The Detroit times., 1917-03-01
DR.. INCHES
IS PRICES
SUCCESSOR
Board Picks st. Clair
Man For Health
Officer
TAKES CHARGE
IMMEDIATELY
DR.. Guy l. Kiefer APP
pointed to Act In Ad-
visOry Capacity

nSOEy NdpoCity
DIT. J. w Iches. OF 81. Clair. is
the new health oficer OF Detroit. In
a special meeting OF the health
board In the Detroit Athletic club
Wednesday night the up-rfver ply
stefan was selected unanimously 20
succeed Dr. william H. Price. who
resigned wednesday.
II was not until after noon on
wednesday that the members OF the
board Of healsh received the resisna-
ton of Or. Price. II was to take inn
mediate effect Meanwhile Percy w.
Crosse. president OF the board OF
health. whose term Of once expired
wednesday. but who viii hold over
until Mayor Marx names hts success
sor. had invited the members of the
board to a farewell dinner in the ID.
&C
The dinner which was expected
to be a purely social affair. was
turned into q business session be-
cause OF Or. Prices action. II vas
attended by Mr.. Crosse, DIR. Angus
Mclean and Or ]. Walter Vaughan.
c. c. Drake. the fourth member OF
the board. is IN and vas not pres
-nt. John Mckinley, secretary OF
the board, was present also.
DIT, Price sent his resignation TO
the board because OF action taken
IN the meeting Of Monday night.
when II was decided that dismisssls
or employment OF men connected
with the health work tn the city
should be made thru the board and
not by the health oficer. DR.. Price
felt that this action was a fling nj
him and Immediately submitted his
resignation. Then. without waiting
for a reply from the board, he put
on hts coat and hat ana walked out
OF the once. He win not return en-.
cept 10 pack up few personal be-
Iongings
In the meeting wednesday night.
Or. Guy L. Kiefer, who was health
ofieer before Or. Price took charge.
was appointed as consulting health
Officer He viii hold an advisory
position In the health administra-
ton. and. having been health ofieer
OF the city for IL years, Il In bcliev-
ed that his advice will be invaluable
to the incoming head Of the depart
ment
After he had submitted his resig-
nation DR.. Price said that he did so
because he thought the board was
seeking 10 hamper the work OF the
department BY taking from the
health oficer much Of his authority
and the power to employ or dis-
charge subordinates. He declared
that the work was sufficiently hard
an n was. and that 10 he was TO be
shorn OF any authority the situation
would be intolersble
Members Of the board. however.
took another view Of the situation
and declared that they were dissst.
isied with the administrators OF the
health department They cited the
fact that the public heath - no as
good az II vas q year ago. and they
blame the health department for
this. Diphtheris and scarlet fever
have become epidemic.
DR.. Vaughan asked for an explana-
ton of this, he declares. and was
told by Dr. Price that housing con
ditions were responsible. OF the
800 or TOO cases OF diphtheris In the
city, Dr. Vaughan says he selected
100 at random and had them inves-
tiEsted. In not q single case did he
End undue crowding. He declares.
however. that he did end that the
contagion was spread because OF lix-
fly in the enforcement Of quarantine
regulations and that many persona
suffering FRO mcontAgio1s diseases
were permitted 10 mingie with 9TH
ers when they were stiii active car
riers OF the contagion.
This lar enforcement OF the quar-.
antine regulations and not the hous
ing conditions the board holds 10 be
responsible for the present deplors.
bic condition OF the public health
and the responsibility IL put square
~ no 10 Dr. Price.
Dr. Price said to a reporter for
The Times az he was passing out OF
the once that he had worked Ions
hours to improve health conditions
In Detroit. tina be scarcely bad ime
for the ordinary recreation that a
man needed. and that he felt a de-
Iiberate attempt was being made to
use the department for other pur
poses than those for which Il was IN.
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