The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-05
DR.. RYDER'S PLAN
First Ward Councilman Talks
of City Physician.
He Started Out on the Wrong
Theory.
PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW
Entitled to Information so They
Nav Protect Themselves.
Would Have Farnsworth Charg-
es Before Whole Council.


the new chairman of the health and
sanitation committee of the city coun-
Gil, was hard at work at his Office desk
this morning. When asked by a re-
porter for the State Journel to express
his views concerning the policy of To-
pela's car DR.. Willis D. Storrs, city
physician, DR.. Ryder said:
st hesitate to enter into this contro-
versy because what might say would
perhaps be misconstrued. 1t is my way,
however, to say just about what l think
in regard to most everything, and that
Is what I expect to do in the city coun-
Gil. All ask from the newspapers is
to be correctly quoted.
MY opinion is that DR.. Storrs started
out wrong. He had a new plan which
he wanted to introduce, and he showed
very little tact in the way he went
about introducing it. Instead of CO.
operating with the newspapers of the
city, as fully believe he might have
done, he antagonized them, and started
In with the avowed policy of keeping
everything away from them that he
could. He acted like a car, as the
newspapers said.
My idea is that the newspapers as
the representatives of the public, are
rightfully entitled to keep the public
posted on matters concerning the public
health. This should not be carried too
far; 1t hurts a towns commercial inter-
ests to have it advertised that it is filled
with contagion. But the public should
know the facts so that it can protect
itself. believe that l could trust the
newspapers to help out in this policy if
l were city physician. I would try to
follow a middle course, making public
all information which would be of real
value to the community, and that, after
all, is what the newspapers are AFTER
1t is not at all likely that Dr. Storrs
will be influenced in the least by the
views of the chairman of the committee
of public health. He is not influenced
by anything except his passion for
vengeance on the newspapers for expos
ing his childish stubbornness and neg
lect of duty
OPPOSED TO FOOD ADULTERA-
TON.
DR.. Ryder has called a meeting of
the health and sanitation committee for
this evening, and at that time it is like
~ the committee will fix time to take
up the hearing of the charges filed by
II. B. Howard against Food Inspector
FarnSWorth, or else will vote to refer
the whole matter back to the city coun-
ell for inv estigation. Speaking of this
matter today. Dr. Ryder said:
$50 far l have only one very definite
idea about this fight on Mr.. Farms
worth. and that is that I am radically
opposed to all forms of food adultera-
ton. I don't want anything put into
crumpled horn is good enough for me.
In large cities the question of preserva-
tives in milk is a very serious one.
There is no reason for its being serious
in Topeka, because we are not a big
city, and we are not in barren coun-
try. The milk which we use in Topeka
is produced near at hand.
I don't know anything about what
the laws are. You must remember that
1 am new at this council business. 1
want to find out first what power this
committee has; also what power the
board of health has, and what the au-
thority and duties of Mr.. Farnsworth
are. I don't care where the charges
originate; the thing that 1 am after is
to find out whether they are true. 1t
may be necessary to secure complete
revision of the food inspection laws. 1t
seems to me that. the food inspector
should really be under the charge of
the board of health. They say the board
of health has no real authority If 1
was a member of hat board l would
have some authority, if [ had to go TO
work reconstructing the laws to get
some
Mr.. Farnsworth is an appointee of
the mayor, and confirmed by the coun-
ell. It looks to me, therefore. that if
there is any investigation, it should be
before the whole council. have known
Mr.. Farnsworth for many years, and L
believe him to be strictly honest and
conscientious. 1t is a question whether
he mas neglected WHAT lie Hight
ably be expected to attend to. The sal
airy paid to the food inspector does not
warrant the employment of an expert
chemist or bacteriologist for the posi-
ton. Is Topeka large enough to justify
us in paying enough to get an expert in
our employ, who can make his own
cumulative or qualitative analyses of
suspected cases of food adulteration?
Or would it be better to employ chem
ist to whom such work should be taken,
and leave the routine work for the food
inspector? These are questions of poll
CIV which the council will probably be
called upon to settle. as a result of this
investigation"
WANTS A NEW ORDINANCE BOOK.
The members of the city council and
the city attorney. who are anxious to
have the existing ordinances of the city
compiled and published in book form
will find in Councilman Ryder a strong
aIlv.
''They tell me-" remarked DR. Ryder
that it is impossible for anybody to
know what ordinances of the city are
in effect without going all through the
city's records. 1t seems to me that this
is a most foolish and dangerous condi-
ton for the city to be in We should
have the ordinances all in one book
where we can get at them. 1t is not a
luxury 1t is a necessity. How will
We know what sort of ordinances to
pass. or how to draw them I'D. unless
We can tell exactly what legislation
the city already has on the subject?'
A resolution was passed by the coun-
Gil some time ago instructing the city
attorney to give an estimate on the
probable cost of compiling and publish
ing new ordinance book but so far
the city attorney has made no report
on the matter. though he has done
Some work toward getting an estimate
Disastrous Wrecks.