The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-30
HEALTH BOARD HEAD
ISSUES STATEMENT
Members Would Give No Advice I'm
solicited While Matter Was Up
for Council Action.
NOW FEEL FREE TO DISCUSS 1T
Members Naturally would Like to
Know Why q System Which Has
Done Such Efficient Work Has Been
Superseded.

The following statement from DR..
w. T. Oppenheimer, president of the
Board of Health, was furnished The
Virgfnian for publication:
ton:
While the fate of the Board of
Health was still pending, neither the
president nor any other member Of
the board felt that it was proper to
give unasked-for opinions. 1t is true
that the board members felt that they
might have thrown considerable light
on the question. but they also felt
that their unsolicited advice would
be construed as an effort to continue
in office. Now that the case Is clos
ed. there is no danger of such mis-
understanding
THE members Of the Board OF
Health have received no personal
emolument-direct or indirect-except
the consciousness of a civic duty
faithfully performed They had no
personal object to gain in remaining
in office; they have nothing to lose
by being legislated out of office.
VIII Retain Interest Work.
II am sure 1 can say for the other
members OF the Board of Health as
we'll as for myself that we will always
retain the deepest interest in the
Richmond Health Department. One
cannot be. as we have been, ten years
In intimate touch with public health
administration without coming to
realize the immense benefits which
such a department can beetow on a
city. And so we wish only success
to the Administrative Board in their
new field.
From long experience feel that
/ am entitled to point out one or two
vital matters upon which the ques-
ton of success Will largely hinge.
Public health work today rests on
solid basis of expert sanitary sci-
ence. The Board of Health has learn
ed much and is still learning. We
have. of course, looked to the chief
health officer for guidance in all
matters involving technical training
and experience in the field in which
he Is an Acknowledged expert He,
In turn. has equally looked TO us for
moral support and for guidance in
the many complicated situations which
have arisen from time TO time. The
team work has been good. II must
be continued If success Is TO be ex-
pected.
The second point upon which sue
cess will depend ts the matter Of
financial support. The Board of
Health has always felt more or less
harnpsred by The small fund at their
disposal. with more money much
more and better work can be done
Only a. few weeks ago the Board of
Health asked tho Committee on FL
nance for a substantial increase in the
health appropriation. amounting TO
seventeen cents per capita or q total
OF $4,000. II this Is given ana de-
voted TO the objects which the Board
OF Health has In view. the department
can be raised TO an even higher plane
of efficiency.
The matter may be summed UP
briefly The members of the Board
Of Health feel that II would have been
but natural TO inquire very fully into
the reasons for and against changing
from a system which has worked
well and given entire satisfaction.
Final disposition of the case hav-
ing been made without such inquiry.
the members of the Board Of Health
wish only success TO the new venture.
While frankly admitting that they
cannot see the advantage Of changing
from tried and proven system to a
new and untried one, they feel that
no great damage will be done II the
new management holds firmly. as they
themselves have done. to the single
principle OF being guided by an ex-
pert in public health work, and IL. IN
addition to this. the Committee on
Finance and the City Council grant
the additional funds which the Board
OF Health has told them are impera-
lively demanded to enable the De-
partment of Health TO keep It's work
up TO the highest plane Of efficiency.
am cure that the City Council. which
has seen fit to abolish the Board of
Health. will at least listen to their
final request and thus enable the
board 70 turn over the Health De-
partment in the highest possible con-
dttion OF efficiency"