Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/674

 650 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

Recently (March, 1903) a system of trained nurses to visit tuberculosis patients of the poorer classes was established by the department. These nurses receive $75 per month, paid from a special fund at the service of the commissioner of health, and it is their duty to visit all patients referred to them by the bureau through the recommendation of the medical inspectors, especially those who are bed-ridden and helpless, and to aid them in every way possible.

This new feature of the system is only on trial at present, but, like the corps of school nurses, promises to be very successful, and will doubtless be extended from time to time, as the funds of the department will allow.

The prevention of malaria. It seems now to be a well- demonstrated fact that the germs of malarial fever can be con- veyed into the human system only through the bite of the anopheles mosquito. As these mosquitoes breed commonly in almost every swamp or pool of stagnant water, the proper sani- tation and drainage of such sources of infection become of the greatest importance to the good health of the community. So it was that in 1902 the New York Department of Health ordered a general inspection of all land within the city limits, for the pur- pose of discovering where mosquitoes most commonly bred and the drainage necessary to prevent their continued propagation. Special studies were also carried on during the summer on Long Island and elsewhere, to determine the best means of fighting this particular variety of mosquito. The department sent com- munications to about seven thousand physicians, asking for their co-operation in this matter, and offering them the facilities of the department's laboratory for their own investigations. In addition to these measures, negotiations were begun with all the railway companies having suburban lines, requesting them to drain and fill in the sunken land along their rights of way. Many orders were also issued compelling certain corporations and private citizens to do such draining and filling in as was thought necessary, and large quantities of petroleum were used to retard, and if possible prevent, the breeding of mosquitoes. Furthermore, Commissioner Lederle proposed to the Department