Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-28
BOARD OF HEALTH.
No State Should be Without a state Board
and no City Without a Local
Board of Health.
Fort WORTH, TE-., Aug. 25, 1890.

Fort WORTH, TE-., Aug. %, 1890.
The following letter from the dis
tingushed savant and eminent sanitar-
ian, DR.. R. Harvey Reed, explains it
self. DR.. Reed is no blowing theorist
but an active, practical worker in the
sanitary field. 1 bespeak for his letter a
careful perusal and thoughtful consider
alton.
j. l.. CUNNINGHAM, NJ. d.
TRI-STATE SANITARY ASSOCIATION,
OFFICE OF PRESIDENT,
MANSFIELD, o., Aug. l6, 1880.
DR.. ]. L. Cunningham, Fort Worth, Tex:
My DEAR DocToR-Replying to your favor
beg leave to say:
There are between thirty-fve and forty states
in the Union now which have state boards OF
this number that has regretted the action of
their legislators in this direction, much less
attempted the repeating OF the act that created
and keeps in force such q law. Ohio worked
for more than twelve ears to get su CHI law,
without success, before she succeeded. The
question legi imately arises, why was an old,
prosperous, intelligent and wealthy common
wealth like Ohio so slow in creating and main
tanning state board of health?
can answer your very proper inquiry in two
sentences;
(A) The people did not understand what it
meant, or what it proposed to do much less
that it was for their own individual protection
against sickness and death.
(B) Inscriptions doctors took advantage of
the peoples Ignorance as all quacks usually
do and opposed the passage of such q bill as
expensive and useless, and as multiplying our
state machinery and increasing our taxes, as
autocratic in its nature, and thousand and one
other imaginary as well as prevaricatlng rea-
sons, whilst the true reasons for their opposi-
ton was to prevent it, on the ground that it
would reduce the annual amount of sickness
and thus diminish their annual profits.
BY these two prime factors Ohio was kept from
having state board of health until April Il,
1886, whilst the people were the losers and the
doctors and grave yards the gamers therefrom.
Whilst the bill which was finally passed,
incomplete of itself it has been added to from
year to year until 1t is gradually growing in
power and efficiency. But notwithstanding all
this no person thinks for mo nent OF having
the law repealed, which Is growing in favor
from year to year and has come to stay.
Our local boards of health were organized I'M
der a subsequent law that compelled all towns
and cities of over $40 inhabitants to organize and
maintain local board of health. These local
board of all contagious or infectious diseases.
The local boards are appointed by the councils
boards only have jurisdiction in the corporation
of their respective towns cities.
Four years, ago there were scarce.
y a half dozen local boards of
health in our state and they were the result of
special acts of their several councils. To day
there is not town in the state over 500 inhabi-
maintain a local board of health The
popularity of these boards Is gaining rapidly
among our people who now boast of the health
departments and the good they are doing,
whilst the work Of these boards is increasing
annually by increased duties at the request of
the people themselves. Health officers who
used to serve the people free are now paid for
their services without complaint, as q rule, ex-
cept by a little band OF misers who growl at
everybody and everything, The health officer is
made the executive officer Of the local board of
health and sees that the rules and regulations of
the board and the special ordinances OF the
council are duly enforced and that the public
ie Carad md hx-
quarantine or otherwise. Ne sees that the
meat, water and milk supply of his city or town
is good and wholesome, and prevents the intro
duction of impure milk, spoiled meats or aduI-
etrated food. he sees TO the sewerage and
plumbing as well as the sanitary condition of
the outhouses, hogpens and stables where such
exist.
No state should be without state board of
health, and no town or city without q local
board of health.
The people can't afford it, and take my word
for it. that it will only require the trial to prove
truth OF my assertion. Sincerely yours,
r. HARVEY REED.