The evening times., 1896-09-09

Health Officer W Woodw ard willsubmitt tothe
| Commissioners his estimates OF the appro-
| priatiops which will be required for his
department for the fiscal year ending June
80, 1898, and among the items, it is under
| stood, will be a number of Very Important
| Recommendations, including several made
| year go w liicli Congress failed TO indorse.
Among these is his request for an increase
| OF facilities in his meteorological lab
| oratory. This branch OF the service Dr.
Woodward regards as OF great importance,
| IN view of tue oft recurring demand for
Investigation of alleged diph,heuretic cases.
| This duty is performed DOW under off
-:icuI,ies, which the health officer lelicvcs
should not exist. Tie process is slow. for
want of more elaborate equipment, and
| while il is accurate enough, there are con-
| tingencfes possible when the present IA
| cilities would he sufficient for but small
| proportion OF the work.
II his suggestion can he carried out, DR.
Woodward win have o ed to the la boratory
an equipment such as a great city ought
TO have 10 niect emergencies that are as
liable here as elsewhere. and such an equip
ment, also. as every other city of conse-
Qucnce goes to great expense to maintain.
-t---- MILK AND WATER.
The value of the laboratory, Dr. Wood
ward Claims, would. by following his sug-
gestion, be much more pronounced in the
matter OF examining specimens OF water
and milk, Of all food products, indeed in
Investigations as TO the causes OF cpl
denies, as we'll as Cf individual cases of
fever. In the event Of change in the law,
as heretofore recommended, the eNamina-
tioD OF food products i'll The District will
also, In future. be under the direction OF
the health officer. instead OF the Internal
Revenue Commissioner
Another subject to be discussed probably
hy The health officer will be the maintei-
ance OF a general disinfcctinE service in
Washington. In speaking today of This
item in previous reportof his, DIR. Wood
ward said that in his Judgment the ex-
penditure for such service would be more
than justified.
Had we the system in operation here"
ne said, I'VE would not as now, have TO
depend upon inexperienced persons to dis
infect premises after the presence Of a
cunta gious disease III Il family, and besides
we would bc certain of il being thoroughly
done.'
The doctors idea is that an efficient dis
Injecting service, under the operation of
which the work would be accomplished by
experts, the probability OF an epidemic fol-
lowing single case OF fever or diphtheria
would lie mininIized. He would have it
maintained altogether at public expense
and would exact prompt discharge of
the functions
MINOR CONTAGIOUS AGAIN
In connection with the discussion Of this
1oplS IL, ,hhe1rsvivsl of the proposition 10
establish a hospital for minor contagious
II viii come before the next session Of
Congress in the District est imatcs, and
the belief is that an appropriation will be
made.
The item was passed by the Senate mt
tie last session, upon the proposition to
purchase as a site certain piece of
ground near the reform school for boys,
and the price per foot stipulated. The
House struck it from the bill.
There isalso to he presented to the coming
Congress the health officers recommends. |
,ion for the collection by the District gov
ernmentofall classesof garbage and refuse,
dead animals, ashes and night |
soil, leaving no part of this service to be |
performed by private parties.
This would involve the ultimate trans |
fer to District control If the work now done |
under contract by Joshua n. warfield |
and ownership OF the crematories, hut the |
present suggestion relates more to the |
of refuse not absolutely included |
in that service.
AT the last session of Congress an esti- |
mate was presented for an appropriation |
OF ST. 900 for rtheestablishment OF a crema- |
tory in the District for the destructi on OF the
lighter refuse, such as is collected from the |
streets and not dumped for consumption in
the furnace on South Capitol street. Its
not ofthe class OF garbage prescribed in Mr.
Narffcld' s CONTRACT. DR.. Woodward still |
regards the project With favor, and is con-
sidering the propriety Of renewing his sug-
scstion In the nextestimates.
The health office force OF inspectors is
as inadequate for the proper dis
charge OF the multitude of duties imposed,
and request for an increase is probable.
The demand made last year was for the
addition OF six inspectors for the regular
routine duties, two veterinary inspectors
and one general inspector, whose duties
would be the supervision OF the work of the /
others.
HIS WISHES IGNORED.
This estimate-was almost altogether ig-
lored, one OF the two veterinary inspectors
,nly being provided for. and none of the
'thers- 1t is the intention OF the health
officer, Congress willing, to have another
appointment for the veterinary branch, and
llso increase his other force, and employ at
east two OF the officers in the examination
II dairy farms and herds in the Distric.
md nearby States, in compliance with the
provisions OF the new law governing the
ale OF dairy products by the local trade
Under existing conditions il is impossi-
Die, tile authorities say, to properly enforce
he milk law. Inspection OF the herds. for
'xample in Virginia and Maryland, is done
oy officers who have not the same interest
u exaoting obedience to the regulations
as would govern if the work were done by
employed by the District. 1t is
said 10 be rare Occurrence that any de-
ect is noted, either in the physical
OF the herds or In their surround.
pgs, and the belief is that impure milk
'omes from both States under circum-
stances that, without constant analysis of
he product. render 1t almost impossible
o discover it.
1t is understood the foregoing and MANY