Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-24
LEVY TO QUIT CITY
HEALTH SERVICE
Announces Resignation, to Be Eff
fective as Soon as Success
sor Is Named.
WILL JOIN NEW YORK EXPERT
Feels That Appropriation Is In
sufficient to Carry on Work of
Health Department Properly.

nounced that he had finally determined
TO resign as Chief Health Officer. and
that he would forward his resignation
eHectivc In the near future. to the
administrative Board as soon as he
could prepare It.
DIR. Lcvy's decision did not co,re ,s
a surprise. he having previously an
nounced that. unless the annual an
preparation for the Health Depart
mcnt was materially increased he
would be forced to take this step. be-
cause, he said. he was handicapped
in handling local health matters with
limited financial resources
His determination 10 quit the city's
service. after more than ten years. fol-
lowed Dr. LcvT's return from New
York. where on Thursday he closed a
contract TO enter the North Public
Health Bureau. He will be in charge
OF cpidemiology and health survey
work
In discussing his resignation. Dr.
Levy dcplorcd that he found il neces-
sary to give UP the work to which he
has devoted the major portion Of his
life. However. in addition ~ the lin
tied appropriation for the conduct Of
his department. DR.. Levy feels that he
has also been compelled 10 quit the city
because his own salary is insufficient.
He has received $4,000 year. the pay
having been increased 10 this sum from
s2501, the amount which was paid
when the Board of Health was re-
organized in 1906 and Dr. Levy was
placed in charge.
WILL JOIN CONSULTING
SANITARY EXPERT
1t is not DR.. Levys intention to
leave the city's service without allow
ing the Administrative Board ample
time in which TO name his successt-'
Therefore. he has no, fixed the date
which his resignation will become
effective.
The bureau which DR.. Levy will join
was founded by DR.. Charles L. North.
consulting sanitary expert The
work of the bureau will be greatly en-
addition to himself. DR.. North will
have associated with him Paul T..
Taylor. secretary of the New York
milk committee. The bureau devotes
it's attention to the solution of health
problems for local governments or in
dividuals.
mond Health Department has reached
:, state of efficiency which has been
ccognized throughout this country and
/, has been pointed to as model in
the matter of disease prevention. Or.
Levy has been honored by various
medical and health bodies since his
incumbency, being now the secretary
of the administrative section OF the
American Public Health Association.
which Office he has held continuously
since 1905. He is past president OF
the Virginia Public Health Associa :
tion and past president Of the Rich
mond Academy OF Medicine and sur
gerry.
BEGUN PUBLIC HEALTH
WORK WITII WATER SYSTEM
While bacteriologist of the Medical
College of Virginia. DIR. Levy became
interested in public health work in
1899. when he installed Richmond's first
water publication system. Deciding TO
devote his life to this work. Dr. Levy
left Richmond and took course at
the massachusetts Institute OF Tech :
nology where he graduated with high
honors.
In 1904 he returned to Richmond. and
at that time the work on .he installa
tion of the Settling Basins had ad-
vanced TO its final stages DR. Levy
was retained by the city TO create a
la laboratory at the Pump II ouse for safe
guarding the city's water supply lie
was placed in charge Of the laboratory
and in December. 1905. was made City
Bacteriologist. The two positions paid
him combined salary of s2.7Uc and
permitted him to do additional work
In 1905 the Health Department was
reorganized. and DIR. Levy was offered
the position OF Chief Health officer nj
a salary of $500 for his entire serv-
ices. Though it was less than he was
earning. he decided Is assume the
duties and to give up his former work
TYPHOID RATE CUT FROM
as to IG PER 100000
Statistics of the department speak
for themselves as to DR. Levy's admin
istration. The local death rate in Io0t
was 23.3S for each 1000 inhabitants
and for 1915. the lowest record in the
city's history. ii was 1889: for 1915
the rate was slightly above that o!
1915.
When DR. Levy took over the affairs
of the Health Department. the annual
typhoid death rate was $50 per 90 >00
OF population. To-day it is 100. Dur
ing this period the death rate from
malarial fever has dropped from %
to O.S per 100000 of population. The
infantile mortality rate has been low
cred during the same period exactly
80 per cent
Dr. Levy feels no small pride in the
record the Health Department has
made In the matter of regulation and
inspection Of dairies supplying the
local market. This has been an
achievement which has attracted
world wide attention. Public health
students from many foreign lands. as
well as Americans. have been sent to
Richmond to study the methods en-
ployed In the regulation of milk supply
DR.. Levy said that II is his intentior
to offer his services. in an advisory ca
pacity. to the city after he surrenders
tho reins of the Health DeDartment