The herald., 1894-04-09
NEW HEALTH REGULATIONS,
The Health officer at Work on
a New Code.
The City Is Violating a Stringent
State Law.
Important Reconmen md ations with Re-
gard to Plumbing and Provisions
for the Inspoctien aud Test
ing OF Milk.

Health Officer Powers and the board
OF health are preparing to make descent
on the city council and secure the sdop-
tion OF a comprehensive sanitary code
for this city.
At the present time the sanitary regu-
lations OF the municipality are in a rath-
er chaotic condition, and the health Of
ticer is greatly hampered thereby in the
discharge of his duties. 1t has fire..
quently been the case that when he had
made all preparations for the enforce
ment of some needed sanitary reform
that he has discovered that he lacked
the requisite legal power, or that som 9
ancient ordinance, under which some
line of action might be taken, is 80 con-
fused and contradictory in its provis.
ions that the health authorities are
practically powerless to accomplish the
reform. An attorney has been engaged
by the board, who is now making
search through all the ordinances which
have any bearing on the city health de-
partment, and it is the intention to epit
omize them, retaining Rll that is good
and useful, and rejecting all that is OF
no value. These features will be cup
plemented by Health Officer Powers
with the most approved sanitary regu-
lations, based on modern hygienic ideas
that have been put into effect in the
leading eastern cities, together with such
features that DR.. Powers may deem
necessary by reason of the climatic and
topographic conditions of this city. This
new sanitary code will be prepared in
the shape of general ordinance and
submitted to the city council for its sp-
proval.
One Of the most important regulations
will, of necessity, be the prevention OF
the dumping of sewage and offal in the
Los Angeles river, an evil that is daily
assuming greater proportions, and that
ii persisted in will soon become a dan
gerous menace to the public health.
Notwithstanding the fact that there is q
stringent state law bearing on this sub
jsct the same is daily violated. Not
only this, but the city is one OF the
most hsgrant violators OF this law, as
anyone can demonstrate by going to the
river bank near the Kuhrts-street
bridge, where one of the East Side
sewers emptles filth into the river bed,
to pollute the water and spread the
germs of disease broadcast in this COM
munity. The example OF the city in
thus openly violating one of most i'm
portant health regulations of the state
had been taken advantage of by many
private parties, who assume that they
have an equal right with the city in
making a general dumping ground of
the river bed for ii cir offal and other
matters pernicious in it's effect upon the
- k-<naAsN-s -
new sanitary regulations to provide for
the strict enforcement OF the state laws
in this and other Darticulart-s oh se
Another feature of the new code will
be the stoppRge of the erection of, OBJ
iectionable establishments within the
city limits without proper sewer con-
nections, where offal and foul odors are
a result of the operation OF the same.
The health Office will also pro-
vide for the creation OF the
office of city milk inspector. This inn
portant duty will either be consolidated
with that of the meat inspector or else
be made part OF the duties OF one of the
regular inspectors Of the board of health.
1t is safe to say that there is not city
of the size and population of Los Ange-
les in the United States that ia not pro-
vided with milk inspector, whose duty
it is to see that the public are protected
from "blue milk" and the too liberal
use Of the pump by dishonest dairymen
and milk dealers. 1t is notorious fact
that many of the same are today getting
rich by ceiling weak decoction OF chalA
and water. There is another point that
is also deserving OF serious consideration
and which the health officer has in
hand, and that is the propriety of hav-
ing a sealer OF weights and measures
While the city charter provides for such
an Office the Office has not been filled,
and in city where so much OF the com
modities of life are cold by weight, the
duty OF securing honest weights and
measures ia one of paramount import
ance.
One Of the anomalies OF the present
city government is the fact that while
the board OF health has the power and
authority to condemn all defective
plumbing in the city, yet they have no
voice in the direction OF tho putting in
OF new buildings. The board now pro-
poses to ask the council to place the
plumbing inspector under the author
ity OF the board in order to insure 6ani-
tary plumbing. There are many other
important regulations which will be
embodied in the new health ordinance
and there is no doubt that the present