REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE BOARD.

To His Excellency Leon Abbett,

GOVERNOR-In presenting to your Excellency the eighth report of the State Board of Health of New Jersey, it is gratifiying to be able to speak of the year as one of comparative healthfulness in the State. It is equally encouraging that those of most intelligence, and who have most to do with the moulding of public opinion, are more and more realizing that the health of the people is a vital consideration as to the public prosperity. It is not merely that the ravages of epidemics teach us what a burden these are upon the industrial and monetary interests of a people. Whatever of time, of money and of happy enjoyment are lost by the weariness and waste of avoidable sickness, is a tax on the welfare of all citizens, and so upon the industrial energies and contentment of the population. It is high time that the increase of our resident population and the health and the life of the people had other consideration than that which speaks of it as merely a desirable comfort to be patronized or approved. The healthy man, woman and child are the most valuable of our resources, and are to be fostered and protected with all the forethought and care with which we would guard the honor of the State, or the materials from which it derives its prosperity. They are its productive capital more than the richness of soil, the value of metals or the constructions of machinery. If there is not a vigor of life among the people, there is a constant constriction upon the power which, foremost of all, is indispensable to the development of the State. In our list of resources, families which have homes of health take the first rank. Government and law have few, if any, higher duties than to protect them from the ravages of untimely death, and from those avoidable impairments of vital force that are paralyzing in their effects on prosperity and progress. In the world, there is no value but in human life, and human life has the greatest value when healthy and moral. It is only when we can carefully examine into the health

condition of the people that we can at all realize the burdens that are pressed upon the population by avoidable diseases and untimely deaths. If we turn to the home we find that through the want of requisite information, or by reason of defective drainage, imperfect construction of buildings, or defective methods for the removal of all debris, the inmates are exposed to bad air or to taint of food or water such as must make wasteful demands on vital force, or cause actual disease. If we look into the schools we find pupils subjected to many disabilities in the very process of what we call education.

If we go into the workshop, where the laborers should have healthy surroundings and all the reasonable aids and appliance for health, we too often find that there are various insanitary conditions, and that the average effective life of the laborer is so short as to tell a sad tale of result. If we inquire into actual cases of disease, and the history of epidemics, we find that much of the sickness, suffering and fatality are the result of palpable mistakes and failures in health-care. If we look for evidences from experience to prove what can be done to relieve such conditions, to lower death-rates, and to increase human endurance, the amount of testimony is such as carries conviction to all. The veteran sanitarian, Edwin Chadwick, C. B., at a recent meeting of the Association of Public Sanitary Inspectors, in London, said: "Boston, by improvement in the house drainage, appears to have made an advance from the present common death-rate of the Italian cities, of thirty in a thousand to twenty in a thousand, or about one-third; but it may be confidently affirmed that, by a better self-government and administration of more complete plans, it might gain another third, as has Croyden, where the death-rate, which was twenty-eight in a thousand, is now thirteen in a thousand; or Dover, which was twenty-eight, and now is fourteen; or old Salisbury, with a like gain. But even of such instances, I consider that by the application of the half-time principle of mixed physical and mental training, advances may be made from the death-rates of eleven in a thousand of the children of the school stage of life, to the death-rates even of three in a thousand, obtained in the district half-time schools, or that deathrates of not more than ten in a thousand may be obtained as the average death-rate of a well-governed city. It has become evident that a constant and intelligent oversight of the public health is one of the great prerogatives of government, and so weighty a concern that it must be superintended with administrative skill. While requiring

the aid of the sciences and the professions, and the knowledge to be derived from experience, it also needs the power of the law and its enforcement under the guardianship and direction of the courts. It is encouraging to know that the period of half knowledge and painful experimentation is fast passing away, and we can now say we know the nature and extent of the work which lies before us; we know every day more fully the principles and details which should guide us in carrying it out; and, what is more, we can rely more safely and surely upon the steady growth of intelligent conviction which is rapidly influencing all classes of the community, and enlisting their services in the grand policy of prevention. In addition to the rapidly increasing information as to all sanitary matters, we are able to refer to the former reports of this Board, and to its various circulars, as containing information of much value to the citizens of the State. As being also in constant correspondence with the members of local Boards in all parts of the State, we are constantly able to give to these Boards such information as they may need for an intelligent supervision of their work. This Board is provided by the State in order that, among other duties, it may aid in the dissemination of information, and may instruct local authorities as to their duties. We subjoin herewith reference to a few of the subjects which, at the present time, seem to us most prominently to call for consideration on the part of the citizens of the State.

WATER-SUPPLY.

The importance of a pure water-supply has never been over-estimated, while the difficulties in the way of securing it are constantly multiplying. These are by no means insurmountable, but often involve considerable outlay at the start. It is an occasion for rejoicing that it is probable many of our sea-side resorts can secure a good supply by means of driven or bored wells. Where they have been put down under skilled advice as at Cape May, Ocean Grove, Asbury Park, &c., they have thus far proved successful. Other places, not too compact, depend upon the old form of well. Here the caution as to surface drainage and organic matter near at hand is better understood than formerly. But as not infrequently well-water becomes contaminated by refuse or organic matter in the soil, or pollution from about the curb or pump, the greatest care should be exercised. In some instances the best source of supply is similar to that of Prince

ton, where advantage is taken of a few hills as a water-shed, and a series of springs are tapped for a supply. These being replenished by the constant source of rain, and the water being filtered through the ground, a good and constant supply is secured. The most serious question is that which relates to the supply of large cities, especially those which, by reason of level position or nearness to tidewater, are not likely to find an abundance of potable water near at hand. Within thirty miles of New York city is to be found half of the population of the State of New Jersey. Of this number, according to the careful and discriminating judgment of engineers, chemists, physicians and boards of health, not one-half are supplied with water fit to drink. It cannot be claimed that the unfitness of the Passaic river, as a water-supply, is any new fact, although the rapidly increasing population magnifies the greatness of the evil. Long ago the State Geologist and various local correspondents pointed to the facts in evidence. Chemists and others, who have begun investigations with the idea that the evils have been magnified, or that they could be remedied by local action, have forsaken such views. The State Water Commission and the chemist of the water boards fully substantiated views already entertained. Nor is it enough to point to the fact of no very great mortality. When so great a city as London can point to a death-rate of only twenty per thousand, and many an English town of 30,000 inhabitants, to a death-rate of only sixteen to eighteen, it will not do for us to claim that Hudson county, with an average death-rate for the whole county of 26.58, and Newark, with a death-rate of 25.49, are in a good sanitary condition. The fact is still more significant when it is remembered how largely the cities are depopulated during the summer, how many of the deaths that occur are of that zymotic class which largely depends on local evils. No section of country within one hundred miles of New York city has more natural or business attractions that our own State. But if there is neglect of sanitary care, and especially of a good water-supply, it is too late to adopt the policy of concealment, or to point to a death-rate of, say, from twenty-six to thirty as a justification. Such a sustained death-rate in healthy times points to a fearful death-rate if pestilence broods over such nests. Besides, there are evils of sickness, of invalidity, of debility, of depression of vigor, that do not always express themselves decidedly in an increasing death-rate. Where the vigor of population is in any

and

wise impaired, and the marriage-rate and birth-rate decreased, these as well as the death-rate are indices of burdens upon prosperity and upon labor, of which those resulting from avoidable disease are the most pressing. It is most noticeable how, in the larger cities of Great Britain, their merchant-princes and their great manufacturers point with pride to the water-supply. If Liverpool has its difficult health problems, it shows a delightful source of water-supply from the hills. beyond. If Glasgow has a foul Clyde, it tells you that its people drink only the water of Loch Katrine, stored and filtered amid the great hills of Scotland. London, with its various water companies, is constantly on the alert as to the purity of supply, and by most extended filtering works largely makes up for deficiencies which would otherwise not be tolerated. As our risks from impure water are even more than those from ordinary impure air, it behooves our cities more and more to guard against any contamination of potable water. In the various reports of the State Geologist, and of this Board, as well as in that of the Commissioners of State Water Supply, are to be found valuable facts as to real conditions and as to available sources of water-supply. The great error in some localities has been a too hasty commitment of city interests to some incorporated company. Some of these are excellent and quickly respond to public demand when the water becomes insufficient in quantity or inferior in quality. Others, having become established and profitable investments, resist any popular outcry that requires expense, or very slowly respond to just complaints. A committee at Asbury Park, in a comparison of water-rates in places where the water has been introduced through works owned by the borough or city, found that the rates were over thirty-three per cent. in favor of consumers, as compared with those of incorporated private companies. In other instances, cities have too hastily chosen sources of water-supply on the judgment of nonexpert committees, or of engineers little versed in this line of inquiry. The conditions of an efficient water-supply are now so well understood, and the resources of our State in these directions are so good, that no more blunders should occur. We must still urge upon the counties of Passaic, Essex, Union and Hudson the advisability of considering modes of a combined water-supply for the over 500,000 people they contain, and in view of the prospects of a rapidly-increasing population.