The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-06-26
SANITARY REFORMS.

The Bee takes exception to the sug
gestions made by us recently In regsre
to the propriety Of enlarging the pow
ers of the Board of Health and con
ferring upon 1t the authority to enforce
it's regulations by criminal process
The objections of the Bee to these
propositions seem to rest mainly upor
the idea that the board, il Its powers
were enlarged as we have suggested
might be tempted to abuse its authority
and act in such manner as to render
Its ordinances and regulations oppres.
sive to the community.
We do not care to go into the whole
question Of sanitary reform, which we
discussed at some length few days age
and with as much force as our poor abil-
ity enabled us to give to it. Nor is the
Bee at odds with us in regard to the
absolute necessity of the introduction
and maintenance Of proper sanitary
measures. The difference between our
estimable contemporary and the DEMO
Graf is as to the proper mode of effect
ing the needed reforms and the proper
agency for their introduction and en-
forcement. The Bee thinks that
matters of this kind should be
left to the control of the con-
stituted governmental authorities
and that the Board of Health should
be nothing more than an advisory
body, charged with the duty of sug-
costing to these authorities measures
conducive to the preservation of the
public health. It even intimates that
the powers already conferred upon and
welded by the board are susceptible Of
employment as an engine of oppression,
and that it Ia at best debatable point
whether they should not be withdrawn
or modified at the next session Of the
Legislature.
We cannot share these views. We
believe 1t to be an admitted principle
of human action that no public func-
ton can be efficiently performed
without unity Of purpose. direction
and execution. That is the main
reason for the establishment OF a
Board of Health instead of con-
ferring upon ell physicians, as class,
equal control over sanitary measures.
Assuming, then, the necessity for the
existence of such body Of men, the
practical question which interests us Is
to determine what duties should be i'm
posed upon them and how these duties
are to be performed. Now, we can we'll
that there should be many
differences Of opinion as to the scope
and extent of the duties that should
be conferred upon such a board; that
is matter to be determined by the law
making power after a fair and full dis
cussion Of every proposition submitted
to 1t, and we, Of course, when we find
the board organized under law passed
with all the formalities attendant upon
are bound to assume that
careful consideration was given to every
clause of the act. But what we cannot
is that, after certain duties,
whatever they may be, have been i'm
posed upon a Board Of Health, there
should be any difference of opinion as
to the propriety and even the neces-
sity Of comforting upon that board
powers adequate to the rigorous
enforcement Of the rules and regula-
ions which it may legitimately adopt
'or the execution of its mandates, pro-
Eided, Of course, that these be within
The scope of the duties it Is called upon
10 perform. II the law defining these
1uties be unwise or defective, the best
node of making its unwisdom and de-
'ects apparent is to vigorously enforce
t and thereby clearly demonstrate the
necessity for its amendment or repeal.
But so long as the law exists, the per-
IONS charged with the execution of its
provisions must be furnished with
means adequate to their enforcement,
IT the whole business degenerates into
farce unworthy OF an enlightened
Our views on this subject may, then,
70 briefly stated as follows: 1. We be-
ieve in the utility of Board Of Health
because we thereby obtain the advan-
age of unity of advice and direction,
whereas if all of the physicians of a
community are to be called into con-
in respect to matters concern
ng the public health, we shall be sub
ected to the evils suggested in the old
saying, who shall decide when doctors
disagreed" 2. Having Board OF Health,
W believe in comforting upon that