted by
the department.
BY constant use of sane and prac-
teal methods, though at very consid-
cradle expense, owing TO the lack of
compulsory vaccination law, epidemics
of SMALLPOX have been prevented dur
ing a period when infection was per-
sistently being carried into our State
from outside sources
Diphtheria AntitoXin furnished free
TO the poor has saved more than 10,-
900 lives that would have been lost
If this wonderful remedy could not
have been readily obtained.
School inspection in fourth class
districts. under the provisions of the
School Code, has been a success. In
1911 two-thirds of the districts re-
jected this inspection. During the
present year it has been accepted by
80 per cent. OF the same districts. Fol-
low-up work for three years shows
10, 600 cases where defects found by
the parents after notice received from
the Department of Health.
Through its educational features,-
exhibits, lectures and publications.
the department has given the general
public a. better understanding of
health laws and the value of fresh
air, of sunlight and sanitary sur
roundings, and has greatly improved
housing conditions. Private and pub
lie corporations have instituted i'm
proved methods recommended by the
department. Great industrial inter
ests realize that money and effort eX-
I pended for keeping their employees
we'll is a good business investment.
Liberal appropriations should be
continued for this laudable work. The
departments general fund should be
sufficiently increased to provide for
the Bureau of Housing. and increased
appropriations should be made for
medical inspections of schools.
Pure Food
Pennsylvania's pure food laws are
probably the best in this country.
They are enforced vigorously and ef-
ficiently. 1t is the duty of a State TO
see 20 it that measures are enacted
for securing and maintaining a pure
and wholesome food supply. TO facili-
tate its distribution. TO safeguard its
quality. and to prohibit absolutely any
and every adulteration in food and
drink.
During this administration many
pure food laws have been enacted.
The law fixing standards OF compost
ton of milk and cream has resulted
in a marked improvement in the quail
ity of these important foods: the law
requiring the denaturing Of spoiled
eggs has protected the consumer from
the use in bakers wares of these dele
terious ingredients; and the cold stor-
age law, which was intended to cor
rect a serious abuse. has proven bene-
fetal.
Public Schools
Since the passage of the School
Code in 1911 the State Board of Edu-
cation and the Bureau of Vocational
Education have been organized. The
former has special charge of the erec-
tion of school buildings and the dis
semination of educational informa
tion. II employs an architect to criti-
else plans of new school buildings, to
suggest necessary changes and to har-
! monize new buildings with the re-
! quirements Of the law. 1t is charged
with the duty of acquiring by pur-
chase the property of the State Nor
NAL Schools. The schools at West
| Chester Edinboro. California, and
Lock Haven have thus far been
bought and are now entirely under
the control OF the State. The Act of
1913 makes the Board responsible
also for the care and education of
blind babies. and a beginning has been
made along this line of beneficence.
The Bureau of Vocational Educa-
tion has in twenty eight counties or
I papixad and asta bIfcIlad cobonl. .,-;41,