Evening journal., 1902-02-21
HEALTH BOARD
HAS MUCH POWER
DR.. James Il. Morgan EX-
plains His Position
SAYS THE Law BACKS HIN
Health Official Gives His Side Of The
Story OF Inspection OF Pub
lie Schools

nc NcllOOlS
Dr. James H. Morgan, of the Board
of Health. rs somewhat exercised by
the stories current regarding his in
.speotion of the public schools of the
.city, TO ascertain whether or not teach |
ers and pupils had ben yaccinatod.
In mis- own defense Dr. Morgan says
that. according to volume II. Laws of
Delaware. THE Board OF Health Is EN-
powered to pass any resolution which
tends to prevent the spread of conta- |
gious disease in Wilmington, and inl
accordance with that State law the
board on January 30, 1902. passed reso-
buttons providing for an inspection of
amy pupil and teacher in the city pub
lie schools. This resolution had the en-
ldOmement OF City Council, which, hgw-
ever was not necessary as the law
gave the health board a right to pass
lsuch resolutions whether Council sop
posed on not.
DR. Morgan says The work Of eX
amining teachers and pupils was be-
gun and continued successfully until
he reached School No. 10, when he met
his first opposition. He states that
this came from Miss Mcintyre. who
refused to show the vaccination
wound ON her arm. She objected, say
ling THAT she had been vaccinated the
lday before and offered a physicians
certificate to that effect Or. Morgan
lsaid il was not customary for ply
lsicians to give vaccination certificates
Immediately following vaccination, but
wait a reasonable length of time ii
find whether or not the vaccination has
p taken In view of this, he said he
! would not accept the certificate offered
tlby Miss Mcintyre He says he deman-
d lded to see the arm and that the teacher
finally acceded Continuing DR.. Nor
gan said that he experienced no fur
lther opposition until he encountered
Mrs Sawin, in No. 10 school SHE
REFUSED to- expose her vaccination
wound. Dr. Morgan says thet he re-
ferrod the case to DIR. Buclmaster a
member Of the Board of Education
. who reported, after investigation, THAT
: In was a case of stubbOrness on the
! past of Miss Sawin. DR. Morgan fur
!. lther continued that the only opposition
Inc met INA examining llS teachers was
= from Miss sawin and Miss Mcintyre
N In conclusion. DIR. Morgan says that
elan erroneous idea has gained credcnce
4 concerning the power of the Board OF
a Health. He declares THAT ii has power
10 Ito do almost anything i'm prohibiting
II the healuh of the city, and quotes th,
e following law on the subject:
O. Sec l37. The said board shall be
" vested with all the powers and author
@ itv which the Council might or could
e exercise relative TO the object of their
m institution. and with all power and au-
thority conferred. and duties enjoined
y upon members of boards of health by
& laws of the State. and by the ordin-
ances Of the said city. for the preserva-
p ton of the public health within said
d city. or within one mile thereof. And
e the said Board of Health upon com
?. plant that a nuisance has been created,
e erected or continued, and is continued
s. within said city, or within one mile of
Il Khe boundaries thereof. which may
u prove injurious to the health of the in
lhabitants thereof. shall hear and deter
mine such complaint, and If necessary
view and examine the matter or thing
e complained Of; and if the said board
shall adiudge the place or thing com
p planned of to be a nuisance, whereby
the health of the inhabitants of said
city is. or may be injured, the said
y board shall give directions to cleanse
4 remove. abate. or remedy the same, tC
IN the person or persons causing or pro
! ducing such nuisance, or to the owner
or owners. agents or tenants or Occu
n. pier of the premises whereon the sale
A. nuisance exists and if the person o
RI persons. owner or owners. agents, ten
I'd ants or occupant, to whom such direc
ie tiOn is given. shall not observe ant
M fulfill the same within the time there
in in prescribed by said board, the salt
he board shall have the power to Orde
IL the said directions to be carried int
BY effect by some officer of the board O
or other person to whom the service ma,
he be- committed. and the expense thereo
iy shall be paid by the person to whom
lu the direction was originally given
al but if the same shall not be paid b.
ln said person on demand, the same shal
be paid by the treasurer of the boar
who shall have the right to recOve
W the same with interest and costs frOr
i~ the persons who ought to have PAL
,f the same as aforesaid. as debts of Xix
ms amount are recoverable.
rk The High Constable, every City Con
i'm stable and the Street COMMISSIONS
be shall be officers of the Board, boun
to execute its orders.
ON
he The said Board shall also have powe
he I'm case of a prevalence OF a malignan
re- disease In this CITY. TO remove person
lit suffering from contagious or injection
diseases from filthy and noxiou
re- habitations. or from noxious or pecu
red Narlv exposed nlacoe ~ otbor habita
, tons or hospital. whenever two-third
''nne OF all the members of the Board sha
ny determine that the faithful care of IN
,.,S health Of the city. or of any neighboi
hood thereof. requires such a measure