Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-12-11
The Health Office.

EDITOR HERALD Much adverse
comment has been made upon the ac-
ton of the Common Council last Tues
day evening in vacating the Health
Office. In a spasmodc effort at econ
omy, they dispensed with an office,
which, endowed with the proper pow
er and supported as it should be, would
prove one of the most important in
the city government. While we do
not wish to endorse the action of the
Council in what would seem short
sighted policy, still we are compelled
in candor to say that, under existing
circumstances, as the health office had
been conducted, it is just as we'll that
it should be abolished. In this we do
not mean any reflection on DIR. Nc
Kee, the Health Officer. When the
office was first instituted it had a legit-
innate field of usefulness. Upon his
appointment DR.. Mckee fully real
lied this fact and addressed himself
industriously to the work of supply
ing sanitary regulations and enfore-
ing them. For the first few months
of his service we believe that the
Health Officer performed his duties
vigorously and conscientiously; he
framed lengthy and comprehensive
ordinances, providing for the health
of the city, and, when they became
law, he went into the highways and
by-ways enforcing them. But it
chanced that, while in the performance
of his functions as a smelling commit
tee, he scented his way to some intol-
erable nuisances upon the premises of
one or two Coupcimen. This action
was indiscreet. At the next meeting
of the Council, after the unfortunate
discovery, the Health Officer was Off
cially decapitated. The City Fathers,
in their wisdom, decided that the eX-
isting health ordinances were too elab-
crate and oppressive in their charac-
ter aud hence it was better to have
none at all. They were gracious
enough, however, to pass a vote of
thanks to DR.. Mckee for his ef1icien-
cy, and with this consolation, the
Health Officer stepped down and out,
on the vote of four Councilmen. But
our citizens, having experienced the
beneficial results from a thorough
enforcement of the health laws, OBJ
jected to this summary action OF their
representatives and demanded in nu-
merously signed petition that DR.. Me-
Kee be reinstated. However reluct-
antly it may have been done, the
Council were compelled to accede to
pnblic opinion. When once more in
vested with the mantle of office,
however, the Health Officer profited
by his previous dearly bought expert
ence. He was not at all otficious in
looking into nuisances upon the
premises of Councilmen, and indeed,
after succession of wet blanketings
he ceased to make himself troublesome
to anybody. No doubt he thought
that the easiest way was the best way
Nor do we censure his actions in this
respect. With his powers restricted
and his suggestions persistently ig-
nored, it was impossible for him to ac-
complish any good results. The Office,
which had been created for useful
purpose, relapsed into sinecure, and
the Health Officer contented himself
virtually with n list Of births and
deaths. In fact, the official nose, so
keen for bad smell beforehand, be-
came almost 0blivious to anything be-
yond bottle of cologne or Il tube rose.
Within two hundred yards of the
house in which the Health Officer re-
sided, for two months Or more, we
could have pointed to plague spot
that smeled rank to Heaven, and was
unmolested. Under such an enforced
state of inefiiciency, the Health Office
was utterly useless to the city, and
the fifty dollars month paid the Of
ficer was thrown away. While we
could afford to pay hundred and fifty
dollars for an office well administered,
a simple figurehead is dear at any
price. Let our City Council either in
stitute an office that means something,
or keep il vacated az it is.
NnpnyYt.p