Evening star., 1950-11-04
Bradford Quits
County Health
Post in Fairfax
Blasts OfficioIs
Of State in Letter
Citing Pressure

DIR. Henry C. Bradford has re-
signed under pressure" as Fair
fax County health officer. it was
reported today.
The resignation was announced
late yesterday by county authori-
ties.
In letter of resignation, DR..
Bradford sharply criticized the
State Health Department. He
wrote the State Health Commits
sion that he was quitting "at the
request" of DR.. j. c. Neal. director
Of local activities for the State
Health Department.
A county government spokes-
man declared, however, that DR..
Bradford was not asked to resign.
He was asked to accept transfer,
the spokesman said, and left
rather than take the transfer.
State 'Drew First"
DR.. Bradford said although he
had been thinking of resigning for
some time. the State drew first"
in offering him a transfer that he
would not accept. He added that
he did not know if the county
Board of Supervisors had re-
quested his transfer.
He said proper administration
OF his department had been an
almost impossible task because of
constant meddling of State ex-
perts.
DR.. Bradford described the
health department setup as an
outmoded system under which he
was responsible for getting the
work done but without authority
to hire extra help.
He pointed out that Fairfax is
allotted only five sanitation Off
GERS and six public health nurses
"and that just isn't enough for a
county as big as Fairfax"
Cites breakdown"
1--WE all agree that the Office
(health Department. has broken
down." said DR.. Bradford. mo
wonder people are clamoring for
q change of government"
He referred to the campaigns
for adoption of a new government
in Fairfax. A referendum will be
held Tuesday on proposed changes.
DR.. Bradford blamed the county
board of supervisors in part for
his departments breakdown.
=. They (the supervisors always
have had lethargic attitude to
the Health Department. The only
time I would see any of them was
when a personal problem was in
volVed," said the health officer.
Septic Tank Issue.
DR.. Bradford admitted that one
OF the things that brought the
Health Departments problems to
a head was the recent trouble
over approval of septic tanks. The
State Health Department reported
that Fairfax was permitting use
OF septic tanks in ground unsuited
for them, although the law pro-
hibits this practice.
DR.. Bradford said the State was
aware this was going on and de-
cided all of a sudden to crack
down on it. He said he had asked
several times for regulations re-
Qulring all Subdividers to install
sewer systems, instead of using
septic tanks. l.
This problem was reflected in
the report of the Committee for
Good Government last week
which said Fairfax sanitary regu-
lat1ons are not enforced and that
health services in the county were
"dlstressingly inadequate" II
Joined County in 1916.
DR.. Bradford has held the Fair I
TAX County post since November,
1916. Before that he spent %
years as an Army medical officer,
retiring with the rank of colonel.
Most county officers in Virginia
are selected from a list of State
ellgibles. and the major portion of
their salaries is paid from State
funds. This is the case in Fair
fax.
The county spokesman said DR..
Bradford would be replaced by "a
top man." now health officer of
another Virginia county. He can
not be identified at this time, the
spokesman said. Until the sue
cessor assumes his duties, DR.. Nea! |
will take charge of the work in
fho county