Evening journal., 1919-03-14
STATE HEALTH
BOARD HbNDED RAP
lContInued from 49, one.l


no time were any repair gangs OBJ
served at work on the roads. nor was
there evidence Of recent repair work OF
that character. While this fact Is ad-
mitiedly not conclusive. Il Is at least
significant and indicates a serious state
OF affairs
Furthermore I'm the matter Of con-
struciion. the quality Of workmanship
secured and the standards employed by
the counties are indicative Of made
quate supervision and irresponsible di-
rection.
1T is also desired 70 cali attention
10 The marked contrast both In the
quality Of construction secured and In
The control exercised over the road
work between the road construction
being carried on under the direction of
the Levy Court Of New Castle county
and that under the supervision OF the
State Highway Department The SUI
poriorlty Of the latter illustrates the
results ohtamable from competent SUI
pervision and adequate Inspection and
control procedure"
Criticise Health Board.
Regarding the state Board OF Health,
the survey In parts says:
"The registration and compilation OF
vital siatislics-a fundamental feature
OF health sorvice-is so inefficient that
The vital statistics OF Delaware are not
accepted as satisfactory by The United
states Bureau OF Census: the regislra-
tiOn and control Of preveniable ds-
eases Is incomplete because ihe law
is not enforced and no proper effort
has been made by the secretary 90 Sc
cure and preserve complete reports OF
an cases: Investigations Of the cause
OF disease and excessive infant NOR
tality In the state arc inadequate and
In results: the law rela-
tive 20 the protection Of the food sup
ply Of the state Is not enforced and
there Is ample evidence In The reports
or the State bacierioligst OF violation
Of the state Boards regulations relative
10 the cleanliness Of milk; no ccmprc-
hcnsive investigation or study has been
made Of general sanitary conditions
throughout the state. particularly I'm
known 90 be dangerous 90
health, no effective program for the
Of public health lnf0rma-
tion has been adopted and the reports
OF the state Board OF Health do not
afford accurate Information regarding
the health Of citizens: the bacteriolog-
gical laboratory at Delaware College Is
rendering only q very small fraction
OF the service n should render. In fact
the state Board OF Health has not per-
formed satisfactorily any OF rs duties
as defined In the law The blame Tor
the inefnolency Of tho State Board oi
Health may be placed partly upon th'
inadequacy Of health appropriations
but the chief reason why so little ha
been done Is the inadequacy Of th
present administrative plan which doe
not definitely fX responsibility upol
a trained and competent fulLiime Of
flclai.
The report refers 20 the fact that IN
Bureau Of Municipal Research. In Junl
last, submitted a report to the COunci
Of Defense. covering the Stale Board Oi
Health, and adds:
AS a result Of this report. the pub
lie health committee Of the state COun-
Gil OF Defense promptly appointed a
full-time trained and experienced sani-
tartan as special health commissioner
for Delaware 10 cooperate with the
Stale Board OF Health and 10 be paid
by the State Council OF Defense. This
was admittedly an emergency measure
and the difficulty Of securing complete
success was recognized II was felt.
however. that much could be, accom-
plished II the comnlete support and CO.
operation Of the State Board Of Health
were given TO the special health COM
missioner and all records now In the
custody Of the secretary (of the State
Board Of HEALTH in his private resi-
dence, were placed at the disposal Of the
special executive.
THE state Board Of Health agreed 90
such cooperation but the boards CO.
operation has been made Ineffective be-
cause OF the resistance Of the secretary
20 the board 30 what he evidently con-
sldered usurpatlOn Of his powers. As
the result. his refusal 90 transfer his
records 10 the office Of the special
health commissioner and because the
records were incomplete and unsatis-
factory, it has been impossible for the
citizens Of Delaware TO have the full
benefit OF the broad experience and
technical skin Of the special health COM
missioner. Enough has already been
however. TO demonstrate
that a single unhampered health oiilcer
with ade0uate power. could. In few
months time. revolutionize the health
service Of the state and put Delaware
In the front rank Of States as regards
public health.
ITO insure satisfactory administra-
tive control Of all the varied health
OF the State Il Is pron0seG
that a State department OF health bC
created which will incorporate under
single administrative head all services
now rendered by the State Board ol
Health. the State tuberculosis Commis
SION. the State Cannery Inspector ant
the state Board OF Examiners OF Bar
bers, all Of which should be abolished
All Of these functions are public health
functions and are so recognized
throughout the country. To bring abor
this consolidation requires constitu'
tional as well as statutory change, since
the State Board Of Health Is a consti-
tuiional body.
AT the head Of the proposed depart
ment Of health there should be a iuii-
time properly trained executive to 1s
known as the Commissioner OF Heailn'
It is essential that he be a physician
provided he has had training ana eN,
nerience in sanitary science. lie shoule
he appointed by the Governor anu' IL
need he. removed by the Governor
pt-crrtT Ar GRACE.
The second Of the series OF i,,il Lenten
organ recitals was given last eVenlns ,ls
in Grace Church by Norris =. Morsan'