The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-08-06
State Board of Health to Publish List
Of Citrus Where Sanitary Reg
ulations Are Enforced
Board of Health Bulletin)


of Florida people has been referred
to mayors of the various municipall-
ties by the State Board of Health. 1t
calls for wholesale removal OF those
conditions that cause the annual high
death rate from intestinal diseases by
enforcement of approved ordinances
and regulations.
Every municipal executive in the
State has been addressed by DR.. Hi
ram Byrd, Scientific Secretary OF the
State Board of Health, asking his
cooperation and that of his people in
the movement Towns coming up to
the sanitary requirements will be list
cd by the State Board of Health in
order that the responsibility may be
placed on those cities that do not
cooperate in the campaign.
"The death rate from intestinal dis
eases in Florida is entirely too high"
says DR.. Byrd's communication ITO
be more specific; in the registration
area of the United States, there are
eighty-seven deaths per one hundred
thousand population from intestinal
diseases every year; in the registra-
ton area of Florida, there are one
hundred and seventy-five deaths per
hundred thousand people annually.
1.-The State Board of Health has
set itself to the task of correcting
this. 1t cannot do this without the
cooperation of the people. We be-
lieve they will gladly cooperate with
us when they know the true condi-
tions. But-and here comes the tug
of war-some towns object to our
telling this. They say it will injure
Florida"
list the towns that come up to certain
sanitary requirements, so that the
burden of responsibility for this high
death rate may rest where it belongs
That list will read as follows:
1.-The following towns and cities in
Florida are enforcing such regula-
tiOns for the prevention of intestinal
diseases as are recommended by the
State Board of Health If your town
does not appear in this list. it is be-
cause it is not tliving up to the stan
danrd of requirements. See the
mayor and let him explain why"
"Then will follow the list of towns
Now the requirements are as follows:
Il. If there is a sewer system, all
residences shall be connected up
with it as far as possible, sanitary
privies shall be installed. The l.. R.
S. type is preferable but any privy
will be accepted as sanitary that is
fly-proof and odorless, and that is
cleaned regularly by some one whose
business it is to clean the privies. 1t
cannot be left to the owner.
"Food-stuffs exposed for sale must
be effectively screened against flies.
There must be health officer;
and in towns of $4,000 or more, he
must be whole-time health officer.
Please let us know by return mail
if you will cooperate with us in this
campaign for better health, and
whenever your town qualities for a
place on the list, let us know and a
representative of the State Board of
Health will check it up and list it
accordingly. Remember this list will
be published and distributed among
the health authorities throughout the
United States, Canada, Mexico and
Cuba. The State Board of Health
has no intention of injuring any COM
munity by exposing conditions mega
tive to good health and low death
rate. 1t believes that, by campaign
OF the most widespread publicity,
more favorable results can be ac-
complished than by yielding to the
belief of some that suppression of
facts will enhance business and prop
erty values. The State Board of
Health is as stronger believer in
community building and commercial
and industrial progress in Florida as
any organization. The future poss-
bilities of the State are unlimited. but
against this now stands death rate
from preventable disease which can
and must be reduced When this is
done, more people wiq come into
Florida to find homes and prosperity
will be natural consequence.