The record-union., 1899-03-31
THE BOARD OF HEALTH HAS
POWER.

1t is greatly to be regretted that our
City Board of Trustees, taken as a
body, should be so i'll informed as it
evidently is concerning simple, we'll
established municipal truths = those
things about which every fairly we'll
read man is supposed to be somewhat
informed. Scarcely question touching
upon the economics of city government
arises that old straw does not have TO
be threshed over again and again, ana
the simplest propositions and best es-
fablished truths, the results of human
experience through ages, have to be
gone all over and the board instructed
upon matters that all the members
should know all about to be even fairly
intelligent citizens
OF course the root of the trouble lies
in our choice of men. We must expect
no better until the standards of intel
ligence are raised in this community for
official incumbency As an example,
city garbage is a subject that is so well
defined in all its metes and bounds, has
been so thoroughly exploited, so cleared
and threshed out by the experience of
cities. placed of record during the last
half-century, that there is really no
reason in further debate of the subject
There is only one thing to be done in
the premises; that is, to dispose of the
str Or
fostering mass of corruption. Concern
ing the covering of this offensive mat
ter. it is well established that it is no
cure for the i'll. It simply retains in
soil that which should be destroyed or
purified by heat and fire. Land built
up from deposited and covered garbage
is not fit for human occupation. and
should not be permitted within the con-
lines of any city. Human bodies though
buried at the depth of six feet, make
cemeteries menaces to the public health,
and such earth fouls waters far distant
through the poisoning of the porous soil.
In Brazil the exhaustive experiments
made under Dom Pedro demonstrated
that the seeds of pestilential disease
arise from the graves of those dying
of yellow fever, smallpox and other
vicious diseases, and have been found in
the surface grave soil twenty years
after burial. The same has been estab-
lished concerning cholera germs by OBJ
servations there and in other countries.
Decaying vegetable matter buried is
not disposed of. 1t may remain for an
indefinite period in the soil, a source
Of danger to those residing upon or
near it, and the same holds good rela-
tive to animal matter. Hence it is that
in most cities of enlightened types we
hnd local regulations forbidding the
burial on lots within the city of anv
matter whatever subject to decay. Such
matters are wholly and absolutely
within the control of the Board of
Health. yet we find the Board of Trus-
tees coolly legislating, ordering and di-
recting in the premises, without saying
so much to the Board Of Health as "bv
your leave"
1t must be evident to the thoughtful
that what is needed most in this goodly
city is ordinlary-we can waive extraor-
dinary-knowledge of established truths
concerning city economies in our gov
erning boards. Disseminated If only
by the'circulation among the officials of
the current magazines on municipal en-
gineering and sanitary science, it would
save US from such stupid blunders as
the placing of brick sewers and heavy
pumping plants upon quicksand, the
dumping of garbage where it will con-
taminate the municipal water supply:
the retention in the soil of porous cess
pools and open filth pits, and a score of
other blunders which a fair knowledge
Of municipal truths would have
avoided
We need also more of courage in off,
cfalssand boards upon whom special du-
ties are imposed, and to whom special
rights and freedom in action are as
sured. For instance, in this matter of
the dumps" of soil pollution, of nui-
sances, of drainage, as affecting the
public health, etc., We find the Board of
Health and the Board of Trustees if
not at cross purposes at least operating
with friction. The Board Of Health ap-
pears to kowtow before and petition the
Board of Trustees, as if the former
beard possessed no original jurisdiction
and independent power On their side,
the Board Of Trustees appear to be pos
sessed Of the idea that the Board of
Health is at it's beck and call, subject
to its absolute veto, and to be little
more than an advisory body.
But the city charter distinctly Gre
ates the Board OF Health an independ-
ent body, invests it with supreme pow
er and makes 1t its duty to act in GER
tain directions independently of all
other bodies or authorities Article
All. OF the Charter, in language as
plain as It Is possible to write English,
makes the Health Board absolute in
IT'S sphere. It declares that the Board
OF Health shall have supervision of
All matters appertaining to the sani-
tary condition CT the city No others
have any responsibility Imposed upon
them-save In case Of the Mayor-in
sanitary supervision. The article gives
the Health. Board "fula power over all
questions of foul or defective drain
age, and of the disinfection and sani-
tary cleaning Of streets. alleys, cess