The record-union., 1895-05-01
SANITARY INSPECTOR MATTER

The Board of Trustees has passed an
ordinance abolishing the office of Sani-
tary and Building Inspector, and impos-
ing the duties heretofore incumbent upon
him on the Plumbing and Drainage In
spector. The City Board of Health pro-
tests against this action, but thus far has
received little favor from the Trustees.
The matter is very simple to our mind.
The physicians composing the City BOARD
of Health are men chosen with regard to
their special fitness. They serve without
fee or reward Their selfish interest
would prompt them to neglect the SANTA
ton of the city, and thus enlarge their
practice of medicine. But the ethics Of
the profession bind them and all doctors
of medicine TO bend their best energies to
the prevention of disease and the lessen
ing of the necessity for the services of the
physician. Singular as this may seem to
people of narrow views, it is nevertheless
actual fact, and so we find the best doctors
all the time giving their advice and de-
voting their labors and studies to the pre-
vention of physical ills, the suppression
of the causes of disease, and the placing
of communities on the highest possible
health level.
When such a body of physicians, who
have taken not only the hypocratic oath
of their profession, which binds them to
the rule of the code of ethics we have in
dicated, but have taken the oath of office
also, their advice and protest should go a
long way in the determination of wise
action in matters Of promoting the public
health. This body of doctors declares
that the Office of Sanitary Inspector is
necessary; that it has not been sinecure;
that it has been the means of accomplish
ing great good; that it is dangerous to the
public health to do without 1t. be-
cause the inspections prosecuted by the
official, over whom the Board OF Health
has supervision and control, result in
obedience to the health regulations that
would not otherwise obtain. Besides, the
officer, by inspection, enables real cases
needing reform TO be determined, and
trivial and false cases to be exposed.
Generally these gentlemen of the Health
Board say that the officer is ipdispen-
sable to the proper administration of the
affairs of their department and the con-
servation of the public health, and that
the duties are such that a man for that
place cannot perform also the duties OF
Plumbing Inspector.
That ought to settle it. These physi-
uians know what they are talking about.
They have not only official, but personal
interest in Sacramento and its welfare.
and therefore their opinions should de-
termine the whole matter. The Board OF
Trustees cannot in decency and with any
sense of propriety afford to overrule the
Board of Health in such matter as this.
Moreover, the charter provides for the
office. and we submit that IL has not been
shown that there is so small need for it
that it can be dispensed with. A man may
make an excellent Plumbing Inspector
and q wofully poor Sanitary Inspector.
Impose the duties of the two offices upon
one person, and the likelihood is that we
will have poor discharge of duty in each
department There is such thing as
saving at the spiggot and wasting at the
bunghole, and this false economy of the
Trustees closely resembles it.