The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-04
STORRS SAT UPON
He will No Longer Be Gear of
Health Department.
Council Committee Agrees Upon
a New Ordinance.
ARE TO. BE OTHERS.
Members of Board of Health
More Than Figureheads.
City Physician Thinks He Is
Doing Too Much Work.

In spite OF the fact that DIR. Willis
Dana Storrs told the committee last
night that he does $500 worth of work
for the city every month for $50. it was
decided that his powers as city physi-
clam were in need of pruning. and the
committee forthwith used its knife. A
new plan for the organization of the
health department of the city was
adopted in outline. and will be further
considered AT a future meeting of the
health committee and board of health.
The health department of the city will
be reorganized on this basis:
Board of health, reporting monthly
to council.
Division Health and sanitation.
City physician, reporting to board.
Health officers, reporting to city physi-
clan.
Division Food inspection. Food
inspector, reporting to board. Assist
ant food inspector, reporting to in
spector.
Under the reorganization plan, the
city physician and the food inspector
will be equals. SO far as the board of
health is concerned. Each will make
his reports to the board. Instead of
being the whole thing as in the past. the
city physician will be relegated to his
proper position as subordinate to the
board of health instead of superior
to it.
The reorganized board of health will
be composed of five members as at
present, but the three doctors on the
board must all be graduated, licensed
physicians. engaged in active practice.
The other two members are council
men. The board will meet on the
fourth day of the month from October
to April and on the second and fourth
Mondays during the summer months.
Meetings of the board may be called
either by the chairman or the secre-
tary. The city physician is secretary,
ex-ofticio. This new rule takes away
from DR.. Storrs the exclusive right to
call meetings of the board
1t was decided that instead of MAX
ing no reports whatever, the city ply
stefan shall make a report once a
month showing the work done in his
be a joke, for the city physician could
put in or leave out anything he pleased.
The ordinance should specify what
should be included in the report.
Aside from blocking out in a very
general way the changes desired in the
health ordinances the meeting last night
was of no value. With one or two ex-
ceptions, it seemed that the members
of the joint committee were not we'll
posted on the existing ordinances, and
had not taken any pains to consider
what changes should be made. Conse-
quently the proposed ordinance was
turned over to the city attorney in a
very ragged condition. He will try to
subsequent meeting, which will not be
held for some time. owing to the rush
OF business in the city attorneys office.
STORRS DID NOT LIKE IT. e.
1t was rather painful for City Ply
sician Storrs to be present and hear
himself raked over the Goals, but there
was no way to avoid it. He protested
when it was proposed that the existing
ordinance be changed to take all the
executive authority out of his hands
and vest it with the board of health.
IF you do that he said, you'll have
to call meeting of the board every
time you want a little bit of milk an
alyzed. and you'll be having meetings
all the time
1.-The board can delegate it's author
ity in the interim between regular
meetings to some one,' said DR.. Ryder.
who acted as chairman of the joint
meeting. What we object to is this
one-man power. We don't want any
partment. We've had too much of that
both in the health department and in
the food inspection department.
Storrs objected again when it was
proposed to fix it so that someone be-
sides himself should have the right to
call extra meetings of the board.
Nobody that gets pay should be al
lowed to call a meeting of the board"
said Storrs, referring evidently to DIR.
Menninger, who as chairman should
have the power to call meetings.
1.-The officials are interested in max
ing good record" declared DR.. Ryder.
1.-The chairman of this board will not
pile up expense against the city unnec-
essarily."
The proposed changes make it pos
sib1e for the board to employ whenever
necessary a chemist and bacteriologist.
The board can also employ an assistant
city physician in case of epidemic, and
during the summer can employ an as
sistant food inspector if it is deemed
necessary.
STORRS ADMITS NEGLECT.
City Physician Storrs admitted last
night, when closely questioned by the
members of the board, that he does not
keep in close touch with the affairs of
his Office Sometimes he gets reports
a few hours after the reports come in
to the Office at the city hall. 1t seems
little about what is going on at. his
office. 1t is all left to the sanitary
sergeant.
"Why can't you move your Office to
the one which the city provides, or else
move the sanitary sergeants desk to
your private Officer" asked DR.. Ryder.
Il wouldn't have the sanitary ser
geant in my Office" said DR.. Storrs with
great emphasis naVenI got room
for him. Neither would I move my Of
fee to the city hall. I give the city
from $50 to 5000 worth of work every
month for $50, and I can't give them
any more of my time 1t is strange
but no one laughed outright when this
statement was made.
"Don't you think that it would be
better for the city if you had one Office
instead of two, and could keep in closer
touch on this city work.
Il come over to the city hall Office
every day." said Storrs.
When Dr. Hubbard, DR.. Mitchell and
DR.. Peers held the Office of city pnysi-
clan, they made the city hall office their
private Office and devoted some atten-
ton and consideration to the city's well
fare. Since DR.. Peers left the Office, it
has become fashionable for the city
physician to keep up a separate private
office While DR.. Hogeboom used to
spend the greater portion of his time at