Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-03-29
THE HEALTH BOARD AND ITS OFFICER

There Is furry in the health depart
ment of this city. The facts, as we gather
them, are that disposition is manifest
to make such change in the Board of
Health as will result in the .loice of a
new Health Officer. This should not
be done except on demonstration that
the city viii be better served. gThe rale
ought to be in such department that
vcapacity should be retained. 1lie Board
is composed wholly of physicians. They
receive no fee or reward The present
Board has proved highly efficient. The
reforms instituted by it are the most pro-
gressive ever undertaken in SACRAMENTO.
1t is fact that the health of the BETTY was
never better. As one physiciin, not a
member of the Board, Yesterday remarked.
: it is alarmingiy healthy-for bur pro-
fession." The ventilation of drains, pits
and cesspools by upper air-pipes, inaugu
rated and carried out by this Board has
proved one of the most effective of SAM
tary devices. Sickness has decreased in
almost exact proportion as these yentila-
tors have been introduced, and the Board
traces the augmented sanitation aof the
city and the. decline of illness directly TO
this cause and TO the energy that lrs been
shown by the Boards Health Officer in
enforcing sanitary regulations, and in
searching out and correcting causes of dis
ease due to polluted ground foul drains
low lots and unventilated pits 1t takes
new Health Officer, however efficient.
a hui year to become familiar with his
duties and to make his Office of full yalue
to the city The present officer appears
to he precisely the man for the place. We
have 1t on medical authority that more
has been done under his administration
than by any and all previous Health
Officers of the city, and members
OF the Board, being questioned
on this subject frankly admit it. OF course
the man never lived whose place could not
be filled, but it is also true that in intelli-
gent sanitary work an energetic, vigilant
and thoroughly efficient Health Officer,
backed by several years of experience, who
has learned just how to approach the peo-
pie, and how to carry ont the orders of the
Board with the least friction, ought not.
except for cause, TO be removed. Certainly
when all the testimony is that the present
Board and its officer have accomplished
more for tie sanitation of the city than
has been attained by all previous
labor, it is the hight of un,7isdom to make
changes, for the sake of giving Office to
rival applicants. II, as is ramored, there
Is behind the effort to remove the Health
Officer a scheme to advance The political
prospects Of partisans immediate or re-
mote, and to give strength to new 'slates.n
the attempt Is little less than infamous.
The puolic health should not be made the
seapegoat for partisan ambition. We can
not contemplate far moment yshe idea
that the Trustees will become parties to
any scheme that viii imperil the present
excellent health administration, or hermit
Others through them to trihe wish the
possibilities of public health, in order to
give place to any new man. The health
department should in no way be related to
politics, and least ,of sill, should it be
manipulated to augment the political
strength ofcandidates fer remote positions.
In another column viii be found a letter %.
this subject from an old ami praeticed sani-
tartan and large taxpayer, a man who
fairiy represents the worth ST this city, and
highly SO its intelligent thought, and
whose kisewiedge of sanitary matters is
second to nene. We commend his words
10 careful reading and .dispassionate
thnnnht.