Milford chronicle., 1924-11-28
WILL
BE ASKED TO ACT ON
ALL HEALTH MATTERS
At Meeting Of State Board Of
Health This Week Proposed
Bills Were Discussed.
SUPERVISION OF PLANTS
Suggestion Has Been Made That
State Board Have Control Of
Water And Sewage Plants.

The meeting of the State Health
and Welfare Commission Tuesday,
. was one of the most important ses-
, sions Of that body in long time, be-
2 cause suggested bills or changes in
+ state laws, to be submitted to the
next General Assembly were dis
cussed.
One of the changes concerns the
state canning inspector. It is pro-
posed to ask the legislature to place
this official under the direction Of
the commission. At present the job
is political appointment made by
the governor and answerable only to
him. AS it is not often that a govern
or is a farmer or man who knows
about or is interested in canning, to
have the chief officer of the state re-
sponsible for the acts of such an of
ficial is not always conducive to the
best results, some of those interest
ed claim. Then again it is urged
that because of the sanitary and
health features which enter largely
into the duties of the canning in
spector it would be best to have him
work in cooperation with the health
authorities.
Another suggested change to be
considered will deal with the con-
struction of water and sewage plants
in the state. At the last session of
the Legislature there was a law en-
acted which seems to many to be un-
constitutional. This law places the
sewage and water systems of the
town of Newark under the jurisdic-
tion of the state health authorities.
There are members of the commits
sion who feel that all water and
sewage systems should in a way be
under state supervision. By this is
meant, If a town wants to erect a
sewage system the plans for the
same should bear the approval of the
health officials. They claim that this
seems the natural and proper meth
I'd and that to enact a law for the
benefit of but one town or commun-
ty, does not seem legal, such as the
'ase with the town Of Newark.
Another and quite important de-
all in connection with the state
lealth program, which may be in
orpOrated into a bill, calls for the
establishment of county health units,
eplacing the community Organiza-
ions. Each county would then have
health officer with suitable head
uarters, who would direct the work
that county. This would not affect
ne Wilmington Board Of Health.
Another change to improve the
ficiency of statistics, deals with the
amer with which the records are
ept up. 1t may be proposed to have
70 copies of births, marriages and
'aths made up, one being sent to
e State Health Commission at Do
r and the other retained by the To-
l registrar.
Another suggestion embraces the
sembling and establishment of
)dern methods in handling oysters,
)st of the plans in Delaware where
sters are packed are model con-
rms. The owners or management
2 there is sufficient water for
shing the oysters, with suitable
litary arrangements for the en-
'yees and with equipment that is
that well-regulated food estab-
use so that the oysters are
'ked under idea conditions. But
re are also one or two places
ere things are not kept so clean
where the disorder is not so
ch matter of opposition on the
t of the management and owner
0ne Of carelessness. If all packing
ses for oysters were placed un-
systematized regulations there
lid be no reason for any objec-'
from those who conduct clean
ats. Only the past week, inspec-
Of the state commission with
ernment inspectors, visited a
pie of plants in one town in low
Delaware and suggested certain
rovements in the washing of oys-
which changes are being put in
fleet.