Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-26
BOARD OF HEALTH.
No State Should Be Without a State Board
and no City without Local
Board OF Health.
FORT WORTH, TEX. Aug. rs, 1890.

FORT WORTH, Tex, Aug. %, 1890.
To the Gazette.
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. 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 DocroR-Replying to your favor !
beg leave to say:
There are between thirty-tive and forty states
| ! n the Union now which have state boards OF
health, and there Is not single state out of all
this number that has regretted the action OF
their legislators in this direction, much less
attempted the repeating OF the act that created
aud keeps in force such law. Ohio worked
for more than twelve ears TO get such a law,
without success. before she succeeded. The
question iegi imately arises; why was an old,
wealth like Ohio SO slow in creating ana main
tanning state board of healthS
can answer your very proper inquiry in two
(A) The people did not understand what It
meant, or what it proposed 70 do, much less
against sickness and death.
tB) INSCRIPTIONS doctors took advantage Of
the peoples Ignorance as all quacks usually
do) and opposed the passage Of such 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 prevaricating rea-
sons, whilst the true reasons for their opposi-
ton was to prevent 1t, on the ground that 1t
would reduce the annual amount of sickness
and thus diminish their annual profits.
BY these two prime factors Ohio was kent from
having state board OF health until April IA,
1856, whilst the people were the losers and the
doctors and grave yards the gamers therefrom.
Whilst the bill which was finally passed, was
incomplete of itself yet 1t 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 moment of having
the law repealed, which is growing in favor
from yea to year and has come to stay.
Our local boards Of health were organized un-
der a subsequent law that compelled all towns
and cities of over 500 inhabitants to organize and
maintain local board of health. These local
boards must make weekly reports to the state
board of all contagious or infections diseases.
The local boards are appointed by the councils
boards only have % @ in the CORPORATION
Of their respective towns or cities.
Four years. ago there were scarce:
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 'in local i board Of heaisS. the Ss
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 az the request OF
the people themselves. Health officers who
used to serve the people free are now paid for
their services without complaint, as rule, ex-
cept by q 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
health is properly cared for and projected by
quarantine or otherwise. &c 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 I'd ul-
etrated food. he sees to the sewerage and
plumbing as we'll as the sanitary condition Of
the outhouses, hogpenz ard stables where such
exist.
No state should be without state board OF
health, and no town city without local
board of health.
The people can't afford 1t, and take my word
for it, that 1t viii only require the trial to prove
truth OF my assertion. Sincerely yours,
r. HAgvEY RrRp