The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-18
DOCTORS SEE PERIL
TO HEALTH OF CITY
IN MOHANSIC PLAN
Editors Of "Mcdical Journal"
Comment on Danger to
Drinking Water supply.
VIGOROUS PROTESTS
TO GO TO WHITMAN

u is likely that vigorous protests
against mixing treated sewage matter
with New York city's drinking water
will he made {" Gov. Whitman before
he decides whether or not to approve
the proposal TO build for the Mohansic
State Hospital a sewage disposal plant,
the eflucnt OF which viii ultimately be
discharged into Croton Lake.
Mayor Mitchell. who believes that IL
this Sewage disposal plant is built the
city must either abandon the Croton
watershed. on which millions have been
spent. or the people OF the metropolis
must drink urclean and possibly con-
taminated water" has asked the Gov
ernor for a public hearing.
II IL q foregone conclusion that at
such a hearing the city's official OPP
position TO the idea OF swallowing even
filtered hospital refuse from an insti-
tuition that may In time accommodate
5000 patients will be reinforced by
the emphatic objections of many civic
and business organizations and societies
OF medical men.
The Merchants Association has for
several years been opposing plans for
the flow OF sewage matter. doctored
and otherwise, into the potable waters
Of the State and has paid particular
attention to efforts to keep the Croton
watershed from being contaminated.
Edward Ha. n. chairman OF the assoc
cations committee OF pollution, mas
ling hn.n pt-agtFuatfnD .la rNaffar ~
the Mohansic state Hospitals proposed
sewage disposal plant and IL prepared.
II is said. 10 show by the experience of
water supplies in various parts OF the
country that grave danger turks In
drinking water into which has been
drained the so.oallcd purified" sewage.
The New York Medical Journal. OF
which Or. Charles r. de VI. Sajous and
Or. Claude L. Wheeler are the editors,
does not take kindly TO the plans of Or.
Hermann NJ Biggs. State Commissioners
of Health, in reference TO the Mohansic
plans. In an editorial on The Pollution
o. the Croton Water supply in to-day's
issue the Nedicol journal will say:
1T is greatly to he regretted that the
State Commissioner of Health OF New
York has granted permission for the
discharge OF sewage from the two state
institutions on Mohansic Lake, the state
Hospital for the Insane and the York
town Training School for Boys. into the
lake, which IL a part OF the New York
water supply.
Under the conditions specified and
under strict surveillance the effiuent may
10 entirely harmless and not pollute the
city water supply, but permission hould
not have been granted, for many reasons.
1T Is averred by the Commissioner OF
Water Supply of the city OF New York,
who objects TO the action of the Str'e
Commissioners of Health, that the cost OF
a sewer from the Mohansic Lake in
stitutions to the Hudson River would not
amount to more than 100000. This
seems to be a small sum to pay for an
absolutely safe method of sewage dis
poeal. Moreover, the institution OF
filtration plants does not preclude the
possibility OF building such a sewer IN
the future. IL. In the opinion OF the next
water commissioner, the Old method is
i~nadeduate. The matter of the water
supply OF a city like New York IN 80
important and vital and Is already sub
ject To 10 many natural harmful In
~f,uenceS that no extra hazard should be
taken. II IS to be hoped that the oppo-
sition OF the city departments OF health
and water supply and other bodies wil
prevail upon pr. Bigss to Withdraw the
permission he has given"