602 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXV. No. 642 



are locked up in severely technical journals 

 or brought out, often with an entirely mis- 

 taken interpretation, in the public press. 



Aside from the collection of new sani- 

 tary facts, therefore, the members of this 

 section can perform an extremely valuable 

 service in assimilating the data made avail- 

 able by scientists and other busy workers 

 and help to mold public opinion toward a 

 proper consideration of the endless number 

 of topics which relate to the public health. 



The beneficial fruits of these labors will 

 certainly be far-reaching. It has been well 

 said that the eyes of the whole country are 

 upon the metropolis. To a considerable 

 extent what is found to be good here is 

 likely to be thought desirable elsewhere. 



At the initiation of this section, it may 

 be weU to take a brief glance at some of 

 the larger sanitary engineering problems 

 which now concern New York and consider 

 how, in view of present and future circum- 

 stances, these problems should be studied. 



We have in New York a singularly good 

 example of a city of the largest class, 

 wherein the highest requirements of sanita- 

 tion are demanded and are, at the same 

 time, capable of being satisfied. The 

 population is not only great; it is concen- 

 trated, and in race, habit and social condi- 

 tion, exceedingly diverse. Practically all 

 of the conditions necessary to maintain life 

 in a wholesome way have to be secured 

 through a most careful observance of 

 sanitary rules and principles. This relates 

 not only to the food, clothing and habita- 

 tions of the people, but in a peculiar degree 

 to the care of their wastes and the wastes 

 of those who have to do with the city's 

 food and drink. Upon the prompt and 

 adequate disposal of these wastes largely 

 depends the security of the city against 



These, in the briefest terms, appear to 

 be the necessities of the present. What 

 the exactions of the future wiU be, when 



more refined standards of hygiene are 

 established and the public sense of decency 

 and morality becomes correspondingly ele- 

 vated, it is impossible to say. It is evident 

 that the subjects which are to concern our 

 future guardians of public health are not 

 to be related solely to the more obvious 

 causes of disease. 



Thus far, in the history of sanitation, 

 the great strides of progress have usually 

 resulted from emergencies, most of which 

 have pointed in a striking manner to the 

 fact that the grosser human wastes were 

 not being properly dealt with. Unfortu- 

 nately this method of progress still pre- 

 vails to a great extent through the country, 

 as witness the large quantities of filth of 

 all kinds which accumulate in our northern 

 villages and cities through the winter and 

 the epidemics of typhoid fever which occur 

 every year. 



Sanitary emergencies, such, for example, 

 as infected water supplies, capable of pro- 

 ducing epidemics, now rarely occur in our 

 largest centers of population and are no 

 longer to be expected in the city of New 

 York, which rightfully boasts one of the 

 most efficient health administrations known 

 anywhere. 



Sanitation in cities of this class now and 

 in future may be expected to progress 

 along more scientific and conservative 

 lines. The conditions to be avoided must 

 be discovered and corrected as far as pos- 

 sible before they result in nuisance or 

 disease. Large schemes for sanitary im- 

 provement must be made and made after 

 careful investigation and preparation while 

 yet there is ample time. 



Two large sanitary engineering prob- 

 lems which now confront the city of New 

 York are being studied in this manner, and 

 as they well illustrate what is meant by 

 these remarks, they will be briefly referred 

 to. 



The water supply is being enlarged. 



