The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-11
BOARD OF HEALTH ONCE MORE APPEALS FOR HEALTH FUNDS Says Board of Revenue Has Spent $20,000 to Eradi-
 cate Cattle Ticks $3O,OOO WOULD SAVE A THOUSAND PERSONS Schools Forced to Close on Account of Epidemics, Which Could Be
 Prevented, Claims Board
 of Health

The Jefferson county board of health once more urges the people of the county to insist that the board of revenue pro vide funds for the health work formal appeal sent out says the board has already spent 5000 for tick eradication among animals, but refuses to spend s3o,0oo to save the lives of more than 1000 human beings. The address is as follows:
 ITO the Citizens of Jefferson County: "On December Il, 1916, the county board of health, which Is the Jefferson County Medical society, issued to the people of the county, through the press. a call to appear before the board of revenue and express themselves individually and through organizations as to their de- sires for the installation of the unified health system that had been so much discussed and advocated. In response to this appeal a large number of our citizens, in and out of organizations, made representations of their urgent de- sire to see the proposed county health system put into operation. One of the petitioners, a man of vision and wide experience, called the atten<on of the members of the board of revenue to the fact that the health system only called for an expenditure of 10 cents per capita of population for each year of time
 REFUSE TO EXPLAIN
 The board of revenue, for reasons best known to it's individual members and evi- dently for reasons of such nature as can not stand or withstand the light of pub licity, has steadfastly refused to give any explanation of the failure to pro- vide the public health protection so widely asked by citizens of the county.
 Some three months ago the county board of health conferred upon its com mittee of health full powers to act for it in the conduct of county health af- fairs. In pursuance of these respons sbili- ties and duties, we have asked directly and through the county health officer that the board of revenue furnish the funds to carry on the health activities de- manded of the health department by the laws of Alabama,
 The law directs that there shall be school inspection of all public schools or the county. The law directs that list of public health measures enumerated in the act be carried out by the health de- partment So long as the board of rev. enue, for reasons that will not stand dis closure, or for any other reason, refuses to furnish the necessary funds to carry out these mandates of the law, so long must the law be disregarded and so long must the children of the county suffer the consequences.
 SCHOOLS CLOSING
 One large school in the county was re- gently forced to close its doors on ac- count of an epidemic disease and others were seriously crippled. This has gone on without inspection and without su- pervision by the health department. The seven months term of county schools has just ended. How many children are suf- fering from hookworm. pellagra and other diseases cannot be known, but yy analogy with conditions proven to have existed across the line in Tuscaloosa ana Walker we are assured the number fs large. For four months a trained health officer and sanitarian has been besieging the board of revenue to furnish him the means to carry on this and other urgent public health work.
 Eff affairs go on as they have gone the official figures show that between 1000 and 1900 citizens of Jefferson county will die unnecessarily during the year 1917 because of failure to install the Tuscaloosa and Walker counties. The estimated cost to the county of the uni fled health system is $30,000.
 We expend S20,00o for tick eradication. When tick eradication was ordered dis continued by the board of revenue, pres sure was promptly and effectively brought to bear to have the same re- stored It is not thinkable that we shall let 1000 of our people get sick and die unnecessarily when we rush to the de- fense of the monied interests represented by herds of cattle.
 We, therefore. call on the people of the county, Individually and through their various organizations. to bring such pres sure of public opinion to bear on our board of revenue that this public health situation amounting to a public calamity. shall be remedied without delay.
 Thomas D. Parke, D. F. Talley, E. M Mason. H. s. Ward, W. P. McAdory, committee of health. Jefferson county board of health"
 Birmingham. May 10, 1917