The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-04
Lively Meeting Of the Local
Board of Health.
ISSUE TAKEN AS TO POWERS.
Suggestions for Medical Attention in
Emergency Cases-Heport OF the
Health oficer.


before the city auditing committee, which
in August. 1888. took the action which re-
suited in the present policy OF the
city toward the sick and injured
The board of health realizes that the pres
ent condition Of affairs is very unsatisfac-
tory, but finds itself bound hand and foot
by the policy of the city. On the other
hand the county has not taken steps to
care for emergency cases, so that when
any accident happens there IS always
trouble as to what shall be done. The city
physician has no power TO act except III
cases Of prisoners. yet many times ne mas
acted for humanity's sake. As rule the
injured go 10 Providence hospital on APP
peal to the sisters, who receive no pay from
either county or city. and the reason gwen
is ''care unauthorized"
The board decided 10 send communi-
cation TO the auditing COMMITTEES setting
forth the history of the trouble from be-
ginning to the present time. After the
introduction comes the story of how IN
the middle of August, 1898, the auditing
committee instructed the city physician
or health officer not to incur expense Tor
the sick or injured unless requisitIon
was first obtained from the board of public
works. About three weeks Litter the cor
poration counsel decided that the city was
responsible only in cases of epidemics and
for prisoners. The health officer then
wrote letter TO the county commissioners
asking them to appoint some physician TO
attend To the cases. The matter, accord
ing to the communication, has not been
attended to and thus leaves matters I'M
settled. The latter part of the communal
cation is of special interest and reads as
follows:
'.In order to remedy the present state of
affairs 1t is urged that the auditing COM
mittee press the county commissioners to
employ physician 10 attend TO accident
cases if the city's present policy Is TO
be maintained. Or If it be found that the
county commissioners cannot be COM
PEELED TO furnish proper and timely medi-
cal aid TO injured persons, will the audit
ing committee eountenance a change OF
policy on the part of the city from that
prevailing for the last nine months, and
In the interests of humanity deem it ex-
pedient that the city should assume
charge of such emergency cases either by
employing : police surgeon or else deyolv-
ing the duties upon the health officer or
an assistant, due provision being made IN
any case for immediate hospital care of
patients requiring it. until such time rs
, they can be transferred to the county hos
pital2"
The appointment of new market in
spector came up for consideration. but,
owing to the absence of DR.. 2. b. NJ.
Miller, one of the Democratic members of
the board, the matter went over TO the
next regular meeting or such special
meeting as may be called. Mayor Phelps
addressed the board in letter recon-
mending the appointment of S. w. Clark,
and stating that he thought the appoint
ment would give general satisfaction. DIR.
Askam did not say anything and DIR.
Holmes, after waiting a moment, said in
his diplomatic manner that as the letter
was addressed to the board as whole it
might be we'll TO postpone action until
such meeting as all members were present.
He mentioned the regular monthly meet
ing and incidentally a special meeting
Following this came the filing of the ap-
plication of III. ID. Kline for the position
of market inspector.
The old smallpox epidemic also came in
for it's share of attention through the pre-
sentation to the board of n thick bunch
of typewriter manuscript, containing tn G
correspondence from many officials about
the claims of DIR. F. ;. Palmer and DIR.
George S. Wright, for $40 and 800. re-
spectively, for services rendered as as
sistant health officers during the epidemic.
The leading document in the lot was a
letter from City Comptroller Parry, in
which he said that the auditing commit
| tee was DESTROYS of settling the matter,
| but under the ordinance relative TO as
sistant health officers in force at the time
| Palmer and Wright were acting, one, in
the eyes of the auditing COMMITTEES, was a
usurper. Who TIE uSurper was the COM
mlttee desired the board of health TO de-
| eide. The committee would recommend
the payment of one bill. but only one.
| President Holmes. after hearing the
| letter and glancing through the letters
| attached, remarked that he had not seen
any occasion to change his views on the
| powers of the board in case of epidemics.
/ 1t was true that the ordinance provided
/ for only one assistant to the health officer.
but the board, acting under the exigency
/ Of the occasion and with Mayor Ronald S
consent and approval. saw ut 10 appoint
! two assistant health officers. Mr.. Holmes
/ was emphatic in his expressions of deter
/ mination to uphold the power OF the
/ board and said he would not make
/ any report 10 the auditing committee
/ otherwise than on basis of facts in the
/ case calling tor the payment of both bills
/ as Justly and legally incurred.
Dr. Askam coneurred aud the health
officer was instructed TO report accord.
/ ingly.
/ Health officer Palmer's monthly report
| showed that during June there were -
| deaths as against IS in ls9l, % in 1892 and
/ So in is93. The annual death rate for June
/ Per coo population was 5 %, one OF the
most remarkable records IN the history o.
] the city.
/ Following is a list OF deaths and num-
Der from each cause: typhoid fever, /;
malaria. / tuberculosis, S: cancer OF stom-
+ ach, 2: pernlctoas ansmia, ,; piaeenta
/ prWyia, /; Icterus neonatorum, menin-
gstls, l; epilepsy, / heart disease, / hy-
i pertrophy Of heart, l; pneumonia. her
+ MIA. 4; peritonitis. ?. enterophagia, /;
+ burns, / +; crushed peiyis, /: morphine pol-
+ s0nIne, | intestinal Gephrltis. /.
Deaths by wards First, ?: second, 3:
Third. 3; Fourth, g; Fifth. :: sixth 3,
I seventh. 3, Eighth, 3. Total. p.
There were four eases OF typhoid fever.
/ the only contagious disease reported
Daring the month there were 50 births.
{ = males and Is females
Market Inspectors report: Condemned
+ - boxes oranges, * boxes lemons. s. BOXES
( peaches boxes apficots. ,, boxes sirlne
beans. 70 boxes green peas. boxes nss. {
sacks ontoas, II SACKS turnips. veal. ~
+ pounds dressed chickens. loo roand.
cheese, crates eggs and inspected 3,uoa
Z ra4farsx nF milk