The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-03
SGOUR THE CITY.
War on Disease Germs Is to Be
Opened.
Sanitary Officers Required to
Visit Every House in City.
RECORD TO BE KEPT.
Residences Will Be Classified as
seGOod," ssFair" or "Bad.'
This viii Give Sanitary Men
Something to Do.

In anticipation of continuance OF
the smallpox epidemic for an indefinite
period, the board of health of Topeka,
at its meeting held last night in the
Office Of the city physician. decided to
inaugurate a new system of sanitary
work in the various wards
A sanitary officer in each ward of the
city will be required to visit every
house in his ward once month, ex-
anime it carefully. and the attached
premises, and make a report to the
board of health of what he finds.
The sanitary condition of premises
will be classified as good, fair and
bad" A house classified as fair will
be put under close surveillance, and IL
it gets any worse. viii be dropped into
the bad" class. All premises reported
to be in bad sanitary condition will
be served with a notice from the board
Of health to clean up whatever portion
of their premises is reported to be in
need of cleaning.
The complete reports of the sanitary
officers will not be read each month at
the board of health meeting, but a
summary of the condition will be pre-
scented, and all cases requiring the at
tention of the board will be especially
investigated.
The board of health believes that by
a system of close inspection such as
has been devised, the condition of the
town can be improved, and the danger
from contagious diseases lessened. The
cleaning up is with especial reference
to the prevalence of smallpox. 1t is
thought that by establishing a rigid
sanitary system during the summer
that by the time cold weather comes.
and the danger of smallpox increases
the city win be in better shape to COM
bat the disease.
At the rnaaff4aer of tho hood 7oot
night, this plan was announced and ex-
planned to the sanitary policemen, who
were all present. and today the work
OF inspection commenced
1t viii be a great deal of work - said
one of the members of the board today,
but we believe that 1t will paw At
any rate, 1T Will give the sanitary Do
hcelnen something to do to earn their
pay. In addition TO making this tour of
inspection each month, the sanitary DO
Iiceinen will be held responsible for the
careful guarding of smallpox patients
quarantfned in their respective wards
OF course the beard will furnish the
sanitary policemen with assistants to
guard smallpox cases whenever 1t
seems necessary"
The board, at its last nights meet
ing, went over the rules for the guild
ance of sanitary officers which are be-
ing prepared, and also the rules for the
instruction of persons quarantined for
smallpox Theses rules have not yet
been adopted by the board. and will not
be made public until they are finally
approved.
The board took no action in the case
of Rufus NJ. Frazier. the colored man
who holds the position of sanitary off,
Ger for the Second ward. Frazier is
the man who was put on the sanitary
force by Mayor Hughes as reward for
political services. He assisted in the
Hughes campaign by making an af1i-
davit against Councilman Weber, for
which he was arrested, tried and con-
vicsed on the charge of criminal libel.
Frazier has not yet been sentenced,
and the board will evidently keep him
at work till he has to go to jail. Fra
zier was paid 81 today for his work on
the sanitary force during June
The board will meet again next Tues
day night. at which time final action
will likely be taken on the new rules
which are being prepared.