Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-27
OUTBREAK OF TYPHOID BLAMED
ON OYSTER FORECAST BY u. S.
Menace of Pollution Stressed by Experts, Who
Yarn of Dangers Besetting
Biualue Industry.

more will find the oyster more or
less a thing of the past.
The third of the main problems is
that of pollution. The oyster is a
type of living sieve that strains from
the water all the little organisms
that come his way. If he is in
clean water he obtains nothing harm
full If there are the organisms of
typhoid in the water around him 1t
is different matter From time to
time typhoid has been suspected as
having been of oyster origin and
frequently traces have been found in
oysters from certain localities In
each case the source of infection has
been located and the spot generously
treated with chlorine. In the present
case in New York City no definite
data have been collected, the oyster
simply being held on suspicion"
One Haul Was Pink.
one case has come to the attention
OF the Bureau of Fisheries officials
In which a load of oysters were found
to be pink. Careful analysis failed to
uncover anything of harmful ma
ture In the oysters, but neither was
there found any who cared to sup of
them. 1t was definitely established
that in this case yeast finding its
way to the oyster bed had caused the
blush Of modesty to come to the
oyster. 1t was even limited that per-
haps the sugar in the oyster and the
yeast in the water got together, as
yeast and sugar sometimes will, with
the usual result and that the blush
instead of being a blush of modesty
was the blush of insobriety; in fact
that the oyster was in reality an oys-
ter cocktail"
While nothing harmful was found
In this particular infected oyster the
case demonstrated the danger that
lurked in the oyster from infected
waters. The danger, limited now be-
cause or the vast majority of the
oyster beds are free from danger of
pollution, is great problem for the
future as cities along the seaboard
continue their growth and pollution
continues to increase. Factories and
ships all have their part in this poll
luton and some drastic curb must be
provided by the various States af-
fected.
L. S. Can Advise Only.
The Federal Government can advise
only, for the control of fisheries along
the coast is entirely within the hands
of the States.
The Bureau of Fisheries officials are
urging that the States act quickly to
pToFiue, DIS MdTylaHu Is now providing,
for the dumping of great quantities of
shells In new localities, free from pollu-
ton, where new oyster beds are to be
established. These beds are to be kept
closed for a few years, until they are
properly developed, and then will be
opened under license, a fee sufficient
to cover the costs of the enterprise be-
ing charged. The States are urged to
provide proper supervision of their
oyster beds to prevent their depletion
through the avaricious overdredging of
thoughtless fishermen.
The bureau highly recommends the
leasing of offshore waters to oyster
fishermen with proper protection, in
order that men who look ahead may
have their opportunity to develope
the industry in a scientific manner,
just as the wheat farmer, for in
stance, developes his wheat field. The
oyster farmer would establish a num-
Der of beds, which he would fish in
alternate years, giving the beds am