New-York tribune., 1918-05-17
Copeland Names
Week of May 26
For Health Drive
Calls on the Police and
Civic Bodies to Aid in
Securing City
Important War Move
Shortage of Doctors, High
Milk and Ice Situation
Among Problems

Health Commissioner Royal S. Cope
land announced last night that as a
war measure he had designated the
week beginning Sunday, May &c, for
a health drive. During the week the
department. will scour the city for
sources OF disease. The cooperation
of the police has been assured, and
the aid of civic societies generally is
asked
The drive was decided upon largely
because Of the unusual conditions
which will prevail in New York this
summer because Of the war and the
added danger of epidemics. Condi-
tons contributing to this danger are
the growing shortage OF physicians,
the passage through the city of large
numbers of soldiers and sailors, many
of whom will be disease carriers, the
high price of milk, which will tend to
increase the amount of sickness among
infants. and a reduced ice supply.
DR.. Copeland announced this plan
the rooms of the Salmagundi Club, ID
West Twelfth Street. He also out
lined, in part. his plans for the con-
duet of his department. He reiterated
that DR.. S. Josephine Baker, of the
Bureau of Child Hygiene, one Of the
bureaus threatened by Mayor Hylan's
economy programme, would not be in
terfered with in her work, and that
ventibie Diseases, also Hylan target,
would be extended. Speaking of the
Bureau of Public Health Education,
the head of which, DIR. Charles F..
Boldman, retired after Mayor Hylan's
drive on the department. he said it
was his intention to keep up the work.
General Support Asked
"The purpose Of this Health drive,'"
said DR.. Copeland, "is to remove the
dump heaps and rubbish piles, where
lurk the germs of serious illness. To
the end that our endeavor may be fruit
ful, we hope to enlist ministers, wom-
ems clubs, civic organizations, boy and
departments, Street Cleaning Depart
ment, Board of Education, all school
children and every agency that can pos
sihly assist US in our efforts to make
d 'Spotless Town!
"fhe health drive is like a great
financial drive for the Red Cross, the
Knights of Columbus, the Y. M. c. A.,
the Hebrew Charities. the Salvation
Army. the Belgian Baby Fund, the vari
GUS Liberty loans-simply another
cheerful contribution to the govern
ment in it's effort to win the war.
''ln such a drive, our first attention
must be given to the baby and to chill
dren Of tender age. When, as a result
of the war, the birth rate is lowered,
and, as time goes on, will show a still
greater decline, it behooves the public
TO see to it that unusual efforts are put
forth to conserve the lives of children,
if there were no higher reason than
simply economic necessity.
"1he Bureau of Child Hygiene, under
DR.. Baker, will devote itself with even
Department of Health that has to do
with the health and development of
child life. The milk stations will be
operated along lines of efficiency of
the highest type.
Having given our citizens pure
water, it is incumbent upon the De-
partment OF Health to see to it that
pure milk is furnished, particularly to
the children. The suspicion arises in
the minds Of some that the people of
this city are sometimes exploited by
selfish interests. am not prepared to
speak on this subject, but I say that
one of the early movements in the De-
partment of Health will be careful
study of this problem, having in mind,
of course, that the lives of babes and
the health of children are more i'm
portant than dividends.
Expenses for Hygiene Work
I'm the last budget an appropriation
of s83, 900 was made for an extension of
the work in industrial hygiene. This
work will cover systematic inspection,
looking to an improvement of the sani-
tary surroundings of the worker. This
will cover light, heat, ventilation. fire,
industrial hazards and comfort facili-
ties, looking toward the education of
both the employer, in furnishing proper
facilities for obtaining most efficient
results, and of the laborer, in being
abie to give the greatest value, backed
oy the best of physical health, having
prominently in mind the recognition OF
conditions likely to occasion disease in
the worker in the factory and in the
home' and prevent imposition by un-
scrupulous employers and the instruc.
aon OF the uninformed relative to pre-
vention Of such conditions"
otner work to which the Commission
er er said the department. is committed is
the cooperation with army and navy
ana pubic health officials, including
the cleaning up of unsanitary condi.
uons in tho city, the furnishing to the
government of laboratory products
sne ns,! use OF the city's hospitals for sick
soioiers and sailors and the training
IN the handling of contagious diseases
OF medical officers and enlisted men.
Dr. Copeland spoke at length Of the
nseo ms;as Of combating social diseases, >
mediate problem Of the war" As one
means means toward the end, he declared. i
would be necessary to end "the CON.
spiracy OF silence" which, he said. has
lines. s pop"aA'