Evening journal., 1910-03-09
CHANGES In The.
HEALTH BOARD.
Agitation for Some Members
to Hold Over Has Been
Started in This City
OTHERS ADVOCATE BOARD
TO BE OUT OF POLITICS

Because OF the fact that the terms OF
all the members of the Board Of Health
expire at the same time early In May.
and that an entirely new board viii be
appointed then by Mayor Spruance, an
agitation has been started to try 20
have the law changed so that certain
members I'm the future may holo over
which viii mean that some members
familiar with the duties viii always
be ON the board. As IL Is now all the
members who have a knowledge Of the
workings Of the important department.
which In the past few years has been
doing more efficient and far-reaching
work than over, retire at the same
tiue along with the secretary, and no
body remains in the department who
is familiar with the many details Of
acting on complaints recording births,
deaths and marriages, fumigating
houses and the many other details, un-
less the secretary by courtesy should
remain there for few days to assist
his successor.
There is now realization on the part
of many persons who have observed
how important the Board OF Health has
become i'm benehting or safeguarding
the community that there should al
ways be some members holding over,
and on this fact there seems TO be a
widespread sentiment that the Board
OF Health as far as possible should
be taken out Of politics. As IL now
is each mayor appoints members Of
the Board Of Health. and as. a rule he
has appointed members OF his own
party.
When the last Democratic Board of
Health was appointed by Mayor Bird
there was an agitation in behalf of re-
tanning Joseph Wigglcsworth. Republi-
can. as secretary. and az the time
/ there was report that some Of th'
| Democratic members looked with favor
upon this. but pressure Of Democrat,
politicians prevailed and Democrats go
an the Jobs Mr. Wigglosworth's tern
expires with the present Republican
board i'm MAY, and there are many per
sons. regardless of party, who thinl
IL would be i'm the interest of the publi
welfare Il Mr Wigglesworth should b
reelected seceratry. even though TN
new board viii be Democratic. Their
is no doubt that Mr.. Wigglesworth
the most efficient secretary the Boar
al Health ever had. hc having made
ELWWN OI NUN N|NtNAfn W NAAtAN 'AAA'" 49,
! devoting his entire time TO Il day an
night If necessary. Dr. Howell th
retiring president Of the board, in hi
annual report recently. lauded the ser
; Vices and ability OF Mr.. Wiggesworti
Just what will be done remains TO b
seen. but. Of course, any suggestion {
retain Mr.. Wigglesworth in the offic
would meet with opposition fron
Democratic place-seekers.
In recent years the trend I'm man.
cities has been TO take the Board o
Health out of politics by dividing tn
offices or patronage between the politi
cal parties New Haven, Connecticut
which Is a Republican city. has ha'
DIR. Wright a Democrat, as the hea'
Of the Health Department for NOR
than dozen years. In Baltimore
which is Democratic. DR.. Bosley, Re
publican. has been kept az the head o
the Health Department for many year
through different administrations.
There are now numerous Democrat
seeking appointments as members o
the Board Of Health. secretary an
executive officers. but Mayor Spruanc
has not indicated as yet who he vii
appoint. The new board viii nam
the secretary and the executive of
hcers.