The Washington times., 1915-06-29
District Official Confers With
Mayor Mitchell Concerning
Post.
NATIVE OF WASHINGTON
Has Been Head Of Department
Here Since 1894-Active
Legislative Factor.

DR.. William Creighton Woodward,
health officer Of the District, Is being
farorably considered for appointment to
similar position by Mayor Mitchell OF
New York city. DR.. Woodward yester-
day conferred In New York with OFF,
cials concerning their offer to nam
him president of the health department
to succeed DIR. S. 8. Goldwater. who has
resigned to resume hospital work. He
will return here late this week.
There are seven candidates for the po-
sition. DR.. Woodward has the support
Of the mayor
DR.. Woodward has been responsible
for practically the entire organization OF
the Health Department Of the District.
Prior to the time he assumed office the
work of caring for the sanitation Of the
city was in the hands of board OF
health. who met situations as they arose
rather than undertook any preventive
or corrective measures.
Influence Legislation.
DR.. Woodward; however. having grad
uated In the law as we'll as In medicine,
was particularly fitted to undertake the
task of obtaining preventive and correc-
tive legislation, and almost all the or
dir ances now on the District books per-
tanning to public health bear the imprint
of his influence. and he has been direct
ly responsible for the passage Of the
more important of them.
One Of the most notable fights DR..
Woodward waged was that for the puri-
fication Of the Districts food supply,
with especial reference to milk, to In
sure the purity of which he caused the
passage of the ordinance prohibiting the
shipment into the District of any milk
from tuberculous cattle.
He was also responsible for the en-
actment OF the tuberculosis act, which
makes necessary the registration of all
cases discovered. and which also regu-
lates the conduct Of patients so far as
they come In contact with the public.
The improved system Of birth regis
tration now in vogue was also his work.
and where before the passage of this
law at the highest only so per cent of
the births were reported. the Health
Department now Is able to record 95
per cent of them.
Among other statutes with the enact
ment of which he had much to do are:
For the prevention of blindness in in
fants: governing the establishment and
maintenance of private hospitals and
asylums; the smoke law, and the eight
hour law for women.
Appointed In 1894.
Ii. NoouWaIu, u IdtlNe "HbnlhB-
tonian. WAS born in 1867. He attended
the Washington public schools. gradu-
ating In 1885 from the High School of
this city. Four years later, having
been given the degree OF NJ. D.. at
Georgetown medical. he began the prac-
tice of medicine.
DR.. Woodwards first service for the
city came In 1892 when he was named
president OF the Central Dispensary and
Emergency Hospital the same year
that he was appointed physician to the
poor. The following July he was made
coroner of the District. and at the same
time held the chair Of medical juris-
prudence in the Georgetown Medical
School
He was APPOINTED health officer Of the
District on August l. 1884, which posi-
ton he has held continuously. During
his repeated terms as health officer he
has also occupied the chairs of state
medicine at the Georgetown Medical
school and of medical Jurisprudence at
the old Columbian (now George Wash
ngton) University. In 1913, DR. Wood |
ward was elected president Of the !
american Public Health Association