St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-22
MINNEAPOLIS EVENTS
Howard Winters Measles Set
the Health Board by the
Ears.
Election Of Officers and Other
Business by Minnesota
Knights Of Labor.
Henry ]. Altnow Reports on
Municipal Court Business
in 1892.
Pc TX Board Organization At
fected--GenePal News Of
Minneapolis.

Mluu6dpOllSS
The old fogyism that has peryaded
the city board of health is beginning to
show itself to the public. The board
has long been hampered by an element
that stood for economy in the matter OF
public health, and placed every OBJ
stacle in the way of good sanitation.
The fragrant case of neglect, or mis-
understanding, or whatever 1t pleaSeS
the public 10 term it, by which Howard
Winter, the printer, was allowed to lie on
the floor of saloon all night, without
attendance and without medicine, when
suffering from virulent case or the
measles, demonstrates that there
is something wrong with the
health department. In justice
to Dr.. Kelly, the health COM
missioner, it can be said that he is not
to blame for the many Inconsistencies
found in the health department, but the
lamentabIy fOssiliZed committee OH
health and hospitals which constitutes
the city board. AS stated in the GLOBE
of yesterday morning, Winter remained
i'll the StrOm d Davidson saloon all day,
and it was not until $50 that Police
Surgeon Gibson was notified.
He notified the health department
that the man must be removed to the
quarantine hospital. DR.. Kelly was
away from home, but his wife received
the message, and, in turn. notified Dr..
Norton. The latter did not learn of the
case until after midnight, and was not
informed of the circumstances. lie
imagined that Winter was up stairs over
the saloon and III bed, and that 1t would
be time enough to post q contagious
disease card in the morning.
SO long as Winter had been sick the
entire day, the damage, in the mind OF
DR.. Norton, had all been done, and pla-
carding the place would be unnecessary
until daylight came. When he reached
his office in the morning lie learned the
true state of affairs and ordered the
patient taken to the quarantine hospital.
He Is at present doing fairly well,
though the long neglect will no doubt
have considerable effect upon him.
DR.. Kelly was in WabaSha attending
sick friend who was i'll, and who died
while the doctor was with him. When
Ire returned to the city yesterday morn
Ing he SwOre loud and long. IL eased
his mind good deal, though it did not
remedy matters any. He stated that he
had no excuse to offer for the depart
ment. The whole thing was mistake,
and ne was sorry for it. AS matter OF
fact. the department is handicapped a
good deal, not only i'll accommodations
for patients suffering from contagious
diseases, but in other. matters. The
board of health il such a strong adyO-
tate of retrenchment and reform that 1t
IS 4 hard matter to secure even the alb
Route necessares. The present quar-
kntine hospital is disgrace to the COM
munity, and were it not for promise
Of a better one the public would arise in
Its wrath and register vigorous KICK.
The quarantine ambulance is stationed
ut the hospital, and, there being but
one, whenever case is found that must
be Quarantined, it is necessary to send
10 the hospital for the wagon. The man
IN charge appears never TO be around so
That he can be found when wanted, and
1t is very rare indeed that he can be
vailed by telephone. DR.. Norton was
asked yesterday why he did not notify
The quarantine hospital to Send the
wagon for the patient, and he said:
ut is almost impossible to get that
ambulance during the day, let alone at
midnight, when everybody at the hos
ptal is abed and asleep. On several
occasions have driven clear out there
during the day, because l could not
reach them by telephone"
President Gray. of the health board,
had considerable to say concerning the
matter yesterday, vet President Gray is
one of the strong advocates of retrench-
ment and reform. III referring to the
matter of the quarantine ambulance, he
said:
This case only bears out what have
all along said regarding the establish
ment of central station for this am
bulance near police headquarters.
There should be such a station, with
driver always in attendance. With such
an arrangement a case like that of last
night could have been promptly and
properly handled. The driver, after
having left that diphtheria case at the
pest house, would have returned with
out delay to the central station and pro-
ceeded immediately to diSinfect the
ambulance. He would have been ready
then III a few minutes to answer any
call. As it is now, the driver had prob
ably gone to bed, and considerable time
would have been lost III getting down
TO the Washington avenue saloon. But
that does not relieve the health depart
ment from its duty to have taken some
action in the case as soon as 1t was re-
ported"
At the last meeting of the board of
health the department was handicapped
still more by reducing the force of med
ical inspectors rom three to two. When
spring comes. and with it the expected
ScOurge of cholera, the department will
be in fine condition, indeed, to battle
with the disease. The idea of having
but two medical inspectors for city Of
over 100000 population is not only alb
surd. but positively dangerous to the
public health. 1t will be necessary, i'll
case of another outbreak of the cholera,
to have the medical inspectors attend
10 the depots and immigrants from in
fccted ports. The rest of the city will
then 90 to the dogs. 1t is impossible
for two medical inspectors to look attel
the entire city and do justice to any
body. DR.. Kelly was asked yesterday
If his force was large enough, and he
stated in language more expressive thar
Elegant:
.D-n it, no: but l can't help it, for
do not constitute the board of health"
Dr.. Kelly said other things, too
which, though somewhat vague, indi-
cate clearly that all is not working
smoothly in the health department
While he did not mention any ont
specifically he intmated that some
one in the health department
was guilty of inexcuSable carelessnes
In handling Winters case. He also salt
some strong words about the work o
his enemies. The existence OF con
ditions making all occurrence o
this kind possible, if not the &C
curremce itself, was due to TIN
work of his enemies both before ant
behind" just who is meant 10y Dr.
Keliey's enemies is not clear 1t ma
be Aid. Gray and other members Of tn
haaltb hoard Rut Gray and Kplla