Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-03-25
"EPiDEMloLoolsT" At uNlvER.
s'Ty ASSUMES AUTHORITY Of
STATE OFFICER.
lEoisLATlvE COMMITTEE
SAYS ACTION IS ILLEGAL
Duties Of Stat. Board q Health Being
usurpsd BY New Official at Iowa
City Who 10 Employed by State
1 Board 81 Observation-Disclosures. Sit.
uatisn May Call For Investigation.
specis, to Times Republican.

Ea S~~SSAA~A
1t came to the attention, Of the legis-
lative committee on retrenchment and
reform at its sittings here that state
money 10; being expended in a way
contrary to law and that somebody
ought to be called to account for what
Is being done.
It appears that one c.. s. Woods. Of
Indiana. was last winter employed at
the state university as an 'epidemiol-
ogist' at the university and also was
given duties on the faculty as in
structor in the medical department. In
addition to instructing in medical and
hygtentc matters it is learned that MI.
Woods ID setting up q kind Of unof-
fetal state board Of health. AS head Of
what he calls the department OF pub
lie health and hygiene" he has just
called state convention Of hygienists
and health officers to meet in Iowa
City May to consider public health
matters. to. plan for a general cam
paign in the state with regard to pub
lie health and to commence general
hygienic survey Of the state.
Wooos Has No Certificate.
But Mr.. Woods, thus assuming to
take over the entire public health bus
mess of the state and to call together
the health officers for instructions as to
what they shall do, is said to be not
even the holder Of a certificate in Iowa
indicating that he is qualified as
physician. He has never sought
medical certificate in Iowa. When The
new occupant of the chair Of surgery
came to the university last winter the
first thing he did was to submit him.
self to examination for a medical GER
tificate, which he got. Every other
member of the university faculty hav-
ing to do in any way with medical or
health matters holds a certificate. And
Woods has also employed another Indi-
ana man as a state chemist.
Assumes Authority Of State Board.
Now it SO happens that the laws
of Iowa place it wholly within the au
thority Of the state board of health TO
have charge Of the general health Of
the state. Recently there was report
OF typhoid fever at Dedham. Professor
Higgins, the state sanitary engineer.
went there and secured full report
on the situation. But it was discov-
cred. also,. that soon thereafter c. S.
Woods, Of Iowa City, appeared on the
scene to take charge and direct the To-
cal health officers as to their duties. It
began to look as If the state university
had decided upon taking over the
health administration OF the STATE.
It will be recalled, for the fact was
the time, that at the January meeting
~ $Iooi
state university, attended and told OF
his selection of Woods under the APP
of $4,000 by the legislature.
the university budget instead Of being
Was entered into between the presi-
dent and the state board that the new
should work in harmony
with the properly constituted health
OF the state if he did any out
and similar work has been
&C. operation OF the proper board,
Anomalous Situation.
It is also asserted that Woods is |
Of water from the privately owned
"
The legislature appropriated |
$1,000 year for his department.
Woods gets $500 year and his as
sistant is paid something. What re-
mains Of the $4,000 is said to be used !
to pay for analyses Of water. How far
this will go is not known.
The state board Of health makes
analysis Of water from all municipality
owned plants of the state free of !
charge. For others there is a charge
to cover cost only. The state board Of
health has had a chemist for fifteen
years.
4 Another thing is learned and that is
hat the epidemiologist is not working
IN cooperation with tine state hacter-
laboratory at Iowa City. but
1as set up q separate department.
). It il not known how many Of the
health officials Of the state, and per-
IONS interested in sanitation and sim
lar matters. will attend the May con-
sention at Iowa City. 1t is said the
,tate board OF health. nor any .membor
hereof, has been notified Of the meet