The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-07-26

MEDICAL MATTERS.
The trouble in the local
Board of Health.
What the Physicians say on
the Subject.
Meeting Of the Tri-City As
ISOLATION.
MEDICAL MuDpLE.


of Health to qualify and serve as members
of the sanitary commission.
A great many people were of the opinion
that the trouble was caused by the at
tempted amalgamation of the old and new
schools of medicines III the membership of
the Health board. This impression was
produced on account of the refusal of the
three old school physicians, Doctors Barth,
Carter and Craig to serve, while DR.. Kiny-
on, the exponent of the little pills system,
has qualified and is ready to serve his coun-
try and city by fighting odoriferous sub
stances and nuisances of every character.
The refusal of the three
members, to take upon themselves the du-
ties of the position to which they were ap-
pointed, has called forth considerable talk
about the city, and the ordinary conclusion
was that it was the old fight between the
two schools.
Such, however, does not prove to be the
case, as the three medical gentlemen who
have caused the trouble were visited by an
ARGUS man, and interviewed on the sub
ject.
DIR. CRAIG
was the first of the trio who was subjected
to the interviewing process, and from him
the following information was obtained;
"In the first place" said the Doctor, II
think the public are making more OF our
refusal to qualify than we intended, or than
the case will justify. We consider our
selves private citizens, and that we have
the right to serve in position to which We
have been appointed, or not, as we see fit. .
''What are your reasons for refusing to
server"
''Our principal reason for declining to
serve is the GOODNESS which Mayor Carse
has shown us in reference to our wishes
and opinions. Persons engaged in the
sanitary work as we have been for some
time are better qualified to speak of what
is necessary for a Board in order to make
the Board efficient than person who has
not given the subject any consideration or
study. We also think that as members in
the past we should. have been consulted,
in regard to the requirements of the
Board
do you think then that you have the
right to dictate what members the mayor
should appoint?"
mo; not the right to dictate; but our
opinions should certainly have been con-
suited so long as we were looking to the
increased efficiency of the Board
Is your objection against DR.. Kinyon,
the homeopathic member?
"No. We belong to several health as /
sociations in which the other school is rep
resented and our objection is not based /
against DIR. Kinyon as an homeopathic
physician, do not intend to qualify, as
after what has happened | could not serve
Know that the same feeling applies to all
of the old school. as there is no
school fight about it. ;"
1.-THE great trouble" said DR.. Craig, ''ls
hat the Board of Health is hampered in
every way. If it was organized as the
Library Association it could accomplish
some good. There is consultation with |
his lawyer and that. and then the Board
IAN incur no expense, as perhaps the council
viii not allow it. Everything has to pass
through the council. / don't think the
Board is properly constituted as there are
90 many physicians If lawyer had
been appointed the work would have been
and the efficiency greatly in
creased. The great trouble has been, not
what we should do but how we could ac-
complish given work in legal way"
DIR. BARTH
was next visited He said, in reply to
questions: THE beginning of the trouble
was over year ago. At that time the
Mayor did not consider the Board sufficient |
y important to even reappoint us, but al
lowed us to hold over. During the high /
water we were called upon and acted as
but not as members of the |
Board, as we did not consider ourselves |
duly authorized to act in that capacity |
After the flood had subsidized we were |
formally reappointed. We wanted
a full board composed of efficient members, |
and Doctor Carter aud Mr.. McMaster were |
appointed to complete the board. This |
year it was ascertained that we were lie |
gally constituted. We were given to under
stand that the medical members of the old
Board would be re-appointed, and we
made a request to have lawyer
appointed. and gave our rea
son for making the request, which was
to make the Board more efficient"
''Then your objection to serving was
not on account of the recognition of the
other school9'
No, we desired lawyer, as there were
many things in which lawyer would have
been of great assistance. I think that a
lawyer would have strengthened the Board,
and DIR. Kinyon did not fill the BILL"
DR. CARTER.
us this fight between the two schools ?"
'.No. do not understand that such is
the cause of the trouble
tWhat was the trouble ~
'.The efficiency of the board / think
the Board could have been improved by
substituting civil engineer for one of the
physicians and lawyer in place of a
second physician. Two physicians, it APP
pears to me, are sufficient on any efficient