The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-25
VOTE TO CHANGE
MAKEUP Of THE
HEALTH BOARD. .
Ordinance Is Recon-.
mended to the
Council. 8.s5
ONLY SIX MEMBERS
VOTE AGAINST 1T
Completely Reorganizes the De-
partment and Enlarges the l.
Boards Powers.
THREE DOCTORS WILL
BE AMONG MEMBERS
Civil Engineer and Business Man
AS Colleagues-Lively spat
Between Dr.. Williams IS
and Dr.. Garcin Dr.. 5s
Oppenhimer Makes
Statement. J.
THREE DOCTORS WILL .H.
BE AMONG MEMBERS.

tees on finance and health last night
recommended to the Council the ordi-
nance reorganizing the health departs
ment, as suggested by the special com.
mlttee. of which DR.. Ennion G. Williams
Is chairman.
There were some slight amendments
and notifications. but they do not change
any principle involved. @
Those who voted in the negative were
Messrs. Pollock, Gates, Satterheld, Un,-
lauf Donohue and Hobson. All save
Mr.. Pollock are members Of the Health
Committee. rs
The discussion over the matter lasted
until nearly midnight, and 1t was spirited \
from the very outset.
y The ordinance, as amended and adopts
ed, reorganzes the entire health depart
ament, and places all the responsibility
with the board, rather than dividing IL \
with the Health Committee.
It provides for a board, composed Of
five members. three of whom shall beis
medical doctors. ono a civil engineer
and one a business man. The board lis N
required to elact a. Ghiet health otilcerg
at q salary or $1,000 per q anllum and q
city bacteriologlst Is also provided for
Other officers under the direct charge
of the board shall be; Plumbing inspec-
ter fumigator, food Inspector. assistants
to the food Inspector clerk of the Health
Department and sanitary officers q
Absolute Authority.
The board Is given absolute authority
to employ and discharge and to control
every detail OF the Department. Of Health.
Mr. Blair got through an amendment
authorizing tire board to employ dag
nostltians when necessary on per diem
compensation. #s3j
The ordnance IL adopted, will cons
pletely reorganze tho department AMI
place it on an entirely new basis. Il
While the committeeman discussed
te,le plNoposltion at some Iength, tho
greatest amount of cross firing was be-
tween the doctors. DR.. Williams eX-8
planned and defended the report and or-
dlnance, and lie and DR. Garcin. a men,
bcr of the board had many fiery collo-
qules.
DR.. Oppenhlmer. president of tho
board, also engaged DR.. Williams in sew
eral brief colloqules, but they were good
no objection to the ordinance If the cons
mittee and Council deemed It wise,&
though he thought If given money and
proper assistance the present board would
do as well or better than new one.
Session in Detail.
The committees were called to order
mt $3.50 o'clock by Chairman James B.
Wood, of the Finance COMMITTEES. til
The ordinance proposing to change the
composition of the Board Of Health and
Introduce certain reforms In the depart
ment was laid before the committees,
and Mr.. Blair moved to amend, so as 4
to allow the board to appoint dtagnos-
ticiuns on per diem compensation Dr.
Ennon G. Williams spoke In support OF
the amendment, and he was asked q
great many questions by Messrs. Pollock,
Pollard. Dabney and others,
The question OF the chief health of
tlcer's salary seemed to bother the mems
bers. They did not think proper man
could be secured for $4,000 per year.
DR.. Williams said he thought this WAS
not enough, and said this officer IN New
York received $4,000 per year.
Mr.. blair said the members or me
Board of Health had In their statements
endorsed the proposed scheme OF reor.
ganizaton, and Or. Garcin. a member Of
the Board, denied this, and SAID Mr'
Blair was greatly mistaken @
DR.. Williams Speaks.
DR.. Ennion G. Williams, the chairman
of the special committee which recorn-
mended the ordinance, was called upon,
and smoke in advocacy of his plan.
pr Williams first read his report, which
has already been printed In the papers.
As he went on, he made some brief eX,
planutons OF various sections contained
In the report.
DR.. Williams argued that sanitary
worls is IL distinct branch of medicine.
and that the sooner the people find 1t out
the better, si@8
"you may hold Richmond back now
II Won WILL" continued DR. Williams, hut
this crusade for better sanitary condi-
tions Is going on all over the country,
and YOU have chance 10 put your city
in the very front ranks"
He said that 1t was not the proper
rolicy to have brokendown policemen aa
sanitary officers, but that they should hs
men trained in this most importanr
science.
Cost Twenty Thousand, u
In answer to question hy Mr. Pollard,
DR.. Williams said he thought, 10000 per II
wear would be sufficient to maintain tha
t
DIR. Garein of the Board nf HEALTH.
said he thought the present msn,bers Of
the board were capable OF handling sani,
tary conditions. He was willing on his
!. 49, - & n