National Republican., 1878-05-27
FORTY.FIFTH CONGRESS.
other an alopathist, and therefore tho board
ought TO he abolished.
tConiinuod from First PAGE. |

ought to he abolished.
He read from the report Of the board con.
trast between old Washington before the board
was established and Washington Of the present
day, showing what had been done by the
board.
The expense he showed had been made less
under the board than II was under the old
system Of Sanitary Police, Garbage. masters,
and cars, aud the other attendant expenses,
while but very little was accomplished then
as compared with what was now done.
The Board Of Health of Washington, he con-
tended, would compare favOrably with any
city in the United States, in the matter of
economy and efficiency.
Mr.. MERRIMoN thought the Board of
Health was not properly constituted. 1t was
practical dcspotism. He was astonished to
find the power entrusted to them. They could
condemn house and pull IL down without
tho consent of the owner, without even giving
him hearing. He had suggested that the
Board of Health should be placed under the
Board Of Commissioners, but the Health Board
had hootcd at II, and insisted that this absolute
power was essential to their efficiency.
He considered the proposition that the board
could come to his house aud tear II down q
monstrous one. lie referred also to the crowd.
\ Ing In of tramps into this District, and said
some stringent measures ought to be adopted
4 TO prevent this. He desired to propose an
! amendment to the effect that all persons who
are now residing or may hereafter reside in
this District, and shall not have any other
fixed abode anywhere else shall be considered
citizen OF the District. lie wished to do this
because he did not think that citizenship in
the District was sufficiently well defined.
Mr.. MERRIMON then spoke Of the attend.
ance OF children Of non-residcnts In the public
schools Of the District. He said that the public
schools Of the District were the best in the
United States, excepting perhaps those Of Con.
necticut. Persons FROM all the States come
here and educate their children at the expense
Of the citizens of the District. Congress ought
TO stop this.
Twenty-Five or thirty members of Congress
send their children to public schools so do all
the employees Of tho Government who are
temporarily here, and he contended that they
had no right to do so.
Mr.. EDMUNDS advocated his plan to turn
over the Health Department to the Surgeon
General,as in the interest of economy, without
being destructive of efficiency.
Mr.. WINDOW cited from the report of the
Board Of Health for 1877 TO show that the in.
crease Of zymotic diseases was caused by the
lack Of appropriations.
MIR. EDMuNDS asserted that an increase of
that class Of diseases was observable every
where, and It was absurd to attribute it to a
lack of appropriations.
Mr.. WITHERS was astonished at hearing in
the nineteenth century proposition TO abolish
the Board of Health OF u city of 10000 in
habitants. He thought that this board had
done excellent work. fthe provisions Of the
bill are Objectionable, change them. IL the
present board is Objectionable, provide for the
appointment of new one.
Mr. MATTHEWS expressed himself as OPP
posed to the amendment, and considered it
very Injurious to the interests of the citizens
OF this District. He thought it made very lit 0
difference whether members of the board be-
longcd to one school or another, the work to
be achieved by them being not to cure, but to
prevent the conception Of diseases. He could
not speak great deal about the personnel of
the present board. lie knew but one, q lawyer
by profession, but who had devoted lifetime
to the study OF the elements Of medical sience,
and was as well qualified to speak upon the
subject as any physician. He referred to
Judge Warden. He deprecated the idea of
transferring the care of the health of the ci,-
xens Of this District either to the Commission
trs Of the District, who were not selected with
Special reference to the qualities necessary for
the discharge of the peculiar duties of n
Board OF Health, or TO the SurgcOnGcnerul,
who is already overhurduned with work.
Mr.. HOWE expressed his opposition to the
amendment
Mr. SARGENT said that fthc bill had been
reported giving the board only the powers
heretofore possessed by thcn, he would no,
have favored the amendment of the Senator
from Vermont. But this section gives this
beard such extraordinary powers as to induce
him to think that it was not the spontaneous
action of the committee, but originated with
the board. 1t looked very much to him as IL
the lines ito make rules and regulations for all
hospitals used exclusively Tor the isolation and
treatment of persons afflicted with infectious
or contagious diseases" were intended to cover
the introduction Of a system Of an immoral ma.
ture, which had been IN operation in st. Louis,
lie proceeded to point out other Objectionable
features, VIXEN Mr.. DoRsEY said that the com.
mittec were prepared TO offer such amcud-
ments as would obyiato the objections made 10
the section.
The amendment Of Mr.. EDMuNDs to abolish
the board was then rejectcd-ayes Is, noes %,
Mr.. SARGENT moved to strike out all of the
section providing for enlarged powers to the
board, pending which Mr. VOORHEES, moved
that the Senate adjourn.
The Senate then, at five o'clock, adjourned