The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-24
new HEALTH LAW
Council Committee Would Re-
wise the Ordinance.
City Physician Would Be Shorn
of AutOcratic Power.
RYDER TAKES A HAND.
First Ward Councilman Would
Correct the Evils.
Two Members of Health Board
Also Favor Change.

! Because of the seeming disposition of
City Physician Storrs to obstruct the
revision of the city health ordinances
by neglecting to call a meeting of the
board of health, DR.. L. A. Ryder, chair
man of the council committee on
health and sanitation. will within a
few days summon his committee to-
gether and invite the members of the
board of health and the food inspector
to meet with the committee. for the
purpose of discussing a complete re-
vision of the health and food laws of
the CITY.
DR.. Storrs probably fears that a re-
vision of the ordinances would deprive
him of the monarchical power which
he now enjoys in the health DEPART
ment, and that is exactly what the re-
vision committee proposes to do. At
the present time Storrs is beyond the
| reach OF everybody. Even the presi-
dent of the board Of health has no au-
thorlty to call meeting of the board.
A man who is in close touch with
| the existing situation said today: 1T
| is probable that if the ordinances are
revised, DR.. Storrs will resign. He
Will not care to hold a position under
the conditions which the revised ordi-
nances will prescribe. We can't tell
| yet Just now far the revision will go,
but if the committee does it's duty it
ing position. He would have to occupy
a subordinate place, and would have
to rescind some of the actions which he
has taken during his troublesome term
of Office
During one of the sessions of the
board of health which DR.. Storrs con-
descended to call some time ago. the
question OF the revision of the ordi-
nances was taken 10 and discussed at
some length The board expressed it,
selt as favoring revision; that is, Dr.
Mennlnger and DR.. r. S. Plummer IA
vored a revision They constituted a
board would have another meeting
very shortly to continue the discussion
OF the ordinance revision movement,
ana the understanding was that each
member of the board should dig into
the question and draft any changes
tnat ne might consider desirable
otoTrs mas called no meeting since
mat time He seemed to scent trouble
ahead, and has. carefully refrained from
giving the board of health another
cnance to stir 1t up. AS the ordinances
provide that the Icity physician is the
ohly one VINO can call meetings of the
board, he seems to have things in his
grip. 49,,
Now that the health committee of the
council has taken hand in the affair,
it is likely that Storrs will be baffIed in
his object DR. Ryder, the Chairman of
the committee, said today:
I don't just know whether. as chair
man of the health committee have any
authority to invite the board of health
to meet with the committee but guess
l Will assume the authority We want
the board and the food inspector to at
tend the meeting and help us get I'D
some new ordinances. l am especially
interested in the revision of the present
milk inspection ordinances. [ also en-
phatically believe that the powers and
limitations of the city physician and the
board of health should be clearly set
forth l have talked to DR. Plunner
about it, and he has some plans fo1. q
revision of the ordinances. I under
stand that the board of health had one
meeting to discuss a revision of the or
| d1nances, but has not had any meetings
since that time"
is Dr. Storrs trying to prevent a re-
vision of the ordinances" was asked
Don't ask me-I'm not mixing up in
/ that" said DR.. Ryder
| h b. Howard who figured prominently
in the recent pure food fight on Inspector
Farnsworth is now interesting himself in
/ the revision of the ordinances He wants
to have some radical changes made He
says:
Il consider the outcome of our investi-
cations of the food inspector of great
value to the general health of the city.
If the suggestions of the health and san
itatlon committee are Immediately framed
into ordinances much good will have been
accomplished. We should have city bae-
teriologist or at least one at the service
of the board
The people of Topeka will know who
to mold responsible if these new ordi-
nances are not drawn up iron clad, so that
all of this trouble will be prevented in the
future We must insist upon the absolute
prevention of milk adulteration. even with
water, Our experience has proved that it
is as hard to convict this class of crini-
nails as it is to convict jointist- All the
evidence is no good if the criminal saws
! he didn't think it was harmful I do
not intend to let up on this fight until
we have good laws properly enforced here