The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-06-15
MEETING OF BOARD OF HEALTH

NnEE1llNU VT DOAND VI lEAL1u
Objections on the Part of Individuals
to Comply With the Health Code.
The June meeting of the board OF
health was held Monday evening and
the usual routine business transacted.
The health inspectors report showed
that while people generally were dis
posed to cooperate with the board in
preserving the health of the town
there were individuals who neglect to
do so, A serious condition exists in
regard to the spring runs in several
parts Of the town, notably ON Phoenix
avenue and Water street, These runs
carry water in the CUTTERS where it
runs sluggishly if it runs at all, is the
Fecepticle for house drainage and a
breeding place for flies and mosqui-
toes. In addition the children in the
neighberhood play about and in these
runs, and it is significant that more
scarlet fever and diphtheria cases de-
velope in these sections than in any
other part of the town The board Of
health has no power or means to put
drains in these places andSthe town
authorities are responsible. Notice
was ordered served upon the Mayor in
each of these cases
1t was reported that a few of the
plumbers were remiSs in failing to
have final inspection of plumbing
work before turning buildings over to
the owners. AS this is an important
matter no owner of a property should
accept and pay for plumbing work un-
less with the account is handed over a
final certificate of inspection from the
board of health. 1t costs the plumber
nothing and is valuable to the owner
of the property.
1t was reported that some of the
milkmen were refusing to pay the IL
cense fee on the ground that as they
produced their own milk they were
not obliged to take outa license.
Counsel Quayle said they were evil
IDENTIFY confusing the milk ordinance
with that of the board of aldermen
regulating the sale of vegetables and
produce. The latter was a measure
for the raising of revenue and Incl
dentally to protect local dealers
from foreign competition. The state
law giving the right to pass the ordi-
dance made an exception in favor Of
farmers selling their own produce and
the ordinance made the same excep-
tion, although it was well-known that
it was often violated by parties who
bought from Others to fill out their
load. The milk ordinance was a diff
ferent proposition. 1t is a police reg
ulation for the preservation of health,
passed under law which gives the
boards of health full power to make
this regulation and also with power
TO enforce it. The onstitutionality
OF the law had never been tested and
he advised the enforcement of the
code, leaving it to the milkmen to
carry the matter up to the Supreme
Court if they wished to make test
case. 1t was so ordered. AS the an
nual license fee of 50 exacte d from the
milkmen would scarely pay the salary
OF the milk inspector for month it is
easy to see that it is not a money
making scheme on the part of the
board nor hardship to the milk men.
The milk inspector reported that a
very few of the milk producers still re-
fused to keep their barn yards decent
ly clean, although their attention
had been repeatedly called to the mat
ter. 1t was voted that notice should
be served upon these parties and fail
nre to comply with the code would re-
suit in the prohibition of the sale of
their milk in the town.
The vital statistics for the month
'ollow:-