The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-18
DEPARTMENT Of
PUBLIC HEALTH
FEATURE or PROPOSED PLAN
WOULD ADD NEW CABINET
OFFICER.
DR.. WILEY AS ITS HEAD
MOVEMENT is NOT NEW ONE-HAs
BEEN PRESSED
TWENTY-FIVE
YEARS.
DR.. WILEY AS ITS HEAD
BY VICTOR ELLIOTT.

WASHINGTON, Oct. l7.-Friends
Of the idea Of Department of Pub
lie Health having tho same standing
as other departments of government,
and having at its head a. member of
the Presidents Cabinet believe that
the result Of the Wiley INVESTIGATION
Will encourage their movement and
| may perhaps mean action at the COM
! ing session OF Congress.
| The belief prevails in Washington
/ that such a department, If created,
would have DIR. Harvey w. Wiley as
| its first head. His vindication by the
| President and the confidence which
the people of the country have IN
him would make him a formidable
candidate for the position.
The fact that Secretary Wilson, of
| the Department of Agriculture. has
announced that he Will ask Congress
to transfer the Bureau of Chemistry
from his department TO some other,
| is taken here as the frxt official step
I looking toward department of
| health.
Secretary Wilson. in his statement
pointed out that the enforcement of
the pure food and drugs act has no
part In the real work OF the De-
partment OF Agriculture. and, in fact,
has no part in the work OF any of
N''o otiiSA dfpdf IHtS Is Ia
ken to mean that the administration
might be prevailed upon to recon-
mend to Congress the creation OF
the new departm ent az solution
of the problem of finding a consist
ent place for the Bureau of Chem
| istry.
Not New Move
The movement to create a depart
meht Of health Is not new one Ii
has been pressed for twenty-five
Years, and already has some power
fOl advocates on the floor OF Con-
gTess. Throughout the county it
has thousands of friends, and as in
the case Of all big movements of the
Kind. 1t has thousands Of enemies
During the Sixty-frst Congress the
movement took definite shape in the
! Introduction Of bill by Senator
| owen. OF Oklahoma, providing for a
| department OF health, and for the
transfer to it Of all bureaus and
divisions OF existing departments
which in any way effect the health
Of the people.
This bill was considered by a SEN
ate committee and hearings granted
! They extended over many days and
scores OF eminent representatives of
the medical profession appeared to
support the movement At the Same
time scores OF other persons appeared
and condemned the plan.
The DILL was never reported and
when the session came to and end It
oied. 1t will now have to be- resur-
reeted by the Introduction OF a new
bill, and the same ground covered
in the last Congress VIII have to be
| covered in the next Congress
Under the plan as outlined in the
| Owen bin all bureaus OF various de-
partnents concerned in matters of
| health are to be transferred to the
new department. The moro import
ant Of these bureaus include the Bu-
reau Of Chemistry. and the Public
Health and Marine Hospital Service
or the Department OF Commerce and
La Dor. These bureaus have a Direct
interest In the health OF the nation
Two exceptions We're made to the
/ scheme Of transferring ell bureaus
! interested in health matters They
were the medical corps of the army
and navy. These two corps have to
deal only with the health OF the army
and navy. and are therefore properly
under direct authority of the secre-
taries of those two departments.
| Additional Power.
1t WAS planned to give both tho
pubic health and marine hospital
"
additional power and authority under
the new department. Their activities
were TO extend beyond their present
limftattone. This was particularly true
In the case Of the public health and
marine hospital service. It's most i'm
| portant functions at present Is the
| enforcement OF the quarantine laws
at ports OF entry. This 10 a valuable
service, but II does not go further
than to carry into effect precaation-
airy methods.
The activities of the bureau of
| chemistry are we'll known. II passes
upon all foodstuffs that are marketed
in Interstate commerce. and upon all
drugs that are prepared and sold as
patent medicines. 1t initiates prose
cutions for violation OF the pure food
law. and in some respects. IL the most
useful bureau of the government
| To make this bureau the leading
agency of a new department OF the
government, and have as its executive
! officers member of the cabinet,
would greatly increase it's value. II
would make possible the securing OF
additional health laws from time to
time without having to run the gamut
OF secretary whose chief interest
was in SEINE other matter.
| OpfOSitaon rs Pttent
| The opposition to the establish
ment Of the now department has so
far proven itself potent This has
come mainly from the schools OF
medicine opposed to the aliopathic
school. The allopaths are represent
ed by the American Medical Assoc
| citation. one OF the most powerful
| professional organizations In the
United States. This organization has
| constantly urged the creation of the
new department whereas the other
medical organizations have success
fully inspired distrust IN the proposi-
| ton.
Now. however. that tho Wiley mat
! ter has been fully aired, and a gem
eral understanding exists of the ditfi-