The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-04-28
HfALTHOffICfRNftDfD
WORK DONE BY SALVATION
ARMY LASSIES.
Care for Sick and Afflicted and
Give From Scauty Purses to
UnfOrtunates.

From time 10 time attention has been
called 70 the necessity for the re-enact-
meDt Of an ordinance authorizing the
appointment Of and defining duties Of a
health officer for the city. Astoria has
happily been free from the epidsmlcs
that have visited other cities N the Pa
cifc coast. but notwithstanding this
immunity there Is urgent and imme-
date need for health officer. who
shall have the power to act and 20 com
pei others 10 obey rules and regulations
formulated to safeguard the clty's
health.
A striking instance OF this need was
furnished In the case Of the destitute
family on Eighteenth street. who were
provided with food. clothing and mon
cy by charitable people. whom Chief
Hallock Interested In their behalf. Al
one time the entire family. and there
are eight Of them. were sick at the
same time. When their deplOratble
condition became known to the neigh
bOrs. they did what was possible for
their relief. There was 10 city Off
cial To whom such case should be re-
ported and the chief Of police heard
OF the case in round about way. and
and Immediately took steps for the fam
ily's relief.
Previous 70 the chiefs action the w0-
men OF the Salvation Army had done
What they could in the way OF nurs-
ing and caring for the patients. They
procured medical attention for them
and from their own slender purses pro-
vided as much as possible. There IL
another case now IN the hands OF the
ARMY women thar illustrates the con-
slant need Of health officer. Down In
that section q the city given over Il
the half-w0rld here lies. he'd ridden
and diving. a miserable outcast from
responsibility who has lived hSr life oi
sin and is now paying the penalty.
she is a colored womer. probably
about ~ years Of age. and for sever
al weeks past has been living alone
and almost unattended In tumble
down shanty. For weeks the Salvation
Army lassies have cared for the woman
When they found her the little room
was in A wretchcd condition. The floors
were covered with dirt. unwashed dish
es were scattered here and there. the
sunshine could straggle in but feebly
because Of the crust cf dust on the
window panes. Occasionally an ac-
quaintance Of the sick woman would
bring her bowl OF SOUP or some 9TH
er food. but for the greater part Of the
time she was entirely unattended.
The Salvation Army missionaries gave
that bare little room a cleaning that
worked wonders. They made a visit
each day. bringing food and prepar-
ing II on a ricke.y stove hat con tin
nally threatened to fall apart. At the
request OF the lassies DR.. II. L. Hen
derson visited the woman. Then IL was
discovered that she was a cOnfir ned
morphine fieud and was suffering more
from lack Of the drug than from lack
~ food. No provision Is made by the
city for the care OF such unfortunates
so the matter was referred to the coun-
~ officials. The woman's conditions
was brought 20 the attention
of the county court and re-
quest made for her admission to the
hospital. as a county charge. This plan
was baked by the county physician
who refused 10 admit the woman be-
cause she would need morphine con-
tinually and he declined to have such
n patient maintained at the expense of
the county
Thus the matter stands. The woman
will probably remain in the miserable
shack until death comes But for the
charity Of physician and Army women
;he outcast would he absolutely with 0ut
care. If a health officer had been call
ed in at the right time the woman
could have been made fit TO stand a
tourney to some city where she could
roceive proper treatment and care.
These are but instances: the Saliva
ton Army could give a dozen similar
ones. in each case demonstrating the
need for health officer.
Another department OF the work per-
tains to the DISPOSITION OF garbage and
refuse. There Is no one now to enforce
regulations. valuable from a sanitary
standpoint. And vet there are certain
rules that ought to be vigorously en-
forced as precautionary measures to
insurinC a freedom from disease and
epidemics