Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-04-16
The state BOARD of Health.

II Is expected that the legislature will
reconsider its action of last week in
striking out the appropriation for the
state board of health. While there is
considerable opposition to this branch Of
the state government, still 1t has &C
complished a vast amount of good from
a sanitary standpoint. and the advisable
ity of disseminating it altogether is q
matter which should be carefully weighed.
In regard to the action of the legislature
on this subject. the Chicago Ne,os has the
following:
At every recurring session of the gen.
eral assembly vicious attack is made
upon the state board of health in the
lower house. Such attacks usually takes
the form of an attempt to reduce or to
entirely cut off the appropriation for its
support. This year it has gone further,
and bills have been introduced for re-
peal of the act creating the board, but
these have been already reported unfavor-
ably by the committees to which they
were referred.
The apimus of The attacks is not far to
seek. First, the quacks, abortionists,
and other disreputables who are pre-
vented from plying their nefariOas voca-
tions by the board. These are sbetted by
a certain ignoble class of newspapers who
miss the advertising patronage which
would otherwise accrue. Second. the
cheap medical colleges run as mere
diploma mills" These institutions are
not recognized by the board and the en-
forcement of decent standard OF medical
education and qualifications has closed
the doors of great many of them and
prohibited their graduates" from prac-
tice in this state. How this work of the
board is regarded by such eminent physi.
clans and public-spirited citizens as Drs.
Byford. Andrews, johnson. Davis, Fen.
ger. Ingals, DeWolf. Ludlam, Clark and
others--allopaths, homeopaths, and
eclectics-msy be seen by the following
extract from the last number of the Chi
cago Medical Journal. publication with
which nearly all those above named are
connected:
Chiefly by its work in raising the
standard of medical education. in expos.
ing diploma mills. and in tracing up and
prosecuting qusckery the Illinois state
board of health has made itself q power
that is felt over the United States and
Canada"
Still more emphatic is the verdict of ex
Gov. Oglesby in his last message, deliv.
cred Jan. 10, 1899 A chief executive
noted for his honesty and hard headed
common sense, he accredits the board
with an Intelligent and faithful dis.
charge of its duties" by which-while
neighboring communities, even less ex-
posed by immigration and geographical
position. have suffered from frequent cpl
demics-lllinois has for many years been
free from serious or widespread contagi.
Gus or infectious disease. until the state
is now one of the bealthiest and most ia
vorable TO long and vigorous life of any
in the union
Referring to the unparalleled labors oil
the board in the small pOx epidemic OF
1872, the result of which labors anC
the methods by which it was accomplished
have passed into history on both sides the
Atlantic as among the greatest triumphs
of sanitary administrstion-Gov. Oglesby
says that lit is matter of record" that
the work of the board resulted in q saw
ing OF nearly SO. 800. 900 to the people of
the state" and that through the pre-
ventive and protective measures then es-
tablished and since enforced, there has
been no repetition of that disease in an
epidemic form" He calls attention also
to the fact that during the first SIX months
of the amended act the board refused
licenses to itinerant vendors OF nOstrums
and quack practitioners, the fees fol-
which licenses would have swelled the
treasury of the board by over $4,000.
Finally. he cites, as proof that the
board has been prudent and economical
in the expenditure of appropriations SUBJ
ject to its order" the fact that it covered
back into the treasury untouched q
contingent appropriation of $4,000
Contrast these deliberate, official state.
ments of the chief executive with the
brutal assaults and wholesale lies ut.
tered on the floor of the house las
Wednesday by the champions of the
9uacks and 9uackery.
One of these asserted that the expenses
of the board for the last two years ag-
gregated 100000, or $4,000 a year
The actual appropriations for the bosrt
for these years was $4,000 per annum
and of this amount the state AUDITOR
report and the sworn statement of ths
treasurer of the board show a balance Oh
hand unexpended at the close of the las
fiscal year.
With the exception of the secretary nc
member of the board receives one dollar
OF pay or emolument- only the actual
expenses of their attendance at meetings
being refunded them-and there is not
one of them who does not make a con
siderable personal and pecuniary sacri>
fee in discharging the duties of member
ship. They would do better individually
without the state than would the state
without them. If the assembled wisdom
OF Illinois as represented in the
XXXvIth legislature decides to abolish
the state board of health, let it do so di
rectly by repeal of the act and not by in
direction through cutting off appropria.
tions for this work. No member of the
board will protest against such repeal,
nor make other claim for its continued
existence than an established record
which is credit to the state.