New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-16

New York Outranks All
Morally and Physically,
He Declares After Seeing
Conditions in Europe
London's Milk Impure
Neglect of Foodstuffs in
British Capital Called
Little Short of Criminal

DR.. Royal s. Copeland, Health Com
missioner, came home from Europe yes
terday on the Red Star liner Lap
land to observe that New York is
cleaner morally and physically than
any European city.
The Commissioner has been away
since May investigating health con-
ditions abroad in their relation to the
United States through immigration. He
was appointed by Mayor Hylan to
represent the city at the Royal In
stitute Of Public Health meeting in
Brussels and at the Inter-Allied Hous-
ing Conference in London. His wife
and son returned with him.
"In the matter Of heath supervision,
infant welfare, school inspection and
the protection of the public against
disease" said the Commissioner, Gu
rope is full generation behind New
York.
London Milk Impure
"London's neglect in protecting her
food stuffs against contamination and
her failure to provide an adequate sup
ply of pure milk is little short of
criminal. 1t is a wonder that any
London child lives past his fifth year.
Every, drop Of milk sold in that great
metropolis Is contaminated with the
germs of dysentery, and, in more than
ten per cent Of the samples examined,
with germs Of tuberculosis.
"The much vaunted police system of
London does not compare, in my judg-
ment, with the traffic control and sup
preston of vice exercised by New
Yoyk's finest. The street cleaning
methods Of all the capitals of Europe
are inferior in results to those attained
here. But our barbaric method of final
disposition of municipal waste would
not be tolerated in Europe"
He approved the care that is being
taken to examine immigrants. "Ty-
phus," he said, "rages in Poland, Rus
STA, Ukrainia, Lithuania, Rumania and
Hungary. 1t does not prevail in ST.
IBERIA, because it has burned itself out
by attacking every susceptible person
cholera is not so prevalent as ty-
plus, but all the conditions for its
spread are at hand. Filtration plants
are destroyed, water supplies are con-
tamlnated ana sewerage systems are
blocked. Resumption of trade with
Russia will bring the menace of cholera
and cholera carriers. Smallpox is in
Russia, Rumania, Italy and Scotland
Plague is in Egypt and other Mediter-
ranean districts.
Money Sadly Needed
Money is needed to assist in health
control in Eastern Europe The safety
of New York and America depends on
1T. Every effort must be made to keep
disease out of this country"
Asked about the recent delays to
ships in quarantine here, DR.. Copeland
said that was due to the fact that Dan
zig, the Polish port on the Baltic, was
designated as the delousing and fumi-
eating station for the emigrants of
Central and Eastern Europe who were
bound for the United States.
"They soon heard of this" said DR..
Copeland, "and avoiding Danzig wet
to Cherbourg, where they could get
away unexamined. Consequently they
were detained here on their arrival.
Arrangements have been made, how
ever, to inspect them at Cherbourg."
He spoke of the need for more
dwellings, in this city and that led him
to talk of the devastation of France and
Belgium; But" he said, "let no one
worry about the bankruptcy, despond-
ency and ultimate destruction of these
two wonderful nations. The people
are working with wonderful spirit"