The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-16
.DR. PARKE PLEADS . FOR HEALTH ACTION
 BY COUNTY BOARD
Committees Should Be Given Opportunity to Do Really Construc-
 tive Work

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 Several months ago the board of revenue named two committees of cit izens with the avowed purpose of re- ceiving advice and counsel in the so- lution of certain problems confronting the county.
 The citizens selected are men of travel and of observation, men who can bring to our local problems the results of knowledge and experience gathered by and for them in many other communities. They are men of action, men who have made successes in their respective fields of endeavor.
 One of the problems presented was the county road situation. Another was supposed to be furnished by the county public health situation. The health situation is that we have shown the largest death rate of any county in the state; that during the six month period, May to October, inclu- sive, 5S5 cases of typhoid fever were reported to the health department from the county outside Birmingham and Bessemer; that such an outcome was predicted from conditions known to have existed last year; that a sin- liar or worse condition will recur next year unless remedfed; that tho cost entailed by these typhoid fever cases has been greater than the whole yearly appropriation asked by the county board of health.
 The appropriation asked by the board of health will cover school in spection, rural sanitation and con- stant public health activity by the health force. perusa1 of the man datory provisions of the state law yryi1 r~f.v
 manifold duties expected of the cour- ty health department. These duties cannot be complied with unless the necessary assistants are provided and the law gives to the board of revenue of each county the exclusive power to provide the needed funds.
 The board of revenue has given the members of these committees an op- portunity for public service that looks to be unexampled. Men are volun- teering all about us for service and here the opportunity is given. ready to hand, for notable public service. When these committeeman publicly advise the board of revenue that the $30.000 for public health protection can and should be provided, the die will have been cast.
 The history of the struggle for the removal of shackles from the limbs of
 
 fresh in the minds of our citizens. None would return to the shackles age that we have outgrown-citizen or prisoner or official-and yet the argu- ment was long advanced and adhered to and defended with warmth that the city. was financially unable to do away with shackled workmen. When the 1 step had finally been taken it became l clear that the real obstacle had been 1 located in mir "a a not l. 1 ized that we possessed the power to l be decent like the more advanced mu- nicipalities of the country and world. l Whether We recognize the fact or not, l the fact is that the world that counts has decided that it is not decent or seemly for public health conditions to l exist such as exist in this county | Everybody knows that if bubonic plague should invade our county, the money to combat it would be forth coming, just as the money was forth coming at New Orleans. The records show that for the year 1903, when our resources were far less than they arc today, the county expended over $15,- 900 in fighting one disease-smaI1pox They show that the county spent over | $13,000 for the same purpose in 1904 | Nor did these extra and unexpected expenditures bankrupt the county. Official statements show that for the year ending June 30. 1917, our county government expended $461,- 165.59 on roads, bridges and buildings, which is to say. on betterments Our tax assessments exceed $160.- l 000,o00. Our. credit Is unimpaired and | in nowise strained. We have the power of numbers and he power of
 wealth. As is the case of shackled prisoners. the obstacle is purely sub ! jective. If these committeeman will | lead us into habits of decency in our
 county housekeeping they will not only have performed a great public service. but will receive the thanks even of present opponents. Once the step is taken Jefferson county will no
 more think of returning to the inde- cencies of today than Birmingham would think of shackling her petty offenders or return to unpaved streets. THOMAS D. PARKE. Birmingham December 15 1917