The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-11
v UpheavaI May Result Fa-
tally at City Hall.
Health Officer Found to Have
No Doctors License.
STORM TO BREAK THURSDAY
Officials Discover That Wood
Put Up No Bond.
Lava From City Hall VesuviuS
Is Coming Closer.

The storm that has been lowering
over the city building since DR.. H. B.
Wood was appointed as city physician
last August 10 due to break Thursday
morning. Unless some unforeseen
force intervenes it will break then and
Dr. Wood is right in its path.
"Since the public knows all about
the row anyhow" said Mayor j. e.
House today, the mmlSSlon might
aswell settle the matter now as later.
Thursdays meeting of the commission
locks like as good time as any
other"
gust what action will be taken is not
clear even to members of the city com
mission. Probably that depends upon
Commissioner w. L, Porter's attitude
between now and Thursday. He may
take some action himself.
Take Out License.
The position taken by Mayor House
am at least a majority of the remain
ing commissioners is briefly that DR..
WOod must take out a license to prac-
tice medicine and look after the cases
that would naturally come under the
care of a city physician or quit
However, it was reported at the city
hail this morning that there is an
other movement on, outside the build
ing, which is not so lenient in its pur-
pose. The report is that several physi-
clans of Topeka are planning to ask
the commission to Dust DR.. Wood.
Several physicians called by tele-
phone declined to verify the report,
excepting DR.. Eva Harding, who stated
she had served notice on Commission
err Porter.
As a matter of fact it would not be
NECESSARY to "oust" Dr. Wood if the
city commission was determined to
terminate mis- services with the city.
Technically he is city physician. He
is drawing his salary as such but is
doing the work of a city health officer
One commissioner suggested that the
ceinmission could very handily hold up
his salary on that technicality If it
cared to do so.
The old ordinance requires that the
city physician be licensed to practice
medicine in Kansas and that he shall
beeactively engaged in the practice of
medicine in Topeka at the time of his
appointment DIR. Wood is not Ii
censed to practice in Kansas and never
practiced in Topeka. The new ordi-
nances were changed in this respect
but the new ordinances do not go into
effect until their publication in book
form Meanwhile. the old ordinance
governs.
No $1,000 Bond Up.
One thing the new ordinance does
NOT change is the requirement that
tho city physician shall put up a bond
of $1,000 for the faithful performance
of his duty. DIR. Wood has never put
up Such DOnQ. he mas not Deen re-
qufted to do so. He is eligible to a
license &c practice medicine in Kansas
but Commissioner Porter preferred in
tho beginning that ne should not take
out such a license. 1t was Porter's
plan to have DR.. Wood do the work of
a atty health officer rather than en-
gage in the active practice of medicine
ana DR.. Wood has followed his in
strpctions to the letter.
The agitation against DR.. Wood be-
gau before he was fairly seated at his
desk last August and has continued
Systematically ever since. The present
outburst is not confined to the city
haH and appears to be the most extern
sive of the several spasms. A week
age the mayor and city commissioners
Exclusive of Commissioner Porter
talked the matter over and agreed that
soTpething must be done. But the
matter was delayed until the present
time. 1t doesn't appear that there is
to DE any further delay. Thursday
mornings session of the commission
premises to bring the whole matter to
a head and to determine once for all
WHETHER DR.. Wood is to continue in
hiss present capacity.
Commissioner Porter isn't exactly
what might be termed calm over the
row. He admitted today that pres
SURE is being brought to bear upon
him
Il have been conducting the depart
ment in what l believed to be the best
way" he said, land in time I am sat
isffed it will prove TO be the best
way"