Evening star., 1898-09-15
spector, who shall assist the veterinary
surgeon in charge Of such inspection.
Prevention of ContaEiOns,

Prevention of Contagious,
The enforcement Of the provisions Of the
act for the prevention of the spread Of
scarlet fever and dlphtheria Is routine
matter, the service continuing every day
in the year under all ordinary conditions,
while work under the act for the preven-
ton of the spread of contagious diseases,
which act has reference only to the So
called major contagious diseases, such as
smallpox, cholera and yellow fever is only
necessary at long intervals. For this rea-
son 1t is believed to be advisable to make
separate provision for the enforcement of
each of these acts. The approximation Of
$4,000 for the enforcement of the act
last mentioned is necessary so as to provide
a fund which would be available upon the
outbreak of any of the diseases mentioned
in that act, so as to permit the vigorous
management of the necessary measures of
quarantine and disinfection in the begin
ming, to avert an outbreak of conStdera BILE
Size The emergency fund, from which the
cost of such service has been heretofore
paid, is subject to too many drafts to rem
der 1t safe to rely upon it for this purpose
The continual increase in the work of the
health department, including the pound
service, renders 1t necessary that there
should be increase in the appropriation
lof contingent expenses. An estimate for
that purpose is. therefore, submitted.
Inc health department is at present pre-
pared to disinfect movable articles which
have been exposed to scarlet fever or diph-
theria. 1t is desired, however, 10 extend
the disinfecting service SO as to include
tne dls1nfection of the premises upon which
either of these diseases has occurred
such work cannot properly be done by per
sons without training or experience 1t
should be properly done, however, in the
interest OF the public. 1t is. therefore, be-
ieved to be an object for which niIblio
money should be Appropriated and a5 esti-
mate made therefor.
The pound is at present located in the
roadway at the intersection of three streets.
IL Is primitive structure originally He
signed for temporary use onk Some of
the horses IN the service of the health de-
partment are stabbed there; others are
STABBED IN rented quarters. A new pound is
needed. and the time is rapidly approa CHI
ing when the removal of the present struc
tufe Will be necessary, in order to open one
or more OF the streets referred to- 1t is be-
heved that with the erection of a new
pound provision should be made FOR
stablfng all of the horses, so as to relieve
the District government of the rent of the
stable The estimated cost possibly an
pears large, out when it is remembered
that it will be necessary to purchase a
large piece of land in order to prevent
the annoyance of neighbors by reason of
the barking of dogs and to properly in
close 1t with substantial wall it will not
appear excessive.
Respecting Nuisances.
The original estimate for the abatement
OF nuisances was based upon the creation
or a standing appropriation for that pur-
pose. AS, however. the policy adopted at
the last session of Congress was to make
an annual appropriation. the estimate this
year has been correspondingly reduced
The money SO appropriated is in the ma
ture OF an emergency fund. 1t may all
be necessary or may all revert into the
treasury.
Provision should be made for the vac
clnatlon OF the INDECENT portion of this
community. as a sanitary measure and rot
as a measure for the relief of the poor.
An outbreak of smallpox is greatly Inn
tied, and may be even averted if a COM
munity has been well protected by vac
cination. 1t is proposed to use the money
estimated for under this heading to pay
for actual work DONE not in the form of
salaries, but on the basis of the numoer
of persons Vaccinated.
The District government is at present
without facilities for making general hac-
THEOLOGICAL analyses and in this respect
it is behind most of the cities of equal
size A meteorological laboratory is now
regarded by saIitarians as almost if not
quite, as essential to properly equipped
health department as is a laboratory for
chemical analyses. Such a laboratory
should therefore, be provided to enable
the health department to properly perform
the duties which devolve upon it.
Relief of the Poor.
Tie expenses of the medical relief of the
poor under the supervision of this depart
ment are not included in the estimate SUBJ
mitted, having been heretofore uniformly
and properly included in the charity sched-
ule. The allotment last year was for %
physicians to the poor, at $50 per month
each, $500, and for medicines, printing,
ETC., $3.50, making a total of $10,9O0 In
view of the fact that the entire amount
allotted for medicines, etc, was not ex-
pended it has been suggested by the super
fntendent of charities that there should
be allowed $1,000 for the maintenance of
the entire service during the current year.
l have the honor to recommend that in
the estimates now under consideration pro-
vision be made for the employment of %
physicians to the poor, at $40 per month
each, s105GO, and that 5000 be provided for
medicines, printing, nursing, etc. The item
for nursing is new, and is submitted for
the purpose of enabling this department to
provide suitable nurses to assist the ply
slcians to the poor in proper cases IN the
treatment of such patients as come under
their care.
An estimate for the cost of maintaining
the isolation wards to be erected during
the current year at Garfield Memorial and
Providence hospitals, should also be in
cluded in the charity schedule, as 1t is
only persons unable to pay their own ex-
penses at such institutions who are to be
supported there at the cost of the public.
CumbustibIe Waste.
The item which has heretofore been sub
mitted providing for the cost of destroying
combusuble waste has been omitted this
year from the estimates of the health de-
partment The need for such an appropria-
ton is not less than it has been hereto
fore, but as such work comes moro prop
erly under the supervision of the street
cleaning department., and as that depart
ment appears to be interested in that sub
jeot at the present time, this item should,
it is believed, be included in the estimated
expenses of that office.
No attempt has been made in the ac-
companying estimates to provide for the
medical inspection of the public schools.
The establishment of such an inspection
ed Improvement in the public school sys-
TEN of this District at the present time.
The item should, however, be provided for
in the schedule for the cost of maintaining
the schools.
RECEIVES MEDAL OF GOLD.