New-York tribune., 1918-04-27
Merchants Warn
Hylan of Peril i'm
Health Board Plaf,
Protest Against Proposed
Changes Unless Indorsed
by Medical Men

The Merchants Association yester-
day made public a letter to Mayor Hy-
Ian protesting against the proposed
changes in the Health Department on
the ground of economy, holding that,
while economy is at all times desirable,
'thc methods of efecting economies
should not be such as harmfully to af-
feet the department by bringing about
its general disorganizaton"
1t further maintains that no changes
should be made except upon advice of
and consultation with medical men Of
the highest character and standing and
that all hearings on changes and pro-
posed changes be open to the public
James f. MacBride, president of the
Civil Service Commission and chairman
Of the board investigating the depart
ment, yesterday said DIR. S. Josephine
Baker, director of the Bureau of Child
that would save &l95,00O a year with
out decreasing the efficiency of the de-
partment About one-half of this is to
come through the elimination of bu-
reau of the Department of Charities
which duplicates work done by the Bu.
reau of Child Hygiene.
The Merchants Association, in it's
letter, signed by William Fellowes
Morgan, president, says its members
are deeply concerned in the attack
upon the department.
while we approve of and commend
your announced purpose of etfecting
economies in the management of the
city wherever possible" says the let
ter. 1--WE feel that the methods of ef-
fecting such economies should not be
such as harmfully to effect the eff
cheney of any existing department by
bringing about its general disorgani-
Zation.
"It can hardly be doubted that such
result probably would follow the
summary exclusion from office of the
heads of seven out Of nine bureaus. as
seems to be contemplated in the case
OF the Department of Health. unless
the removals be made after a thorough
and competent study of the methods
Of the department, and unless imme
diate and efficient reorganization be
provided for.
1T would be grave misfortune
should changes be made which would
in any wise tend to disrupt machinery
so intimately affecting the health OF
the entire people and particularly need.
full for preventing the spread of disease
among the poorer classes"
The recommendation made by Dr.
Baker are: The abolition OF district Of
ACeS Ill Inc DolouRn OF queens, as un-
necessary and expensive; assignment
Of nurses in the Bureau of Preventable
Diseases In the summer months, their
dull season, to the work of the Bureau
of Child Hygiene; reduction IN the
amount Of clerical work required by
nurses; abolition of fees on babies
boarding houses, taxing midwives SIS q
year, making the hours of half-time
inspectors three and one-half daily in
stead of three, as at present.
Protesting against the contemplated
abolition of the Bureau Of Public
Health Education, William II. Welch
president of the Maryland State De.
partment of Health and director of the
School Of Hygiene and Public Health
of Johns Hopkins Univelsi sity, wrote as
follows to Mayor Hylan:
"Well directed activities in this
field, such as those OF the Bureau oil
Public Health Education of YOUR De.
partmcnt Of Health, not only con.
tribute to the happiness and welfare
Of the people, but are demonstrably of
such economic significance that the
relatively small amount of money ex.
pended is returned thousardfold in
the saving of health and life and the
increased efficiency of productive la.
bor."