Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-21
Health Officer Asked to In
spect Boarding Houses.
IS CONSIDERING MATTER
Commissioners View the Suggestion
With Favor.
NEED FOR MORE OFFICIALS
Explanation Of SCORING System"
Which May Be Extended to In
clude Lunchrooms.

A proposition to require all boarding
houses in the District to be registered
with the health department and subjected
to regular inspections. as are hotels.
cafes, lunchrooms and other similar
places operated for tho public conven-
fence. Is being considered by the Com
missioners
Since DR.. Woodward health officer.
started the crusade for cleanliness sew
eral public-spirited citizens who live In
boarding houses have written to the Com
missioners telling Of unsatisfactory con-
| ditions at such places. and requesting
| that the health officer include them in his
| inspection rounds.
One writer, who requested that his name
be withheld. declared that the boarding
house system is lone Of contemplate in
justice to those who pay out money for
every phase of Inconvenience and i'm
position"
Favored by Commissioners.
The suggestion met with favor from the
Commissioners. and Dr. Woodward, to
whom it has been referred. says the prop
| osition to register boarding houses and
the department is a good one. He re-
marked today that the idea is worthy of
serious consideration, and that II will no
doubt work WELL IL enforced. He believes
bedrooms and kitchens of many local
boarding houses should be inspected, not
| only once in q WHILE but regularly.
In connection with the proposed regis
| tration and inspection of boarding houses.
| the cost of additional inspectors must
be taken into consideration. and Tor that
xAvv,a ~A mill IN
matter carefully before making report
| to the Commissioners.
Statement by Health officer.
For a long time l have SUSPECTED the
conditions revealed during the inspection
| that is now in progress" DR.. WOODWARD
said today, but have been held In check
| because of lack of funds with which to
carry out my ideas for cleanliness and the
proper observance Of the health laws
Of this city. To extend my regular in
spections to boardin houses would necessi-
| tate a larger appropriation than have at
my disposal for the next fiscal year 1
trust the money needed will be forthcom-
| ing as l am in hearty favor of including
the boarding houses in the list"
The application Of the scoring system"
used by the health department in the
| inspection of diaries and dairy farms to
lunchrooms, hotels and other places
where food is stored or sold Is being con-
sidered by Health Officer Woodward In
connection with his crusade for cleanli-
ness. Such a step would systemic things
much better, he contends
In speaking Of its operation DIR. Wood
ward said: when the inspector visits q
dairy farm or dairy he marks score on
the card. One of these cards Is filed in
| owner Of the dairy. 1t is easily seen how
the place rates, and when it Is running be-
| low the average or standard and no at
tempt is made to improve conditions pros
ecution follows.
Making Out Score.
"In making out his score for a dairy
farm the inspector scores for water sup
ply, construction. light, ventilation, drain
| age and cleanliness of stable: cleanliness
and drainage of stable yard: health OF at
| tendants and cows and their cleanliness;
prompt removal of milk. cooling of milk
| care of milk: general equipment and con-
! ditions The markings are based on a
| possible 19O.
I'm the case of local diaries or milk
| depots the inspectors mark according to
| light, ventilation, screening. flooring.
walls. drainage. water supply, cleanliness
| of premises and attendants.
This scoring system could be readily
| applied to lunchrooms. cafes. saloons. no.
tells, etc. 1t would greatly facilitate the
] work of Inspection.
Visiting Apartment Houses.
The majority Of the inspectors of the
| health department are today engaged in
| visiting apartment houses that have cafes
| attached. The inspection Of such places
| was started yesterday, and according to
| the reports turned In by the inspectors the
| conditions were excellent. Sixteen places
were visited and in only few instances
was adverse criticism justified.
| DR.. Woodward did not report to the
Commissioners today in connection with
the motion by Commissioner West yester-
| day calling attention TO the disclosure
made by The Star of the use of cracked
and broken mugs dishes and other uten-
| sils used in eating places
! DR.. Woodward is satisfied that the
| health laws cover the cracked mug
question" but he proposes to investi-
gate the matter little more closely be-
fore reporting to the Commissioners.
The carrying of the campaign for
cleanliness into homes will be started
| tomorrow. Careful plans for the house
| toulouse campaign have been arranged
and great results are anticipated. All
householders will be notified by police
men to clean their cellars. backyards
and areaways OF rubbish. etc. Health
Oh1cer Woodward is confident that he
| will have the cooperation of the citi-
| Gems generally.
3IOu1O1ISu MILK SOIu4Ak
DIR. Woodward telegraphed the health
oficer Of Richmond. Va. regarding a
| statement that milk dealers in Virginia
who have been prohibited from shipping
milk into Richmond because of non-com-
pliance with the regulations of that city
are now shipping the product to this city.
A dispatch from Richmond on the sub
ject follows:
1.-THE rigid enforcement of the dairy
regulations in this city has had the effect
Of curtailing the shipments of milk from
points along the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad. The result Is that much of the
milk that formerly came to this city, by
reason of being the closest market, Is
now going to Washington and Baltimore.
1.-THE health inspector of this city. act
ing under orders from the health de-
partment, made q trip to Orange, Abe
marie, Louisa and other counties and re-
voked the permits Of six of the diaries.
and when the permits were revoked he
saw the dealers and dairymen place the
cans aboard the trains for Washington
and Baltimore. Inspector Curtis. an ex-
perienced dairyman. made the trip for
the health department"
DR.. Woodward said he expects to learn