The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-14
II IS NOW LOCALIZED.
The Regular Board Of Health Rsle-
gates Its Power
70 THE clTYS ADVISORY BOARD
health Ordinances to Ne Enforced.
suspiciona Cases 20 nc Reported
20 the CITY Health Onicer.

NfNNe~'
session at 10 o'clock yesterday morning,
the object being to confer some special
authority upon the advisory board OF
health.
Before meeting 1t was deemed advisable
to hold caucus as 1t was not universally
accepted by the board that the recently
appointed advisory board was legal
body and that matters might be straight
ened out with the least possible friction,
the council meeting was resolved into q
caucus.
This caucus decided that while the ad-
visory board Of health was not legal body
az contemplated by the charter, yet II the
legally constituted board OF health should
delegate to this advisory board their au-
thority In this way all obstacles could be
overcome and the advisory board could be
clothed with tho same authority vested
with the board Of health.
Upon reaching this conclusion the reg
ular board Of health was called to meet
at 230 p. m. There were present Messrs.
ktssler, Moser, Lyons, Minister. Keller,
Mr.. Gaines being tho only absentee. City
Health Officer DR.. McElroy was also pres
ent.
The mayor presided and explained to
the board that In creating the advisory
board no hal simply done SO 10 meet an
| emergency and through no dlscourtesy to
this board nor with any view Of superced-
Ing them. He recognized the fact that the
present board was Competed entirely OF
laymen, not experts In the handling OF
an opdemic and TO meet the emergency ex-
| 'siing ana give confidence to the people
ne had simply asked some well known ply
siclans to act as a board Of health and
they had done so Faithfully and con-
scientiously, giving their best time and
talent TO promoting the welfare OF the city.
| This advisory board. he said, had no au
thority except such az this board might
delegate TO 1t. In fact. it had no official
existance
| Mr.. Moser thought the action of the
mayor In appointing this advisory board
eninently proper and that 1t should be
Endorsed and the board confirmed He made
this as motion, amended by Mr.. Keller
thau the same members named by the
mayor be retained on the advisory board
and that to that board be delegated all
me authority vested In the regular board
| Fhls motion was carried.
II was also moved and carried that the
laws governing the board of health be
strictly enforced by the advisory board and
mat the law requiring all doctors to re-
port suspicious cases be particularly en-
| forced
This law provides that all suspicious
cases be reported to the city health ply.
stefan within three hours after they are
discovered, penalty being attached fer
non noncompliance with this law on the part
OF any physician.
Dr. McElroy said the idea tha be had
ignored the advisory board as app United
| Dy the mayor was all wrong and thet
lnere Were no physicians in Houston in
whom he had more confidence or with
whom he had rather confer II, simp,y
! wrought the proper procedure should be
observed as provided by tho charter aud
ordinances.
pr. McEroy asked what Authority he
or the advisor, board wouLl have IN an
nelhiilg guirds. destroying furniture, etc.
where found necessary.
Inc mayor stated that the board would
nave no authority TO create any exren 20 in
th's direction except upon the approval of
'he mayor and the regular board Of health
inc Mcdonnell case was discussed al
ONE length with the View Of showing how
absurd was the diagnosis that oronclnce i
ms case one OF yellow fever, It y.s stated
thnt MeGonnell was IN, and rr. McFlroy
who claims him as his ratient. stated Ia
Ine boarc that he never bad yellow fever.
inat he was Just OF lebauch and had
the denFuc and the rash incident n n
hut from The amount Of whisky he hid he n
drinSng since he had besn dIagaosnJ Inv
Or. Guttoras as a suspicious CAGE procluded
me idea that lie had yellow fever. besides
no was row VI and had had no fever IN
two days.
The case of Police Onics- Lee was Also
cited as an absurdity so far as his having
yoiiow fever was concerned He had been
SICK Tor three weeks. lurilg which tim,
ne had gone hunting ami fallen into n
creek and no man, II was corlended with
yeiiow fever could PASS through such on
ordeal and live.
pr' Giiteras came in for liberal amornt
OF very severe criticism on the part OF the
BOARD. Mr.. Keller using toward him somc
Language not found IN the Sunday school
books.
sherim Erickson appeared before Tho
board to know by what authority the mnn
mcdonnell was deprived OF his Ilbe,tv
fte said Mcdonnell was perfecty well xss
sitting out on the gallery emokinr and
mat he had Just given h,n a flask of
wnisky' He wanted 10 take him through
inc city In an open carriage to show The
people the character Of CASES that Cultsso,
pronounces as yellow fever.
Mr. Keller thought II the duty n, TIM
ADVISORY board OF health to make public
u history Of these suspicious cases and
give their diagnosis OF them.
Inc board then adjourned to meet n
uetegaticn OF doctors who had juet ar
rived IRON points along the limo az ths In !