The Penn's Grove record., 1913-12-19
CONTROL OF
HEALTH BOARDS
Command of Local Bodies to be
Demanded From the Legislature
LAX ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS
State Board VIII Complete Inspection
of Milk From Diaries Supplying
Cities-WiII Insist on Remedies
for Sewer Pollution.

for Sewer Pollution.
Especial Trenton Correspondence
Trenton.-With a seasoned legisla-
tor at the executive head of the State
Board of Health, so far as the real
work goes, Secretary Jacob c.. Price,
there is to be an effort made this Leg
1slature to put the local board Of
health under the command of the State
board so as to stop the notification
OF work undertaken and brought to a
point where it may be successful by
the State board. During the year
much study has been given to the re-
lation the local boards of health bear
to the State board. 1t has been ascer-
tanned that in many instances the
members of the local board are not
IN harmony with State laws and set
at defiance the State board. For in
stance, the State board will complete
the inspection of milk from diaries
supplying the municipality, and then
pass the work along to the local board.
Promptly the local board forgets such
inspection and sits down and does
nothing. While mapping the milk sup
ply goes bad, people die and there is
ructions to pay.
Sewer Pollution Remedies.
Again, there is sewer pollution. The
State board gets at the root of the
matter and insists that it be remedied.
Instead of helping the State board, the
local boards sit down and do nothing,
or secretly support the local people in
their antagonism to the State board.
Hundreds of instances could be cited.
1t is understood that in the larger
cities the boards of health are helpful
to the State board, but in many others,
and Trenton seems the real sinner,
whenever the State board seeks to
clean up a~ntagonism springs up from
the local board and nothing more is
done, if there is not defiance of the
State board. The State board insists
that its arms should be upheld by
every municipality impartial, and that
the local boards should be no more
swerved by local sentiment from obey
ing the laws of the State. The health
laws are State laws, and the local
boards have no right to set them at
defiance or assist, even by doing moth
ing, v~iolators of them.
Local Boards AmenabIe.
Tn this study of condition the conclu-
sion has been reached that there will
be no further real progress until laws
are passed making the local boards
amenable to the State Board of
Health. In some municipalities there
are health officers not trained sani-
tarians. These were in office when
the statute went into effect requiring
new officers to take examinations and
receive certificates before entering
upon duty. The old officers make the
trouble for the State board. Backed
by a local health board not anxious to
get out and work or swerved from
duty by local sentiment of cost, the
unframed sanitary officer goes to sleep
or puts up specious argument to de-
feat the ends sought by the State
board and becomes, in the eyes of the
State board, a real menace to public
health of his municipality.
Highest Death Rate.
The members of the State Board
of Health quote many municipalities.
Elizabeth is one of them and Atlantic
City is another, and they include New
ark, where the trained health officer Of
the Board of Health upholds the arms
of the State board and promptly en-
forces the interpretations of the laws
put out by the State board after ex-
%perience with conditions. They say
people are getting the worth of their
money in health and sanitary meats
and provisions. Where the local
health board is swayed by local con-
ditions the death rate is the highest.
In the city of Trenton, it is said, the
death rate is the highest of any mum.
~cipality Of size in the State, and this
is blamed on unsanitary conditions al
lowed to result from the State health
laws being improperly enforced.
Screens for Foodstuffs.
An officer of the board said that
Trenton and Gutenberg were the only
municipalities which are fighting the
law requiring foodstuffs to be so
screened when offered for sale in July
or other summer months, that the u
and street dirt generally cannot defile
them. He said that a jury in the dis
trict court had decided that strawber-
ries and raspberries exposed on the
stand of a huckster only a few inches
from the ground in the broiling sun
of a July day with dogs running at
large and street sweepings poured
them in clouds from winds were prop
erly protected from contamination.
Good Work at Reformatory.
The trustees of the State reforma-
tory for boys and men under 81 years
made much in their report to Cover
nor Taylor of the fact that the larger
percentage of men released by reason
of age expiration from the Institution
become respectable and capable citi-
gems. They report a huge farm under
taken by the institution where those
near the parole period are allowed to
live ION honor" There are no guards
around them and they could break and
run, but not one has shown a disposi-
zion to seek liberty that way.
~ ---