The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-03
STORRS is BUSY.
Now FOrtify ing Himself Against
Health Committee
Doesn't Like Idea Of Changing
the Laws.
RECORDS ONO VALUE.
Little Effort Now Made to Keep
Them.
Committee May Take Steps to
Change All This.

City Physician Storrs visited his office
at the city hall Tuesday and renewed
some old acquaintances with the SAM
tary policemen and other members of
his Office force whom he had not seen
for some time. He called for the pur-
pose of getting possession Of a copy Of
the city ordinance book left there by
City Physician Judd
Because DR.. Storrs wanted this book,
it is fair to suppose that he is loading
himself up with information to spring
on the health and sanitation committee
which meets this evening for the pur-
pose of revising the ordinances Dr.
Ryder, chairman of the health commit
tee, has invited the members of the
board of health, the city physician, the
food inspector and the city attorney to
meet with the committee. The object
of the meeting is to revise and modify
the existing ordinances in such a way
that the power of the city physician
will be less absolute in regard to the
department. The laws regulating the
inspection of milk and food will also
be radically changed.
1t is probable that some official recog-
milton will be given to the fact that the
city physician is seldom at his office
and needs an office deputy. At present
there is no such position, but by COM
mon consent one of the sanitary police
men is designated sanitary sergeant
and has charge of all the Office work
The term sanitary sergeant is entirely
a misnomer. The only thing this Off
cial has to do is to keep the records of
the Office and answer questions which
the city physician is paid to answer.
What the city needs, and what the
revision committee. should see that the
new ordinances provide, is better
system Of bookkeeping in the health
department. Present methods are just
the same they were twenty years ago.
The records are VIGOROUSLY incomplete
AID inaccurate 1t IS absolutely lmpos-
sible to rely any of the figures con-
corning birth statistics, mortality, and
health. Other cities the size of Topeka
have records in the health department
which are of great value and 1m9ort-
anc& and nearly all cities in the east
ISSUE an annual report of the health
department which is circulated freely
IN the city and exchanged with other
CITIES throughout the country. Here in
ToReka the health department hasn't
any statistics worth keeping, and what
It has DR.. Storrs endeavors to suppress
frdm the public.
The fact that Topeka's health depart
mint statistics are so poor is due
letgely to neglect of the law. Little
effort has been made to keep a COM
pIete list Of deaths and births Prob
ably hundreds Of each occur every year
Id Topeka which are not reported and
recorded. In pension cases, lawsuits
Rhd missing relative" Investigations.
these records are of the utmost i'm
nortance, and hardly a week passes
Without some inquiry at the health de-
Fartment regarding the old record
hooks.
Another thing which leads to many
Inaccuracies in the records is the fact
that the sanitary sergeant" has not
always been mentally capable of keep
ing even the simple daily accounts
which have become customary. The
man who held the job has been po-
htical creditor of the administration.
and his other qualifications have been
an entirely minor consideration.
The new ordinance revision should
set forth in full and complete manner