The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-10-18
IMPROVE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

UxposURB Of neglect on the part Of the city health de-
o,rm.n, he meeting yesterday, which resulted in
posing commiss ner Mark Ke'er as its head certainly
seems to warrant suck action 1t is we'll known that there
wa, hesitation and deIA on the part of the city health
authorities in taking the SIPS which might have checked
the endemic earlier and now appears that this neglect
continued in the caA of those 10 should have received
assistance from the city Department. u John''on' state
ment that half the influenza deaths he have been due TO
neglect on the part of the city health par'men' is an
awful indictment Perhaps it is an ovefN e"H'S'e ou'
enough concrete cases cited show concdsNey 'ha'
a change was most imperative. y
Mr. Kesler apparently seeks to excuse the unfortnnAe
conditions on the ground that he absent from the city
II more were needed TO damn his administration Of such an
important department that admission to supply IT,
At time like this with thousands OF OF deadly
contagon to deal with strange time for the head OF
health department to be absent from his post 1t IS also
time to prove the competency or ncompetency of those
directly in charge OF It's activities during the absence OF
their chief Reliable citizens give testimony that the neg
lee, has been shameful and the public will approve the
change
Under the new arrangement with Mike Donnelly as
official executive and cooperating with the citizens
m,tee from the Red Cross much may be accomplished
which was neglected and sighted under the old arrange
ment At all times the ctys health department is mat
ter Of vital importance but such time this il is little
less than criminal spare any effort needed to make it
thoroughly efficient The city administration is certainly
warranted in guaranteeing the necessary funds TO bring it
up to that standard and the assistance OF the Red Cross
will be helpful factor in the improvement
Mt Kesler may charge politics in this action, indeed,
it is said he has already made such accusation to Mrs
l.. Daugherty chairman OF the Red Cross relief com
mt,te Blu, such epunter.auaek cannot explain away
the examples Of neglect which we're cited in such coyne
ing numbers before the meeting Among these is the
oi family of seven on West Washington street where
the city physician called gave prescription but failed
to supply nurs, offering to provide food Of which
they in need drinking water Seven members
Of the family were i'll with influenza and their condition
would have been most deplorabe had assistance com
IRON other sources Many other families reported they ha
Allied the city health department which had done abso
iuely nothing
And not only do these instances show the lax method.
of the health department but il has been apparent for
time that Mr. Keser seemed to show spirit OF antagonism
rather than cooperation with other organizations seeking
improve health conditions and promote the general wei
are This was evidenced following the city health survey
when recommendations OF the survey committee met with
opposition by the health department This was parcu-
Iry regarding efforts improve the city milk supply
ahieh means so much to the health OF children.
Under the new regime, it seems certain that better