The herald., 1893-02-02
THE BURNING TAMALE QUESTION
The Board of Health Confronted
by 1t Again.
Health Officer Powers Thinks He
Needs More Inspectors.
A Proposed Amendment to the Penal
Code-The Plumbing Ques-
tion-The Hospital
Keeper.


The board OF health met yesterday at
30 p. M, the mayor presiding. Pres
ent also Drs. Hitchcock, Gillingham and
MacGowan and Health Officer Powers.
The minutes of the preceding meeting
being read and approved, the first busi-
ness brought up was
AN AMENDMENT.
The amendment Of section 1927 of the
penal code, now pending at Sacramento,
forbids the cremation of any garbage
within one-quarter mile of the city linn
its, was then taken up. The board of
health of San Francisco had memorial
lied this board about it.
DR.. MacGowan moved that the Los
Angeles delegation in the legislature be
notified that the board wishes the above
section to read that any and all dead
animals may be cremated at any crema-
tory established by any city with the
sanction and approval of the board OF
health. Adopted.
MR.. DILLoN's TAMALEs.
Mr.. Mcfarland, city attorney, sent in
communication with reference to a
tamale factory on Sixth street, COM
planned of as nuisance. The attorney
says:
II can see no necessity for referring
the same to me, as have no jurisdic-
ton over such matters. This nuisance
should be abated as other nuisances are
abated-by the health officer, and should
be prosecuted by the district attorney
under the state law.
FILLING IN sUNKEN LOTS.
DR.. MacGowan called the attention of
the board to the matter Of eunken lots
where stagnant water accumulates, thus
spreading malsrial diseases. He said
that it was matter that had been legis-
lated upon in Boston and he moved that
a committee be appointed to examine
Into the Massachusetts, laws and COM
pile an ordinance.
The motion prevailed and the mayor
appointed Drs. MACEDONIAN and Hitch
cock as such committee.
APPLICATION FOR INSPECTOR.
The petition of Charles L. Blake ask
ing an appointment to the Office of
health inspector (salary $50 per monthly
was received and placed on file. The
number of inspectors was recently re-
duced from three to two.
DIR. POWERS REQUEST.
DIR. Powers, the newly elected health
officer, was present and called the
boards attention to the fact that there
was an insuficiency of inspectors. Three
were little enough in city of this size,
especially where one of them acted as
Office clerk to the health officer. He
said that it was impossible for two men
to do the work in b city where 30 many
miles of travel were necessary. He de-
sired them to appoint J. j. O'Brien as
health inspector in place of @. E. Smith.
The proposition received the unanimous
vote of the board and the chair de-
clared Mr.. O'Brien duly elected.
THE PLUMBING QUESTION.
A letter was received from the associ-
alton Of journeymen plumbers to the
effect that the existing sanitary laws
are defective; that while master plumb
ers are nominally responsible, it should
be made obligatory that journeymen
plumbers should be examined as to
their mechanical qualifications; that no
"jobbing" or subletting of plumbing
contracts should be allowed by which
the work can be done by boys or by
newly chosen apprentices; and that the
laws as they now exist are entirely fu
tile unless there is in the employ OF the
city skilled journeyman plumber.
With this end in view the association
takes pleasure in recommending Dr.
James w. Cusick. Referred to the
health officer.
HOSPITAL KEEPER.
The mayor inquired what was the
disposition of the board with reference
to the matter of city hospital keeper.
He had already said he would not be
willing to remove any man who had
shown disposition to attend to his
duty properly, go that he would leave
the matter entirely with the medical
gentlemen in the board.
DIR. MacGowan asked if the health
officer was willing to retain the present
incumbent, Mr.. j. G. Keys. DR.. Powers
Gowan then nominated Mr.. Keys for
was elected. Ayes 5, noes 0.
On motion of DR.. MacGowan, the
board memorialized the city council to
the effect that the same district be used
for the destruction of garbage by crema-
tion as was used before.
THE FRAGRANT TAMALE.
Mr. Drake, whose illustious ancestor
probably acquired the secret of COM
pounding tamales, at the time when he
destroyed the invincibe armada of
Spain, appeared before the board and
said he courted investigation on the in
gradients of his tamales. He had never
used anything but the cleanest meats in
the compounding of his tamaes and
nothing would suit him better than in
vestigation.
DIR. Kurtz inquired if he would file
vouchers from the poultry vendors, to
show that he did not keep battery in