The herald., 1898-09-07
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
THE FREEHoLDERS ADOPT THE
coMMITTEEs REPoRN
THE Meeting LAST NIGHT
Chief Of Police to Be Member Of the
Board and All Officers to Be
Sanitary inspectors

/
| The board Of freeholders met last evening
to continue their task Of making new Sc
OF laws for the city.
Those present were President Lee
| Messrs. Garland. Stephens. Variel. Da-
| visson. Newmark. Morgan. Cohn. Croft
Graff, Crutcher, Millard and Hazard.
The first matter considered was the pre-.
sentation of the report of the health com
mittee by DR.. Davisson, the chairman.
The report provides for a board Of
health Of five members to be appointed by
the mayor. to consis; OF licensed physi-
clans Of the state having been such fol-
five years and residents Of the city.
The chief Of police is made ex-officio a
member OF the board. The members are to
serve without compensation and shall hold
office for five years, rotating so that new
one shall be appointed each year.
The board shall have the appointing Of a
health officer. who shall have been a prac-
titioner for seven years and a resident for
five years. The amount Of his salary was
left to be decided when all salaries Of city
officials shall be fixed. In addition to the
duties now pertaining to the office, the
health officer is given charge Of the SANTA
ton Of the school buildings.
Mr.. Graf made the point that the words
"he or she" were superfiuous; that in law
the pronoun "he" included all shes and Its
therefore the clauses of the report where
such references to the fair sex were made,
as ''he or she shall report" cases Of con-
tagious diseases, that the masculine pro-
noun was alone needed. His motion ca"-
rled though some Of the ladies present
looked askance at Mr.. Graff for having
taken this point Of view.
The health officer is given full power to
take charge Of all cases Of dreaded con-
tagious diseases, and to designate their
location by quarantine flags. These dis
eases are smallpox. Asiatic cholera. yellow
fever. typhus, diphtheria and scarlet fever.
The board Of health Is given the ap-
pointment OF the city physician. who shall
act as police surgeon and may appoint phy-
sicians and nurses for city hospitals.
Judge Stephens suggested that the posi-
lions Of nurses and physicians for city hos
pitfalls should be under the civil service
rules. but the doctor showed that in case of
invasions Of exotic diseases the selection
Of aids should be left to the members OF the
board, who at such times should have the
power to select men the best adapted for
the work.
Stringent provisions are made in detail
for the care of infectious and contagious
diseases, quarantining of patients and the
like.
The usual regulations for physicians or
midwives reporting births are made and the
interring and disinterring of bodies are
subjected to restrictions.
All police officers by the report are made
ex-officio sanitary inspectors. The board
is also given the power of inspecting mar
kets. daIries and all products offered for
sale for food. including milk. meat, fish.
bread, butter. lard. cheese, fruits and veg
etables.
This last clause caused quite squabble
as Mr.. Crutcher and Mayor Hazard wished
It stricken out on the ground that II gave
the board legislative powers. Judge Varfel
held strongly to the point that the board
should have full control of inspection and
condemnation Of improper food products.
The discussion was lively and hung on the
question Of comforting power on the board
that belonged to the council. Mr.. Crutcher
suggested that a motion giving the board
full power to make all appointments to
carry out the provisions made by the coun-
ell would meet the requirements, but
finally Mr.. Graf moved that the whole mat
ter be referred back 10 the committee for
reconstruction, which was ordered.
Mr.. Variel Of the judiciary committee re-
ported concerning the question of having a
clause in the charter permitting surety
to furnish bonds OF officials He
showed that the code Of civil procedure Of
the state authorized such bonds provided
by surety companies. The committee rec
commended that q clause be inserted IN the
charter providing for such bonds. and this
was adopted.
Mr. Variel stated that his committee was
not prepared to report on the police de-
partment. He had, with Mr.. Crutcher and
other members Of the committee, made
much Investigation of the validity and
power of police courts, and he was inclined
to recommend that the board should not in
sert any clause in the charter creating po-
lice courts. Mr.. Varel gave a detailed
statement Of the legal status Of the police
court question. He concluded after sum-
ming up Of the law that II would be best
to leave this question to the action of the
be amended and changed so as to make
present action dangerous. 1t was later as
certained that the original report of the
judiciary committee, including the question
Of police courts. had been adopted finally.
1t was then moved to adjourn until Fri
day evening