Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-12
TROOPS READY AT THEIR CALL,
The Work of the Pittsburg Bureau OF
Health in Preventing the Spread
of Contagious Diseases.
SEVERE PENALTIES PROVIDED 81 LAW.
What it Costs 10 Tear Down and Destroy 6 Smallpox
Sign.

whatever that may be, insists that we are
too much governed. The probabilities are
that he does not know how much We are
governed. He is accustomed to meeting un-
obtrusive officials every day, but why they
are in existence and by what authority or
what their duties are, he does not know.
During the present summer many Pitts
burgers have been scared by rumors of ap-
preaching epidemics of cholera, yellow
fever and smallpox, but by the aid of Prov
idence and the Health Bureau pestilence has
been avoided, and majority of our physi-
clans believe that the danger is past for this
year. Nevertheless, there are still many
cases Of typhoid fever and other infectious
diseases IN the city, and the health officers
are kept busy nearly all the time.
The Pittsburg Board of Health was ere
ated in 1851 by the passage of ordinance in
Councils, in accordance with provision of
the State laws. The board consisted of nine
citizens elected at joint session of Coun-
ellis. This board appointed the necessary
officers to look after the health of the city.
A CHANGE OF BASE.
Under the act of Assembly passed in 1885,
providing for the adoption of the new char
ter by the city of Pittsburg, the Board of
Health was abolished, and the Bureau of
Health created and connected with the De-
partment of Public Safety. The officers of
bureau are: Superintendent, Thomas W.
Baker; Chief Clerk, W. F. McKelvey; City
Physician, J. Guy McCandless, M. D., and
Sanitary Inspector, James McEwen. The
city is divided into ten districts, and for the
health of each an inspector is held response
bic.
The powers delegated to the health Off
GERS would be envIed by the most autocratic
of Eastern potentates. Pennsylvania
adopted the English laws bodily many
years ago, and next to trial by jury the
sentiment that an Englishman's house is
his castle underlies all these statutes. This
sentiment was transplanted with the laws,
but it don't go when health lnspecto" gets
alter you. He doesn't need a warrant or
uniform; be simply flashes up badge and
walks in any time between sunrise and sun
set. 1t the citizen tries to keep the inspect
or out be soon finds himself in jail. II the
citizen barticades himself in and prepares
to stand a siege the Health Bureau has the
authority to use any means, even to calling
out troops, to bring the man to terms--and
they won't be his terms, either.
HIS WORD GOES.
A health officer has the power to take a
patient suffering from an infectious disease
out of his home, regardless of the threats or
entreaties of his friends. If he finds any
nuisance in house he orders it abated, and
the householder had better hustle or he will
be fined heavily and in default sent to Jail.
The health laws are very curt and clean cut.
and there is little chance to dodge their pro-
visions.
The Health Bureau and the Police
Bureau work hand-in-hand in preserving
the health and cleanliness of the city. and
there are any number Of State laws and city
ordinances under which they can act. Some
of them, however, are more honored in the
breach than in tie observance. There is
a city ordinance which imposes a fine
penalty of 50 for tearing up paper and
throwing 1t in the street, no matter whether
it is done by 4 business man while looking
through his correspondence or whether it is
the work of the small boy who wants to see
it snow in summer 1t isn't often enforced
here. If a man litters street with paper
there ne is promptly invited to pick up the
70 be iabbed by the gendarmie's sword while
IL a STOPPING posture. 1t is alse forbidden
8 to throw banana or orange peel on the side
walk. The reason for 1hlS is tWofold. In
the FIRST place, the sensation of striking
sidewalk violently and Unexpectedly is un-
pleasant 10 most persons, and in the next
place it is hoped by the Legislators that by
preventing this practice they will also sue
coed in aboiishing the threadbare jokes on
the subject.
DIsPosING OF GARBAGE
The law regulating the conveyance of
offal and garbage through the city streets
provides that the wagons in which it is
carried shall be tightly covered, and that
none of the contents shall be spilled. Re use
for which no use could be found used to be
taken down the Ohio river few miles in
boats made for the purpose and there
dumped into the water. Some persons liv-
ing down the river have found fault with
this management. Now, the city has built
a garbage furnace On Hill street, and
another is in course of erection on Negley's
run, The little fishes don't get quite so
much TO eat as they used to, but residents
OF Sevickley are enabled to eat their break
fasts without keeping the windows closed.
There are certain manufactures in this
city and while they are not considered
unduly unhealthy TO those engaged In them,
the refuse or waste material from them, I'M
der certain conditions, may become breeders
of disease or perhaps an epidemic. A rem
edy for this contingency is provided, and on
this point the Law is very explicit. 1t says:
''If any brewer, distiller, soap boiler, tallow
chandler or tanner within this city shall, bY
themselves or Others discharge out of or
from any brew-house, still-house, workshop
or yard foul, nauseous liquor of any kind,
or other offensive matter, into or upon any
adjacent ground or any well, vault or sink.
or in or upon any square, street, alley or
public ground of the said city, every person
so offending shall, for every such ofense, for
felt and pay fine of not less than IS nor
more than S20."
QUARANTINE REGULATIONS.
A few of the penalties provided by the
health laws are herewith given. The COM
mauder of a boat violating anv quarantine
regulation is liable to a fine of $500. When
a quarantine is established against any in
iected place or city, anyone who introduces
persons or articles rom the infected district
is liable to fine of $500, will have to bear
the expense OF keeping the persons so
brought in quarantine, and all the goods
will be destroyed. The officer In charge of
any public conveyance who knowingly
brings a person suffering from contagious
disease may have to pay $50.
A physician who neglectS to make i'm
mediate report of eny case of smallpox,
dlphtheria, scarlet fever, typhoid fever,
typhus fever, yellow fever, cerebro-spinal
fever or Asiatic cholera, may be fined any
where from S5 to $50. A fine of not less
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