The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-06
BOARD OF REVENUE SAYS SITUATION IS NOW WELL IN HAND Pesthouses Gan Care for 30 Per Cent More Than Are Now
 Accommodated
MEMBERS WANT TO AID
 IN PREVENTING SPREAD
County Health Officer Says Board Has Cheerfu1Iy Granted Every Request Made By Jefferson County
 Health Department

The Board of Revenue yesterday Jefferson county and made a statement to the press, submitting also num- Der of physicians testimony.
 Owing to the statement that ap- peared in The Age-Herald of Satur- day morning, March 5, to the effect tn at the pest houses and quarters were overcrowded. leaving the impression on the general public that there were not quarters provided for those afflicted with smallpox at the pest houses, the Board of Revenue deem it wise and proper to say that they are advised by the physician in charge, Dr. w. L. Rosamond. that they can care for 50 per cent more patients than are now in the pest houses and if there are those who are allowed to remain in their homes and who have died for lack of attention, the fault lies with some one else and not with the county Board of Revenue. Our physician shows or reports that Ss cases were treated in the month of February with not single death. It will, tn erelore, be seen that the percentage of death rate is nothing.
 "The Board of Revenue of this coun ty is ready at all times to render to the county health authorities any as- sistance which in their judgment is necessary in handling and taking care of the countys health and more espe- cially do they desire to render this assistance In cases of epidemics or pes tilential diseases. The Board of Rev enue certainly cannot anticipate the necessary help in matters of this kind and it seems to the Board of Revenue that it is up to the county health au- thorities to see that these conditions, as set out in The Age Herald of Sat urday morning do not further exist.
 Situation We'll in Hand
 The Board of Revenue is of the opinion from reports that come to t that the situation is well in hand and that such reports as appeared in The Age Herald of Saturday morning are calculated to cause undue appreh en- sion and excitement, affecting not only
 
 of the county. The Board of Revenue has nothing to conceal nor does it seek to encourage concealment along any line, but rather insists on publicity to the end that the conditions may be met and the progress of any infectious or pestilential disease may be stopped. We have shown our disposition to co. operate with the proper officials in handling this matter in that we have recently allowed the county health of fcer an assistant to further facilitate this matter. We commend the city health officials in their treatment and attention of the Beverly station case but we insist that as we see 1t it was the duty of the county health author ities to take this matter up. We arc willing to assume responsibility placed on us by law but we must insist that each department, health or otherwise, assume that responsibility which be- longs to it.
 Tn reference to the matter of the boards assurance to Mayor O'Brien, City Health Officer Hardness and Chairman of Board of Health T. D. Parke, the board has the following to say:
 Tents were purchased as per agreement, and put up for use the same day that the request was made and, in fact, more tents were purch ased than were asked for in order that any emergency along this line might be met. A number of these tents are still unoccupied because of the fact that there were not patients enough to occupy them.
 About 40 per cent of all smallpox cases in the county pest house came from the city of Birmingham proper. These patients are cared for by Jef- ferson county at no expense to the city of Birmingham further than the de- livery of patients at the pest house and the payment by the city of Birming- ham of $50 per month toward the sal lary of the physician in charge at the pest houses.
 THE BOARD OF REVENUE.
 "JOB GOING. FED HAIGLER,
 "R. F. LOVELADY,
 e. B. ROGERS,
 ''J B. VINES"