Telegram-herald., 1891-12-16
NOT A PROPER NAN.
Dr. Watson Crsticises the Appoint
msns Of DR.. Braddeld
10 Be HEALTH OFFICER or TIE CITY
Asa c1sas Several fasI~.e<s 10 shaw sh@t
80 10 tassas s~ssat ~aa taaaAiinsd.
-as 10 Accused "a fassstIism
IN Cases 81 GsstAxtozs

oIxee of DresIdGat of the board O.
health. DIR. E4s.rd Watson Was health
officer. from ia knoslecge OF DR..
Eradfeld's qualifications, Ds. Watson
declares IN strong language that the
former Is not proper person TO M
the respola.bls e1ice OF health ofncer.
He conssdefs his recent appointment
shameful political reward, and that IL
was basfd n no sense upon fitness, nor
for the benefit Of the city. At bis re-
quest, q reporter for the 1ELEoaAsf-
HzzALD vas sent TO MS office yesterday,
and ths following statements were
given for publication:
ST gated oas case OF typhoid
fever, and found the premi ses IN very
BAT condition. IN the cellar was an
old unused cisteTn; the boards were
rotten, and Il Vas full OF hltn-alto-
eethef n shameful condition. | sent
= complaint 10 the owner OF the build
lnx, " winch ne paid no attention.
ssat anotaer, and he told the inspec-
tors that he would attend 10 his own
business and they had better go about
theirs. Or. Bgadf.eld was president
Of the board of health. so complained
10 him, and told him | thought the
owner ought to be pr secuted. Or.
nrsdfield argued that the city health
ordinances were worthless, ana
c0uldn't be enforced; that l wssr
there o. prosecute such men, and that
had better 20 and mind my own ousi-
ness. | argued that there were Two
parties inteTessed-the man who owned
tne ouiidin. and who was dlsregarding
the health ordinances, and the peopio
who were IN MS building ciamoring Tor
help against disease; and ! said: what
srall | say 10 these women who are
suffering from the results OF this care
les aesse The doctor answered: III
they don't Ike their surroundings, Let
them move out. That was always MS
way out Of such questions.
Cssspors OF Filth.
Another experience will show You
how ridiculous some Of his ideas were.
IL was reported to me thai under the
Eagle barn situated in the rear OF the
Eagle hotel and not twenty-five
feet away from it. there was
hole nine feet deep filled
with filth. That there Was sewer con-
neetson, but lower than IL could be
drained. A horse broke through the
floor IN some way and was drowned IN
this hole. Investigation proved all this
true, and thought the hole should be
flied up on level with the sewer, 90 il
could BE- drained. went 10 DIR. Brad
field about it, and these are the very
words in which he answered me: You
let that alone. IL you should under
take 10 stir that matter up, they could
prove that putrid urine is healthy
Again: There was . man IN the or
fee whose bus.ness Is was TO card
the houses where there was
disease. On Saturday afternoon this
man went home at 4 O'Clock,
and 10 became my duty after that to
put up any cards necessary after that
time. One Saturday afternoon | asked
the secretary II there were any diseases
reported. and he told me DR.. Bradheld
had been in and left particular word
for me not 70 pay any attention TO the
ease Of scarlet fever at DIR. Campbell
Fairs. which had been reported; for he
intended to look after that himself.
Dr. Bradfield had no authority TO med
die 10 that extent By virtue of my
office 40 health officer under the state
law. 1 was compelled to card every
house, under penalty Of fine; 90 of
course did my duty and posted the
card Immediately. Of course DR.. FAR
made no objection whatever, and
among other things asked him where
his son contracted the disease. lie told
me he thought he had taken 1t ut
schooi-that one or more OF Mr.. Moer-
tyk's children were sick.
Many Gases Covered Up.
went 70 Mr.. Moerdyk's, and he told
me- his children had scarletina and OBJ
lscsed 10 having bis house carded. Blu,
put up q card and started out 10 in
yestigats another case. / went from
house TO house until nearly midnight,
snd in al found about dozen cases
taat hat been covered mp. That's Dr.
Brsttield's way of doing business. Hs
toadlss To certain kinds of people. lie
frequently lets people off when they
have done something wrong. He hss
no fixed principles of sanitary scisnce--
be hoots at, laughs 20 scorn all prin-
eiples- Unless ne has changed his mind
IN many ways he is not NJ man for
the position OF health officer. He 10 Z
chronic sice-sceker-vill take any.
thing that promises 20 give him little
ssiary. ia really ike TO know IL IL i,
sfill his intent OF when people 90 %
him and complain OF sewer gas, and
fitn, and impure water. and all ether
bad sanitary conditions. to tell them
that IL they don't like their surround
ings they can move ouc'