Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1918-02-08
Safeguarding the
Health of a CITY
What it Means


and extended report on the Health
Department, in which he quotes the
law in the support of his contention
that the board must meet once each
month, and as much oftener as may
be required. He says the Newark
board had no regular meeting in
October, 1915, and none in January,
1917. He says the records are neatly
kept, but are not always signed by
the president and clerk of the board,
as the law directs. The board de-
rives it's revenues from taxes, ice
cream permits and death and birth
certificates.
The reports of the meetings of the
board show the proper attention to
details, and no fault is found on that
score They have kept a complete
record of cases of contagious dis
eases. The health officer is com
PEELED by law to make monthly re-
ports. 1t may be done verbally, but
must become a part of the records of
the meeting. Sanitary policemen and
food inspectors do not need to make,
monthly reports. They must, how
ever, keep an accurate record of the
names and places of business of all
dealers in milk and meat.
The total receipts of the Board of
Health in 1915 was $3,380.93, and the
disbursements $3,402.41; in 1916 re-
ceipts $4,611.51, disbursements 81
218.28; in the part of 1917, receipts
$1.826.09, disbursements $2,232.60.
The health fund received in the time
covered by the inspection up to May
5, 1917, $9,864.96, and expended $9,-
$500, leaving balance of $11.66.
He defines the province of the
board under the statutes and adds
that the city council, by ordinance,
should clearly define and regulate the
scope of the boards activities. The
council may take all reasonable pre-
caution against the spread of a NAL
sease. 1t may make reasonable laws,
in harmony with the statutes, for the
disposal of garbage, sewage, animal
and vegetable refuse, and abate nui-
sances. In the issue of vault clean
ing permits it is imperative on the
health department to only issue per-
re hn Of i.
? fled that the proposed licensee is
properly equipped to conserve public
health, and avoid charging extortion-
ate prices. The city has good or
dinance, but he complains that the
part which regulates the prices to be
charged is not enforced.
1t is another privilege of the board
to enforce the laws in regard to
houses of ill-fame in the city. Re-
ports of medical examinations and
Identification of the parties engaged
must be made to the chief of police.
He warns the clerk that it is his
duty to deposit daily, with the city
treasurer, his receipts from birth and
death certificates.
He recites the duties of inspec-
tors of the health department to look
carefully after the quality of meat
and milk, to take samples, unex-
pectedly, and to have them tested for
their food values and find their bac-
THEOLOGICAL condition. 1t is his duty
to look after restaurants, groceries,
fruit stores, ice cream factories, meat
markets and the packing house
plants in or near the city. The board
must also, from time to time, in
spect the city's water supply, both.
public and private. He suggests that
all dealers, above mentioned, be
charged small fee to engage in
business, and says that most of the
cities of the state, the size of or
larger than Newark, have adopted
the fee plan, which partly finances
the inspection COST He finds the
board and its Inspectors fairly active.
The collection of garbage, he says,
is by private contract, and the board
exercises no jurisdiction over it, ex-
cept to see that it is disposed of and
does not endanger the public health.
The board has been active in the
:. abolition of outside closets.
Physicians of the city have been
prompt in advising the department of
contagious diseases occurring in their
practice, and avoiding epidemics.
He notes the usual amount of infan-
tile diseases in a city of this size.
The city owns no pest house, but
rents one in the suburbs as occasion
demands. All precautions of isola-
tion and disinfection are taken.
The inspector closes his report with
a tribute to the health officer.