Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-06
BOARD OF HEALTH WANTS
$4,000 PAYROLL INCREASE
Says Sanitary Force Must BE
Doubled to Care for An
nexcd Area.
$1,000 FOR SMALLPOX HOSPITAL
Appropriation of $1,000 for New
Building, Made i'm Budget of 1914,
Was Found Insufficient for Even
Simple Structure.

Increases In the pay roll aDpropria-
ton aggregating approximately $4,000
are asked for by the Board of Health
to take care of additional duties i'm
posed upon the department by annex
alton. in the estimate Of it's budget
needs for 1915. presented last night to
the Council Committee on Finance.
This amount will enable the depart
mcnt to retain the six additional SAM
tary inspectors, one additional clerk,
and two additional nurses that have
been employed since the middle of No
vember. Their salaries have far
been met out of the departments gen
cral expense account. Ordinances pro-
viding for their permanent employment
are now pending before the Council.
WANTS 81 800 FOR NEW
SMALLPOX HOSPITAL.
The committee was urged to include
in the allowance for the Health De-
partment an appropriation OF $500 for
new smallpox hospital building. An
appropriation of $4,000 for this pur-
pose was included in the 1914 budget
When plans and estimates were re-
ccived IT was found that the appro-
priation was not sufficient for the cree
tion OF even the simple building that
was desired. The lowest bid for the
complete building Was s7.2S2.
II was decided by the Board OF
Health to let the $4,000 appropriation
revert and TO ask for the larger
X,
the committee was Informed. is ur
gently needed. az present accommoda
tons are not only badly cramped. but
are also in bad condition.
There was n disposition on the part
OF several members of the committee
to criticize the Health Departments
action in appointing last November.
without consulting the committee or
Council. six additional sanitary inspec-
tors and one additional clerk. DR..
n1,i h..f hn II ri nfAt
WIS compelled to act promptly to meet
the emergency brought about by an
rcxa,ion. He pointed to the provi-
:son in the Code empowering the
Health Department to appoint emcr-
;scncy employees. provided the expense
g met from funds already at it's dis
poaal. The men. he reminded the COM
Ini,tee. were paid from the small sur
plus in the departments general cN-
pcnac fund
NEW TT:HRIT0Rr MEANS
DOUBLING PRESENT FORCE
Questioned as TO the necessity for
doubling the sanitary inspection force
a; this time. DR.. Levy replied that the
Ecalth Department was of the opinion
that the new men were absolutely cs-
scntiaI II the city is TO meet properly
the health problems that have been
added by annexation The inspection
area. he reminded the committee, has
been moro than doubled.
IN. department. budget cStIndtc
provides also for the proposed increase
81 the SALARY of the medical inspector
from $1,000 to $4,000 q year: for an
Increase OF $500 over las; years APP
preparation for the special vaccina-
ton account: for increases IN the pay
roll aggregating S2,5Go, authorized since
the last budget by Ordinance. and for
AN Increase OF $500 in the general
expense account.
THE aforementioned requests for
funds In the 1915 budget" according
to the Health Departments report,
provide for the extension OF the work
Of the Health Department, so as 10
cover the recently annexed territory in
all particulars except one--namcly, the
direct supervision and control OF con-
taHiouS diseases through the work OF
the medical inspector.
MEDICAL INSPECTION
IS PUZZI.ING PROBLEM
The reason why no recommendations
in this connection are presented II the
present time is that the problem OF
how best 10 look after this work has
not yet been decided. While. on the
one hand, the annexed territory Is not
denscly populated. II is. on the other
hand, greater in area than the entire
old city OF Richmond, and parts OF II
are difficult OF access. II is absolutely
certain that one medical inspector.
without adequate assistance. cannot
possibly look out for all contagious
diseases in twentyfour miles OF terri
tory. Since annexation the number Of
cases OF contagious diseases has been
unusually small for this time OF the
year.
1T is the intent of the Board OF
Health to try out several plans OF pro-
cedure, with the idea Of getting, not
merely a good plan but the best posi-
BILE plan. one combining the highest
efficiency and the least cost. IT may
he some time before the solution OF
this problem can be determined. When
this has been done, the board will ASK
for the necessary means for putting
such plan into operation. The Boart
OF Health wishes to make this situa
ton very clear. In order that when i
presents It's recommendations later
on, these recommendations may b'
promptly and favorably considered"