New-York tribune., 1918-05-02
Orders New Commissioner
to Investigate Conditions
Within Department
DR.. Brown Denies
MacBride's Charges
His Evidence Helps to Con.
vict Three Employees Ac-
cused of Extortion

against the various bureaus OF the
Board of Health yesterday in letter
instructing DR.. Royal S. Copeland, the
new Health Commissioner, to make can
honest and fearless investigation" of
conditions within the Health Depart
ment.
In this letter Mr.. Hylan repeated his
earlier charges. first made to ex-Com-
missioner Amster, that "the provisions
OF the charter creating the department
were most fagrantly violated" and the
law violated in order to make places
for favorites.
Only two of the nine bureaus in the
Board of Health are specifically named
in the charter, and it has been Mr..
Hylan's contention, despite two opin-
ions of the Corporation Counsel's
Office to the contrary, that all other bu-
e reaus have no standing in law. In the
list of those not named in the charter
are the Bureau of Child Hygiene and
the Bureau of Preventable Diseases.
The Mayors letter TO DR.. Copeland is
nomlnally review of his instructions
to DR.. Amster concerning his wishes
for changes in the management of the
department. In it he makes the dec
laration that DR.. Amster lacked courage
and that he resigned for reasons best
known to himself"
''1t has," he says, "been charged that
there were places created for favorites
without warrant of law and that the
provisions of the charter creating the
department were most glarngly vio-
lated"
Dr.. Copeland said yesterday that he
did not know exactly what this part of
the letter meant. When it was ex-
planned that it referred to the Mayors
contention that these bureaus had no
legal status, he said he was not pre-
pared to say what action he would take
in the matter. The heads Of none, he
said, had been suspended and ne was
sure that the suspension of none was
under contemplation.
Will Examine MacBride's Evidence
"I shall take no action" said he,
until l have had an opportunity to
examine the evidence taken before Mr..
MacBride. This has not yet been re-
ceived by me-
DR.. Copeland said he did not know
what he would do in the matter of
the Bureau of Public Health Educa-
tlon. into whose affairs he began to
dig yesterday, though lie insisted that
the educational work Of the department.
would be continued.
"As long as l am Commissioner" he
said, "the department will carry on
the work of public health education"
"Will you continue the publica-
tions?" he was asked
II think the bulletin is a splendid
thing, carrying statistics that are of
great value. as showing the progress
or lack of it made in combating di-
sease."
Asked about the charge made bv
MacBride that the bureau had favored
prohibition in its publications, he de-
clared he assumed Mr.. MacBride's
charges were capable of proof.
Il do not think public money should
be used to promote prohibition cam
psign," he added, "but I see no OBJ
lection to having the public educated
on the position the medical profession
takes on the effects of excessive use
of alcohol"
DR.. Copeland made it clear that the
direct fight on alcoholic beverages
which was ordered by Dr.. Emerson
when Health Commissioner will proba-
bly, not be feature of the educational
work OF his administration, and that
there might be letting down in the
campaign against the social evil.
DR.. William ]. Shiegelin, president
OF the Citizens Union, who was one of
the examiners when DR.. Lucius P Brown
TOOK the tests for the bureau of foods
and drugs, and whose firm Dr.. Brown
was accused of favoring by Mr.. Mac
Bride, said yesterday that the did not
know Or. Brown prior to his examina-
tion and had not seen him since. He
sat on the board, he said, because he
was former Civil Service Commits
sioner and is now trustee of the
United States Pharmacopmia.
Denies MacBride Charges
DR.. Brown defended his appointment
IN statement issued last night. making
q specific denial of all of the charges Of
tavorltism made against him by Mac
bride. he answered MacBride's charges
serlatum, saying:
"F1rst--Mr. Mcbride charges that
the Association for Improving the Con
dition OF the Poor is largely financed
by family interested in the Borden
MILK Company; that the association or
tho Borden Milk Company, or both. in
huenced me to favor bill to lower the
standard of milk to point where it
would De an absolute menace to the
health of babies
"The facts in this matter are br;ef.
~ these:
conference was called at Albany,
November ID, 1917, in which the fol-
lowing gentlemen participated:
John Mitchell, president of the State
Souncii OF Farms and Markets; Charles
,. wilson, Commissioner of Agricult
vs vwles George hogue. president New
=. Stocking, professor of dairyinr. Cor
ne.. University; /. A. Van Bomel and
l.: Elkin Nathans, representing the New
aork MIX Conference Board: a 7.
nSrocxway, president of the New York
State hoistein-Friesian Cattle Breed
ers c ASSOCIATION; F. w. Howe, dean of
Donege OF Agriculture, Syracuse Unit
Sersity; Or. S. L. Van Slyke. of the
state Agricultural Experiment Station
at Geneva, and r. f. Tiquin. of the
SLATE Department of Agriculture.
NO one can doubt the character or
apihty OF the gentlemen composing this
pods. was instructed by Commiss
sloner emerson to join in this confer
ence. The result of our deliberations
was the bill to which Mr.. MacBride
refers. / approved this bill. but urged
certain notifications, which modifica-
tions were subsequently adopted The
oiii did not lower the standard of
milk; 1t permitted cream to be added
70 poor milk or abstracted from rich
mix or poor milk and rich milk 10
be mixed by persons licensed bv the
Commissioner of Agriculture. The
purpose Of the bill was to standard;ze
the quality of milk and to increase its
production. thus tending not only to
encourage the farmer but to lower the