Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-05-31
MARYLAND OYSTER
GETS CLEAN BILL
United States Official Says it is
O. X. As to Health.
WARNING GIVEN TO VIRGINIA


Surgeon Hugh s. Cummings. of the
II $. Public Health Service, after an
exhaustive investigation of the poliu-
ton of the tidal waters OF Maryland
and Virginia, declares in his report 10
Surgeon General Rupert Blue that the
oysters taken from the Chesapeake
Bay and its tributaries under present
conditions are safe food as whole,
but he warns the State of Virginia un-
less il provides anti-pollution laws,like
MARYLAND has done, many OF its yalu-
able shellfish beds are in danger OF de-
struction from pollution.
or the 400 900 or 100000 acres OF
shellfish producing areas in Maryland
and Virginia. Dr. Cummings says, only
between 1000 and 5000 acres, or one
half of l per cent. have found pollu-
ton. and in a majority OF these cases
steps were taken to stop the pollution.
But il is not to be understood that
the whole even of this polluted area,
points out Dr. Cummings, is used Tor
the production of oysters; large por-
ton has been voluntarily abandoned
by lessees; the enforcement of laws
prevents the taking or shipping from
other sections, and there remains COM
paratively small dangerously pollutet
sections from which shellfish are ia
ken The problem, therefore,is TO pre-
vent further pollution, and to insure
freedom from pollution of all oysters
| taken from the waters of Maryland
and Virginia by preventing the taking
| of oysters these small and comparative
| ly unimportant beds.
| by reason of the interstate charac-
/ ter if this industry and its bearing on
| the spread of infectious diseases from
i one state to another, il is an essential
/ function of the Public Health Service
| to determine dangerously polluted
areas. and authority should be grant
cd to control such pollution so far as
relates 20 interstate commerce. 1t is
/. the duty of state and local health au-
| thorites. on the other hand. to proteci
their own citizens by also preventing
pollution. or where this is Impractical
by stopping the collection of shellfist
from the infected areas
4
prevent absolutely the taking of oys
tiers from beds which have been con
demned That the mere forbiding o.
prohibition by law of such practic'
does not insure prevention may be ii
| Illustrated by the Lambert Point an'
Spa creek incidents. Official super
vision must be maintained over sucl
/. 4 1nAc Sc M a
itary point of view, why oysters ma,
not be grown in polluted areas if the,
are afterward transplanted TO non-pol
luted water and allowed to remain fire
: from pollution.
at has been suggested that trans
( planting might be allowed during tn
only alternatives al season only; tn
gathering of the oysters or the dc
struction of the beds by state author
ity. The State of Maryland has law
authorizing the State Department Q
Health TO direct and regulate the con
struction of sewerage disposal plant
who now pay for the prevention O
pollution Although more vitality af
fected than any other state by injur
1 ~ hNa y. anu uESDlI
the millions of dollars brought to tn
state by this industry, Virginia has n,
laws regulating the pollution of he
waters. The necessity of such legisla
ton has been previously urged
Unless it is cured, the destruction
of many shellfish beds in Virginia will
be inevitable. Under present condi
tons,the oysters of the Chesapeake Ba,
and its tributaries are a safe food as I
whole, and it should be the aim o.
Maryland and Virginia to conserve ant
increase this great source of wealth
to their people"
DR.. Cummings points out that Fed.
eral and State authorities promptly
took steps TO stop the pollution of the
waters in the Shinsotague Island. in
| Hampton creek, and in Mill creek sec.
tons, with the result that the oysters
from those sections are now safe. He
stated that bad conditions were found
in Annapolis harbor, especially in Spa
| creek, and in Norfolk harbor.