The San Francisco call., 1897-10-21
FIVE SCROOLS
MAY Be CLOSED
Board of Health Considers
Them Dangerous to
the City.
Health Officer 0'Brien Wants a
Supply of Antitoxine
Procured.
Inspectors Dismissed on the Score of
RcOnomy-Refused to Apollo
gize.

meeting yesterday decided 10 send a re-
commendaticn to the Board of Education
that five of the public schools of this city
be losed until such a time as they can be
placed in proper sanitary condition.
This action was taken on a report of the
plum bing inspector that the Haight,
Golden Gate, Paramount, Starr King and
Monroe schools are in such bad sanitary
condition as to render them dangerous,
not only 10 the pupils, but to the people
who Ii We In their neig hborhoods.
H ealth Officer O'Brien called attention
10 the need OF supply of antitoxine in
this city for the treatment of diphtheria
in the following report:
To the Honorable the Board of Health-GENTLE-
MEN: l respectfully beg Leave 10 call your
attention 10 the fact tnat since my incum-
bency have noticed a gradual increase III the
number OF diphtheria cases reported IN this
ofiice. Although danger of epidemic is eX-
uemely remote, still l feel that Gs the
majority OF these cases Cmanate from districts
Inn ablted by the poorer classes, who are with
out means with which to obtain medicines for
the proper treatment OF the disease, and as
our last Legislature in lis parsimony saw fl 10
refuse the appropriation heretofore given the
State Board of Health tor the pun chase OF
dlph tn erla antitoXine and knowing, as we do,
the efficacy OF the Hntltoxine treatment /
thln 1t Is the duty OF this department TO dis
cuss ways ana means of obtaining supply OF
The same, which could be dispensed from the
Health Office TO physicians who have such
cases among their patients.
In m Y opinion the expense would be small
and the result one saving OF human liie) great
For the information OF your hoLoTa ble
board, permit me to say that l have inquired
from The Board OF Health of New York civ
the cost ana terms for which they viii upply
US with aniito1ine Manufactured by them
and recogniZ ID all over the United States as
frst-class article. Respectfully submitted,
A Z. y BRIEN.
The board agreed perfectly with DR.
" Brien that it was necessary to have
supply of antitoxine handy, but the ques-
tion was how 10 procure it.
The department had no money availa Bile
for the purpose, and it was d Ques lion in
the minds of the mem bers whether
Auditor BroderiCk would audit demands
for its pulc chase price under the head OF
urgent necessity.
1t was suggested that public subscrip-
ton might bring IN the money, and Secre-
tary Godchaux stated that he nad already
received a subscription of 800 from a
gentleman TO whom he had mentioned
the city's need OF the precious serum.
The matter was finally left to the chair
man OF he Health Committee, who will
devise plan for procuring the necessary
funds.
DR.. Williamson. ihe retiring superinten-
dent OF the City ana County Hospital, pre-
SeAlbeN ISpOIL III uiCn he ~uGESSteG tnat
there were too many lniernes employed
at the institution, and suggested that the
nun Der be reduced from thIr cen to seven.
he also spoke in the highest terms of
the nurses department, stating that un-
der the guidance of Miss Patton, the head
nurse, IL had been brought 10 high state
of efficiency.
The question of reducing expenses so as
10 keep within the appropriation for the
year was discussed, and il was decided 10
cut off the following food inspectors:
I. S. SayIoz, P. Kissnae, H. ODonnell,
Joseph Lehaney, I. McEnroe. John Hull,
John rby, I. ColIen, benjamin HanIon,
G. w. Davis, William Swetl, J. II. Breeze,
Andy Herrlgan and William Bremen.
The dismissaIs will take effect on No
vem Der /.
INSPECTION stations Nos. l, 2, and 4
were also ordered abolished.
Chief Food Inspector Dockery presented
report covering the work of the stations
since their Inauguration, showing that
they had been of great benefit TO ;he CITY.
A vote of thanks was rendered the
Board OF Supervisors for having increased
the Health Department appropriation by
$50 600.
Reddy, Campbell & Metson sent in a
communication equeslng that The board
pass a resolution apologiZ ng to Never d
Co. Tor the report rendered on its cigar
Ia sctory. The inspectors stated that they
had reported matters as they had found
them and the board refused 10 pass the
resolution.
DIR. Hart as chairman OF committee on
to oacco and cigar factories rendered re-
port on the recent closing OF several fac
torres, the final paragraph reading as
follows:
1t is probably unnecessary for me to go into
detaiIs relative to the summary closing of
the Chinese cigar factories upon the con-
demnatlon thereof by your honorabl board.
Prompt action was necessary in the premises
TO effect good foundation for future inspec-
ton and to forestall prior cleaning by the pro-
prietors. am pleased 10 say that the factor
les closed have displayed com nendab bic will
tngne>s to place their establishments in a
sanitary condition, and in this respect they
voice the feelings of those liable to condemna-
ton in the future. The thanks of the board
are certainly due 10 Chief of Police Lees for
MS prompt &C ION and Kindness in detailing
squad OF policemen to assist Health Officer
O'Brien and Inspector ". II. TobIn III the
closing OF the factories. 1t is my intention
10 proceed with this inspection OF white and
Chinese cigar factories until such time as they
work under and by The same rules Of santa
tlon observed by other industries.
Their prod ucts are of such q nature and the
liability TO spread disease so apparent that
rigorous inspection IS an absolute necessity.
On motion of DR.. Williamson the follow
ing ordinance was ordered transmitted to
he Board OF Supervisors with a recon-
that it be adopted:
An order providing for the use of sterilized
'wabs by physicians in cases of diph iberia
and suspected cases thereof.
The people of the city and county OF San
Francisco do ordain as follows:
sectiOn 1T shall be the duty of the Health
ohicer OF this city ana county, upon applica-
lion being made at his Office by any legally
licensed physician, to issue 10 such physician
so applying steriliZed swab, 10 be used for
such purposes as are hereinafter provided.
Sec lit shall be the duly of each physi-
rian in this city and couuiy to send TO the
Health Officer swab inocuIated from The
lhroat OF any sus uspected dIphtheritic patient
upon whom he may no in attendance, i'm
medlately after he snail have become satisfied
Oh ne suspicious character of the disease.
sec. 3-Any physician who shall violate
oectlon OF this ordinance shall be d emed
Z sul'y OF a mlsdemeanor. and upon conviction
thereol shall be punished by a fine OF not more
1nah 1h @oo, or by imprisonment in the Co unity
1au Ior not more than one month, or by both
81 nd frF,r.