Evening star., 1899-09-16

weekly, as Inc nSaItH Officer SHdil ftueCt,
and for the collection and disposal OF dead
animals daily, including Sunday, during the
entire year. from all parts of the District
of Columbia. $4,000: Provided, that the
Commissioners may, after due advertise
ment as required by law. enter into con-
tract or contracts, under such regulations
as they may prescribe, for the coi!ectlon
and disposal of garbage and dead antmas
for a period of five years, commencing July
l, 1909. at gross amount not exceeding
$4,000 per annum; and provided further,
tEat from the gross amount OF the contract
or contracts there shall be deducted sum
sufficient to nay for the services of such
inspectors may be necessary to keep
proper record of the amount of material
collected. and 10 maintain oversight of the
sanitary condition of the place or places
of shipment or disposal both, such
weighers to be appointed by the Commits
sioners on the recommendation Of the
health officer and to be paid at a rate not
exceeding $3.50 day"
Contract System Discussed.
"I have carefully considered states the
health officer, "the relative advantages of
the performance of such work by contract
and by day labor and adhere to the opin-
ion the reasons for which have been set
forth at length elsewhere, that if politics
can be kept out of the service the work
will be accomplished better and more eco
nomically by day labor; but as 1t seems un-
certain whether. without new legislation,
it will be possible for the District to con-
troll such work, and be guided in making
appointments and discharges solely by the
efficiency of the appointee, L have been
constrained to recommend that such work
be done under contract"
Contagious Diseases.
Continuing, in explanation of his esti-
mates. DR.. Woodward says:
The enforcement of the provisions of an
act for the prevention OF the spread of
scarlet fever and diphtheria is a routine
matter. the service continuing every day
III the year, while airy material amount OF
work under the act for preventing the
spread of contagious diseases (Which has
reference only to the so-cailed major con-
tagious diseases, such as smallpox or yel-
low fever). is necessary only at long in
tervals. For this reason it is believed to
be advisable to make separate provision for
the enforcement of each act If such pro-
vision be made. and a separate appropria-
tion provided for the maintenance of the
dsinfecting service 5000 will be sufficient
to carry on operations under the law first
mentioned.
The reasons for desiring specific appro-
priation for the enforcement of the pro-
visions of an act TO prevent the spread of
contagious diseases approved March 3,
1897, have been set forth in the preceding
paragraph. The advisa pi!ity Of making
such an apprc pria ton is indicated further
by the facI that it was necessary during
the last fiscal year. because of the presence
of ST alipox, to make an emergency appro-
priation of $jO,GM. Had the necessity which
gave rise to that appropriation occurred
after the adjournment of Congress, the
District would have been without means of
quarantinins houses in which smallpox ex-
listed or of caring for such patients as 1t
would have been desirable to send to the
smallpox hospital for treatment
Maintenance of Disinfc:ting Service.
Speaking of the appropriation for disin-
fecting service which was made by the
current appropriation act, Mr.. Woodward
says ii Is insufficient for maintenance Of
such a service upon proper basis. The
proviso that part of the appropriation
shall be paid for the service of additional
employees, he thinks, is uncalled for as a
greater part of the fund is needed for the
sole purpose of employing men to visit
infected premises so as to disinfect them.
He recommends. therefore, that the appro-
priatioE be increased to 5000, and that
the proViso referred to be omitted.
1t IS important from sanitary stand
point, thinks the health officer that privies
should be properly cared for, and, after
reviewing the difficulties which beset the
department in enforcing cleanliness in this
matter. DR.. Woodward recommends an APP
preparation of $1,000 to enable the District
to perform the work without cost to own
ers or occupants of premises under col-
tract.
Dr. Woodward calls attention to the de-
STABILITY of securing new site for the
pound, and asks for $4,000 for site for
the pound and stable and their erection and
equipment
Contagious Diseases.
The health officer explains that in the
management of an outbreak of contagious
disease. such smallpox, it is necessary to
provide eaccommoda tions for persons suspect
ed of having the disease, until diagnosis
can be made, and for the accommodation
of those who have been exposed to it until
their period of quarantine is over. In o.der
to meet this need last year row of houses
had to be leased. These were at best but
makesillt and We're not well adapted to
the purpose. 1t is not deemed advisable by
the health officer that the buildings used
for the isolation of suspects. or for the de-
tention of those who have been exp sed to
infection, should be located on the & ounds
of the smallpox hospital, and he recon-
mends therefore, that land be pure ehased,
and that buildings be erected suitable lof
these purposes.
The District government is at present
without facilities for making general bac-
THEOLOGICAL analyses, and in tn respect is
said by DIR. " ood"ard to be tehlnt most
other cities of equal s:Ze. A meteorological
laboratory is now regarded by sanitaii ians
as almost, if not quite. as essential to
properly equipped health department as is
a laboratory for chemical analyses. Su h
a laboratory, he thinks, should be provided,
therefore. so as to enable the depa! tment
to perform properly the duties devolving
upon it, and he asks for an appropriation
OF $1,000 for such purpose.
Referring to the enforcement OF tie pro-
vision of the act of Congress relative to the
removal of weeds, Dr. Woodward asks for
an appropriation of $1,000, explaining that
without such appropriation it is i-npossi-
bic to make any reasonable attempt TO el-
force the law.
Provision should lie made, st ties the
health officer, for the vaccination of the in
dgent portion of the community, "a SAM
tary measure and not as one for the relief
of the poor and he asks for appropfia-
ton therefor of $1,000.
For the enforcement Of section OF the
act of Congress of May 49, 1886, to provide
for the drainage of lots, The health officer
asks that the sum of $4,000 be appropr-at-
ed, the cost of such Improvement to he a.
sesseu as tax against the property.
Medical Relief of Poor.
For medical relief of the poor, allotted
from the charity schedule, DR.. Woodward
recommends that provision be made for
the employment of twenty-five physicians
to the poor at $40 per month, $10,5GO; that
So 4sO be provided for medicines and print
ing, and that 81 900 be provided for nurs-
ing. The item for nursing is essentially new.
he states, Tut he declares that il not
few cases intelligent nursing is needed
more than the services of physician, and