New-York tribune., 1903-03-16
PRAISES DIR. LEDERLE.
City Club Compares Present Health
Department zUith Its Predecessor.

A namphIet of fifty pages showing how much
good work DR. Ernst ]. Lederle, as PRESIDENT ol
the Department of Health, has done for the health
of the city, and how little work OF this KIM was
done when John 3. Sexton and Michael u Murphy
vera the heads Of the department, has been 1ssuen
nv the City Club under the direction OF comHii'-
tee consisting of the trustees of the club
The committee says that DR.. Lederie's aomlnlsua-
tton has been vigorous and intelligent and that Its
MANAGEMENT Of the department under Iemmany
from Ieae TO 1901 was worse than acknowledgement
It SAYS that though 1t was known to many that
IN the four years OF Tammany rYe the Health
peoartnent afforded much profitable graft, the
inner operations OF the department were not well
understood by the public, and the enormous oppor-
tunties could be improved with comparatively httlo
danger.
"Persons who made special investigation Of the
matter" says the report charged that the asgre-
gate OF backmaiIing by osacials Of the Health De-
pxrtment amounted to fully H,5009O year. An
investigation made In February, 1so2, showed that
in more than a thousand cases unlawful nuisances
had been continued with the connivance Of the
department under Tammany rule" Under ram
many the department employed the pamphlet
reads special fish. milk and fruit inspectors, VINO
had power to condemn and destroy such supplies
as they found UNIT for food The report asserts;
These men were appointed and kept on the pay
Hos for over year WITHOUT haSng pasSeed1 e1 EiylL sr
vice Reform Association forced action, many Of Of
retain favored inspectors Commissioner Murphy
made it practice to change their titles, so as to
sB fhs lists % f RRPs Re
for the office OF meat inspector, he would create
the Office OF 'ice inspector" ard appoint to 1t the
temporary meat inspectors whose places ne was
enormous power OF coercion and persecution
In article on the Health Department In 1902
the pamphlet says:
Upon taking charge OF the Health Department
DR. Lederle found that for four years IT had been
a refuge for the faithful OF Tammany Hail. rather
than instrument Of government. Politicians
haunted the department building. Helpers put
down on the payrolls clerks and drawing GOOD
salaries. were sitting around the corridors smoking
and gossipinE, and OF the employees would
often stagger to and from their work in state
OF intoxication. For old. broken down poll
tician the title of custodian of records had been
created. although the records were really kept by
the registrar. The superannuated custodian spent
his time in walking the corridors. now and then
acting messenger The number Of superfuous
suff1ced to hold them comfortably.
The pamphlet tells the steps taken by DR..
Ledere to have the records of the department
placed in the vaults that they would be safe il
the main building Of the department should be
destroyed by fire. to suppress nusances. to provide
for the proper inspection Of slaughter houses,
stables. and the milk supply, TO prevent food and
drug aduIteration. to have carbonated water made
under the best conditions. to have the sanitary
conditions OF public markets. churches. theatres
and mercantile and other buildings perfect: for sub
inspection. for th1 inspection of the Chinese
quarter, to stamp out smallpox and for the pre-
VentiOn OF consumption.
The pamphlet also tells about the excellent work
done under DR.. Iederle in the meteorological abO-
ratOrieS and in other branches Of the department.