Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-06-24
K A FARCE OF 1T

We wonder if the Board of Health realizes that it is deliberately
violating the law in having as a health officer in this city a ma who
has not passed the state examinations required of such an official.
The law was ignored last January when DR.. Charles S. ThompsoS,
a veterinarian, was named health officer with the understanding
that he would qualify for he position within three months. With
the idea of giving the doctor every opportunity to make good,
however, the iregularity was overlooked and every assistance was
given the health department toward cleaning up the city and bring
ing about the reforms that the people SO earnestly advocated at the
public mass meeting last fall.
But six months have now passed under the new regime and the
people have a right to expect something worth while to show for the
additional $4,000 appropriated at the beginning of the year.
AS far as the average citizen can SEE the health department has
gone backward instead of forward. AT the very outset the one COM
petent man in the whole department, apparently, was forced to re-
sign and an inexperienced man was put in his place, but with an
Increased salary. Three additional visiting nurses were added to
the force, it is true, but an experienced executive at the head Of al
fairs has been seriously lacking. DR.. Charles l. Silk, president OF
the health board, stated in an interview with the EVENING NEWS
as recently as May 7 that the nurses were laundering and they need
I'd supervising. ''They ought to have someone in charge who would
assign the work to them y he said. "They are dong their pest
but there is no system"
This is a severe Indictment coming from the head of the health
board after nearly five months of increased appropriation and reor
ganizahon. 1t clearly proves the incompetency of the health off
Ger who is the man to organize a system and supervise the work.
Under former Health Officer William j. WiDsey there were but two
nurses, but they had supervision and gave excellent results. Be-
sides that, Mr.. Wisey> had the whole department organized and
working to its greatest efficiency considering the amount of money
at his disposal. While conditions were not what they should have
been there is reason to believe that if Mr.. Willsey had been given
the proper backing on the part of the board and sufficient funds
he would have come pretty near accomplishing what was necessary
to make Perth Amboy a clean and heahhful city.
When he was busted from office the public were given to under
stand that a man of even greater ability was to be engaged and that
the Perth Amboy Health Department was to be made the best in the
state. Instead, a mar wholly unfamiliar with municipal health al
fairs was given the place, a man who had not even passed the
state examination as required by law. Now, after six months, the
new health officer is to be gwen a new lease of life by extending his
time for passing the examination, although his holding the position
of health officer is clearly illegal.
The whole program has been thrown to the winds Practically
nothing constructive has been accomplished and the people have Lit
lie r. nothing to show for the additional money appropriated.
Truly, there is not much encouragement to enlarge the approprla
ton next year. Instead, there is good reason for abolishlng the
health appropriation altogether were it not such a serious matter
for the welfare of the city.
When the department was being reorganlzed the hrst OF the
vea it was the members of the health board that should have re-
signed instead of Mr.. Wilsey, and by giving him a competent
hoard to back him with the additional appropriation available we
are sure a vast improvement could have been brought about IN
health affairs of this city.