The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-10
DUE TO NEGLIGENCE
SECRETARY DIR. BRACKEN SAYS
SMALLPOX WAS NOT PROP
ERLY HANDLED
PROSECUTE CERTAIN OFFICERS
In Five Different Localities, Dr..
Bracken Says, fragrant Breaches
of Health Law Were
Committed.

Smallpox has been more prevalent in
the country districts of this state than
it need have been and local health Of
ficerS in many Of the counties and small
Ell towns have been negligent in enforce
ment of the quarantine laws and regula-
tons. That in effect was one of the
statements made in the quarterly report
of DR.. H. NJ. Bracken, secretary and
executive officer of the state board Of
health, at the meeting of the board held
yesterday. The secretary also reported
that arrangements had been made to
criminally prosecute the responsible Of
fcials in five different localities where
there had been fragrant breaches of the
health regulations. He declined how
ever, to state who these officers are or
the localities in which they are stationed.
on the ground that it might Illustrate
the purposes of the executive authorities
to give warning too far ahead to those
whom it is intended to prosecute.
The secretary stated that a number of
cases had been found where local health
officers had neglected and even refused
to take proper precautions against the
spread of the disease. DR.. Beckman, he
said, had found instances of this kind
at OsceOla, Hector and Brookheld town
snip and Fairfax village, in Renville
! county; Cosmos township, in Meeker
county; LeaYenworth township in Brown
county; ST. Augusta, Wakefield and
Rockville townships, and Cold Spring
village in Stearns county; and Orange
township In. Douglas county. DR.. Brack-
en- himself had found that there had been
culpable negligence at Green Isle and
Washington Lake townships, in Sibley
county and Hugo, Washington county,
and reports had been made to him which
still remained to be investigated.
The board decided to deputize all of the
dairy inspectors of the state dairy and
food department as inspectors of the
state health department and thus In
vest them with fun powers of compulsory
inspection of dairies and premises These
dairy inspectors WILL however, have no
executive powers and in cases in which
executive action is necessary 1t will be
taken through the health board. Frank
Zicgier, acting Inspector of the depart.
m mt at New Brighton, was given power
to inspect animals slaughtered at that
place for food and also to inspect meat.
The board approved the plan OF freq
inspection of dairy cattle offered for sale
upon the market and left the arrange
ments to be perfected unIer the direction
Of the executive committee.
Resolutions were adopted whereby the
legal regulations for the shipment of
dead bodies to and from and through the
state of Minnesota which have been IN
force for the past two years VIII in future
be rigidiy enforced.
DR.. Bracken's proposition to hold a gen
eral conference in this city of all local
health officers of the state was highly
favored by the board and the arrange
ments for sucn as conference were lett
to the executive committee. Dr. S. d.
Brimhan was made director of the vet
Urinary department. tie has been a field
veterinarian for the board for about five
Years and for the past year has acted
as director of the department without en-
joying the title.
George d. Wilson of the ST. Paul city
engineers department, who was employer
by the board to make an Inspection Of
the state institutions with regard to
their sanitary condition. submitted an ex-
tensive report on that subject The
Anoka insane hospital was the only in
stitutien which Mr.. Wilson reported to
be in very bad condition, although he
suggested many improvements in the
others.