New Britain herald., 1917-09-28
STATE REFUSES TO
RELEASE DR.. REEkS
Superintendent Of Health Depart
ment Leaves Tomorrow
ASSUMES NEW TASK NOV. |

ASSUMES NEW TASK NOV. |
DIR. Brown of State Commission
Recommended That New Britain Sc
cure Highly Trained Man From Out
of Town to Fill Post.
The state board of health has re-
fused to release DR.. T. Eben Reeks
from his contract to serve as state
epidemiologist in order that New
Britain may retain his services as
superintendent of health and he will
rel1nquish his office in city hall to.
morrow night. Following q months
vacation DR.. Reeks will assume his
new duties as state official on No
vember 1.
Despite the concerted pleas of
Mayor George A. Quigley and other
prominent New Britain men, as we'll
as DR.. Reeks himself, asking that he
be released from his contract with
the state to devote his energies to a
further work with the health depart
ment in this CITY,, the state board OF
health has seen fit to turn a deaf ear
to all such requests and has refused
to acquisce. Yesterday DR.. Reeks
visited DR.. J. L. Black. health COM
missioner, at the capitol in Hartford
and outlined his position clearly. 9th
er members of the state board of
health were called into the consulta-
ton and all agreed that the services
of DR.. Reeks to the state are needed
more than are his services to New
Britain. While the health commits
sioners appreciated DR.. Reeks' pub
lie spiritedness in being willing and
anxious to sacrifice this greater op-
portunity in order to devote more
time to the upbuilding of the health
department in his adopted city, they
nevertheless felt that Connecticut
needs his services more. DR.. Reeks
explained that owing to the charter
provisions which exclude any man
from assuming the position of super
intendent Of health who has not had
at least two years practice as an at
tending physician 1t is practically i'm
possible for New Britain to obtain
a successor. Even this obstacle was
surmounted by the state officials.
MAY ~TcL 1ttEVAru NAAH.
DR.. Brown, a member Of the board
who is at present reorganizing the
Bridgeport health department, said
He said that New Britains best in
terests would lie in securing a highly
trained man from out of town, since
no local doctor is prepared to handle
the job. DR.. Brown, who is familiar
with this work, said that such man
could be secured at the Harvard
school for public health doctors. There
physicians and others who wish to take
up public health work take a special
applied course and graduate with a
degree of public health doctor. DR..
Brown declared that a man with two
years practice as medical man and
also a graduate of this school could be
secured. He even offered to so with
Dr. Reeks to Harvard College and
there select a man for New Britain.
and it is likely that the local health
board will see fit to adopt this sugges-
ton, since it is now assured that DR..
Reeks is to leave. Regarding the sal
ary paid the local superintendent OF
health, DR.. Brown said he felt sure
that capable man could be secured
from Harvard at this salary. He
thought that such a man could be
secured to come here for a year or
two at least to continue the present ef-
ficient health department organization
and apply new theories and practice to
the department.
The members Of the state board of
health explained to DIR. Reeks that the
nature Of his new work is such that
he will be doing the state greater
service than by staying in New Brit
ain However, they explained that
while they did not feel that they could
release him from his contract, never
theless there were no chains on him
and he could refuse to accept the po-
sition II he saw At. Such action, of
course, would be impossible for man
Of DE- Reeks integrity and honor and
since he has previously agreed to serve
the state he will do so now that he
has been assured that he cannot be ex-
cused.
DIR. Reelxs' New Work.
In speaking of leaving his work In
New Britain DR.. Reeks said: II re-
gret exceedingly that the state can
not see It's way clear to release me,
inasmuch as the city has been un-
able to obtain man to succeed me-.
Although he will sever his connec-
tions with the health department to-
morrow night. DR.. Reeks has very
generously agreed to give up part OF
his vacation period and assist fur
ther in health department work
should the local board feel that 1t
requires his services.
The new position which DR.. Reeks
will assume on November ] is in re-
ality director of communicable dis
eases For instance, at present there
is an epidemic of typhoid fever at
the state hospital for the insane at
Norwich. This epidemic has got be-
CONTINUED on Fifteenth Page)