Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-03-29
Public Health is Public Wealth, -,

EDS. RECORD UNION: Having, what l
believe to be authentic information that
an attempt will be made to displace. by
political jugglery, our present able and
efficient Health Officer, | desire, as a citi-
zen and taxpayer, to enter my protest. to-
gether with that of every citizen with
whom have conversed upon the subject.
against any such suicidal policy, which in
wolves, mol the property of the citizen. but
that which is more precious-the health of
the community. Before the appointment
OF Health Officer Ferral, this city was one
termenting basin of filth cesspools unven-
ulated were overlooking, out-houses every
where tainted the air we breathed, garbage
heaps were piled up here and there low
lying lots were filled with stagnant, stink
ing water, green with their Shiny rotten
ness, sewers were choked with deconpos-
ing debris, and offensive odorS assaied the
nostrils on every conner. As result sick
ness extensively prevailed, and the doctors
were all kept busy. Since the appoint
ment of Ferral, two years ago, things have
changed in marked manner All these
sources of disease have been removed.
cleanliness has replaced filth, and clean
earth has replaced stagnant water For
eighteen months past we have obtained an
immunity from sickness hitherto unknown
in the annals Of the city, and we can proud
ly boast to-day of being one of the healthi-
est cities in the United States. This we owe
entirely and without any doubt to the un-
firing industry, vigilance and intelligence
of our present Health Officer. He has now
made himself master of the situation. With
a perfect and intimate knowledge of all the
city ordinances governing the health of the
city he knows his powers and his duties,
and has the courage to enforce our laws and
do his duty without fear or favor. Every
cess-pool, clubhouse, garbage heap and
sewer in the city is a matter OF record with
him, and consequently he knows exactly
when to see that they are cleaned and dis
infected. He has also chained through
close study, a sufficient knowledge of SAM
tary plumbing to be an expert in discover
ing leaky joint, deficient or useless trap,
or defective drain-pipe. All these things
take time to learn, and are not acquired
except by those who are interested in the
work. Now, in face of what will in all
probability be a very sickly season, / can
not characterize il as anything less than a
crime to attempt to displace such an officer;
an officer who has proven himself able
efficient and honest, bringing with him in
the discharge of his duty an intelligence
rarely surpassed III the comprehension OF
the work and the design to be accomplished.
II man like that is to be displaced, and
sickness thereby added to cur already over
burdened taxpayers, and pFeventable dis
eases be admitted into our midst through
the appointment of an ignorant and inef-
ncient Health Oficcr-and any new APP
pclntee must be both for months to come
the men making such new appointment
without any other than political excuse.
must be held as guilty before heaven of the
murder of such persons who die from pre-
ventab!e diseases as if they had poisoned
their drinking water or stabbed them in the
dark. Public health is public wealth.
and should not be an object Of barter or
sale in civilized community Yours,
truly, A TAypAyFp