New Britain Herald Newspaper, December 23, 1915, Page 6

bed Pep Behind the Scenes n the Health Department endent Reeks Tells Public of Discouragements d Obstacles in Pat h of Small Corps of Germ Fighters. Reeks, New Britain’s su- it of Nealth, gives a heart lk to citizens and taxpay- Dr. Reeks was requested ald a short time ago icle: on what d by the er giving the request con- to had been health depart- ber of employees will permit in order to inspect the sanitary conditions ex- isting therein. A complete record of the findings is made and kept on file for reference in making our reinves- tigations. There are many laws governing the work and a health department must do its work to conform to those laws, as fast as we find abuses of the health laws, the ones responsible are notified and ordered to correct the condition. Right here may be cited one of the misconceptions of our work that oc- casionally comes to our attention. As already stated, the actions of a health department are governed by laws; that is, there must be a law to cover that which we seek to correct. Now the law often decrees that a certain length of time shall be given the owner to carry out an order we issued to him respecting some part of his building, and during this period of waiting we occisionally receive abu- sive letters that are pitiful exhibitions of moral decgeneration, so wrathful and spiteful are the writers because of their belief we are “letting up” on the owner. There are extenuating cir- cumstances in some cases that force us to extend the time on our orders. Again, there are cases which have to be followed up time and time again 80 that we are often several weeks accomplishing what should have been . T. E. REEKS. , Dr. Reeks decided that he pfer to draw aside the cur- show the public a few of les the department must i order to accomplish any- jmfirads ot readers of the spapers are acquainted extent with the work nt is doing but very he thousand and one the many handicaps, the nt works under while the olls by giving but half heart- ion to the fight that is being to thie few an- by and night. beks' article should be taken by every persoa in Meorethaw™" that, New everyone | kive the co-operation asked this way, a proper spirit will ed, the spirit that means vic- pr. Reeks' article follows: d of giving an account of k of the health department ithe past twelve months, i brefer to speak of the personal the work; that is, the work department as viewed from de. 9 vorking force has grown dur- year from six to eight mem- the addition of a tuberculosis nd a welfare nurse. The now made up as follows: One osis nurse,” one welfare nurse, tary inspectors, stenographer, me employee who serves ood and milk inspector, par nployee serving as plumbing pr, and a' superintendent. vish it. were superfluous to jhe above facts regarding the of employees. Rather wouid e it knownto everyone in New or at least 'to all taxpayers, they ‘had visited the office rned what their health de- nt is, and to. what ends it is . We fear that we are known y ‘only by the'Publicity due to ving some case in court. Yeot, who have visited our depart- and learned more fully of the of the work know that by far ater part of our work cannot bwn by figures,”6r mere state- | To every time we arc | of facts. from By having a ¢ase in court are a hundred times we are rot from When we’ have accom- d some work, in the interest of ealth ‘ti# comfort of some one re families, which called for the sing of judgment, sympathy and | verance. h of our work cannot bhe put ld print.as ap exhibit of what 0, as c#n- the record of a caso ave in the police court. As =« pr of fact, the very thing some judge ~of our activities, he number: of cases we have rt, is evidence of our failure in particular instances. many people have the im- ion that the work of a health de- ent is to tack up a quarantine and take it down when ordered | 0 look up a few complaints sent d remove the cause as soon d, regardl of whether the de- ent has authority to do so. What is a Health Department? health department is a body made pf one or more persons fitted by ing to detect conditions that, by on of their existence, would tend leplete the health of a community in so far as it is able, to preve oceurring of such conditions, uring the past year we have pur- fl the work with vigor and thor- thness owing to the additional p, and because of the increase of amount of Work found to do, We continually working on the surve completed in as many days. In other instances we have no authority to act, Many will say, “What about the law? 1Is there no redress?” Most as- suredly there is! But it is our aim to prosecute only in those cases where our authority is not recognized. The time may come when, because of the pressure of our work, it will be im- possible for us to give the time we now occasionlly have to spend on certain cases in order to get the orders completed. Should this occur, we shall have sufficient cause to have an average of a case a day in court. That we have succeeded in ' our present method, however, is evident by the fact that during the first year of our work we had but sixty-nine incom- pleted orders out of thousands issued. There are on file today about the same number of orders nof complied with out of thousands issued during rear; and nearly all of these are backed by reasons ever which we have no control and which, we believe, would be upheld by the court. It is by “following up” orders that has proven successful, and it is during the ‘“follow up” work that the inspectors have need of all the will power and sticktoitiveness they pos- for ant one quarter of the wo would be completed were they easily discouraged. What Investigations Show. Their investigation reveal rooms poorly lighted and ventilated, a scar- city of plumbing facilities, and de- fective plumbing. In a few instances they have found the entire household sewage leaking into the cellars. Base- ment tenements not fit for human ha- bitation have been emptied and closed up. What is it all for? Not to work a hardship upon the owner but in order to better protect the heaith and wel- fare of those who must live in crowd- ed quarters. That the condition may have been for twenty vyears as we his time as possible to clearing up the milk situation. There has been some not altogether kind criticism of him because he has not braught into court for prosecu- | tion, cases of ““bob veal,” or by similar | methods shown signs of his activity. There is neither time nor space to enter into a discussion of the fitness or unfitness of “‘bob veal” (veal weigh- ing less than 60 pounds) as a food. Authorities differ as to its harmful- ness as a food. Some think it is more aesthetic than injurious. Suffice it to say, is contrary to law to sell it. On the other hand, it is also con- trary to law to sell milk that is below standard and milk that Is injurious to health. It admits of no argument that impure milk kills more babies than any other one thing, and that it causes more illness among people of all ages than any other article of faod. Question: should the city's employee devote his time to hunting down *bob veal” and possibly securing ten to fif- teen out of a probable 100 sold during the year, or should he spend his time tracing the saurces of impure milk—a recognized source of illness deaths? Obviously: an inspector can- not inspect farms, cattle, dairies, stores, collect samples of milk, and at the same time watch for promiscuous and illegal slaughtering! It must be borne in mind that this department has as its aim the conser- vation of health; that presumably we have some knowledge of either sub- jest (bob veal and milk), and that we are serving the city to the best of that knowledge by having the inspector do as he is now doing. In order to make the most of so important a work as food (including all) inspection with such a shortage of help, others in the department are as- suming parts of the work in addition to their already crowded time. Since we started the systematic and frequent inspection of every food store in town we have met with some op- position and enough experiences to warrant the work belng continued. The opposition has usually come from the storekeeper who thought that an inspection was an indication that we were of the opinion his store was dirty. It should be needless to state that we visit every store regardless of its condition. When it is known that we have had occasion to destroy pounds upon pounds of bad meat in some of the stores; that in- stances of salting meat in a most oh- jectionable manner—even keeping it in a toilet room—have been found and the method stopped; that ice boxes have been found which apparently had never been washed out, the need of store inspection will become appar- ent. These conditions do not prevail among our better stores. Tuberculosis Work, The taking over of the work of the Tuberculosis Relief society has in no wise diminished the pressure of work or finances of this department. in is an health to detect conditions which tend to deplete health, and to try and rectify existing conditions. But, in this particular branch of our department, much more is done than can possibly be put upon paper. The personal attention in nursing. the giving of needed advice, the word of comfort and sympathy are all given by the tuberculosis nurse. How can one record the lightened lLieart. the cheered home, the better health brought about by the persist- ent and sympathetic efforts of the nurse? The only thing in the monthly reports to show for this is under the .ption: “Cases Sent Away,” or “Cases Returned,” or “Visits Made.” Tn this department we are brought face to face with scenes of desola- Here exhibition of the aim of the department, viz: found it ‘s no proof that it ever was safe, so [ar as conservation of health is concerned. The worl: of the plumbing inspector is to prevent poor and improper plumbing from being installed in old and new houses. This is of very ma- terial benefit to the owner, for, duc to the inspection of ail new work, the owner is assured of receiving that which he contracts for. Tt is not sufficiently known that each master plumber is given a certificate of approval of all work completed to the satisfaction of the inspector ,and that these certificates are often de- manded by the owner before paying the plumber’s bill. Food Tnspection. What has been said of the sanitary inspectors’ work and that of the plumbing inspector, applies to that of the milk, meat and food inspector. This field of work is as large and of as much importance any other work in the department. When one considers that there are 108 farms sending milk into New PBritain; that | the milk is sold by 2 dealers in this | city; that there are 334 food stores | in this city; that there are any number of outlying sheds in which cattle of age or condition may slaughtered nd sold for | food; when consumers of fully know what this department | had ana still has to contend with in | order to get more clean milk sold in | New Britain, then and only then, will | become apparent the ridiculousness of | expecting a part time employee to ! perform this work well and to the satisfaction of this department. In a ity of fifty odd thousands it never | has nor ever can be done by one man, as i any be | let alone a part time employee. | New Britain has been fartunate in | having as milk. meat and food inspect- | ors, men of undoubted energy, ability and faithfulness. Yet, even a man of this type can never do the work of milk, meat and food inspector—three offices—as it should be done, let alone a part time employee. During the early part of last sum- mer the superintendent, with the con- sent of his board, laid out a policy for the milk, meat and food inspector to follow for the remainder of the year, viz: to devote most of his time allotted to the work to the frequent inspection of the farms where milk sold in New Britain is produced, the dairies in he two or more family houses t 1s, we are continually going ough as many houses as the num- which it is handled and the frequent inspection of a certain number of stores; in short, to devoie as much of millk | tion of health, comfort and happiness, that cause us to pause and count our blessings while wondering why so much suffering and sadness should exist. it any wonder, then, that the employees of this department should work together, a family. or that the question of “city hours” does not enter our minds when, by working overtime, some of the suffering, dis- comfort, abuses, and menaces to health may be relicved? The work of the laboratory would e interesting to those who are of the opinion that the function of a hoard of health is but to look after con- tagious diseascs. FHere we have a Jaboratory cquipped quite as well as the average municipal laboratorv, and in it we watch the prosress of cer- tain diseases, especially that of diph- theria. Before the days of the laboratory a case of diphtheria was quarantined, (he quarantine removed and the patient allowed his freedom as soon as the symptoms subsided. Tt avas often noticed that after the patient was well enough to associate with some one of his chums came th the disease. By use of the laboratory we now know that the germs causing diphtheria mav linger in the throat for several davs to | ceveral weeks after the patient is clinically well. Today, we control the situation through the laboratory. The welfare nurse, who is also assistant m the laboratory. not only gives in- structionss in the homes in which con- tagious diseases exist but talkes cul- tures from the throats of all chil- dren in a house in which there is d:phtheria. Cultures are taken in all recovered diphtheria cases before they are permitted to return to school. Because of our fairness to other mothers’ children in preventing the “carrier’ returning to school too soon, we occasionally have to bear the petti- ness shown by the disappointed parent who, were the tables reversed, prob- ably would demand life imprison- ment of anvone who subjected her | child to contagion. Our “monthly reports,” printed for distribution, show in brief a synopsis «f our work. They do not, nor ever will, show what we please to term the “personal effort,” or the individual rersonality we must put into the work, However, we are conscious of it, and because of the trials it puts vpon us fndividually there is a marked tendency to mutual co-operation. If there is one who is particularly crowded with work, we pitch in and belp. If it is more to the advantage and GET IT TONIGHT —AND— GET IT AT HALLORAN’S Whether You Buy Or Not—Bring in Your Check—Christmas Gifts for Men. COOPER’S UNION SUITS $1.00, $1.50 and $2.00. GLASTONBURY UNDER- WEAR Medizvm and Heavyweight, $1.00 and $1.50. $1.00—PAJAMAS—$1.50 Good assortment of pat- terns. 50c—NIGHT ROBES—$1.00 Light and Heavyweight. COMBINATION SETS Suspenders and Garters. Garters and Arm Bands. Arm Bands and Gold Plate Pencil. 25¢, 50c, 75¢, $1.00. SPECIAL SETS Collar Box, Tie, Cuff Buttons, Scarf Pins and Tie Holder, all included for 50c. Suspenders nicely boxed, 25c, $1.00. GLOVES. Silk Lined at 50c, HANDKERCHIEFS Plain or initial. them both at 10c, 15c, and 50c. LION COLLARS A sensible thing to buy. All The best the new shapes. collar made 2 for 25c. 50c—Hockey Caps—50c Fur Lined, Winter Caps, 50c and $1.00. T $1.50_Fur Caps—$2.00 | Thgse will be» scarce later»«m. | Silk Scarfs $1.00, $1.50, | $2.00, $2.50. Black, Gray, White. An ap- propriate present. . Raincoats and Trousers of the office to work do so. With a firm conviction that we are doing all that the size of our force is able to do it comes as no small “jar” te have a citizen ask in all serious- ness of one of our inspectors what the health department did, and of what good it isi and to prove his inferred contention that it did nothing and was no good, speak of a condition he knew for several yea had -existed in the cellar of a certain store, Vv an un- iighted and unventilated water closet located under a soda water fountain. There was no personal interest on his part. as a citizen to help abate such nuisances by reporting it to us, for it was with some difficulty he was per- suaded to state in which building it was, feeling it was our business to fina it. He spoke of it merely to cmphasize his query as to what good the department. i This c really worth the s to analyze for it may fit many remarks regarding us. There are ap- proximately 00 buildings in New Britain, of which about 4,700 are oc- cupied as distinct dwelling and tene- or in combination w already outlined, the scope of the work of the departm t is large, inclnding tuberculosis work, plumbing inspection, tenement house sanitation ingpection, quarantining and its inspection, store inspection, yard inspection, laboratory work, besides many incidentals connected with the work as a whole. The new depart- ment has been in existence twen months, vet we have recorded as complete a survey of the city as exists in many health departments that are years to our months old. Now, it so happened that we had started the work of systematic siore inspection hut two weeks previous to the conversation spoken of above, and at approximately the very time tha in- spector was ‘‘begin shown” our poor work another inspector was inspecting that part of the town in which the store in question is located., and his report shows that the closet is in the far distant part of the cellar and not under the fountain. But even though it were located as said to be is this any criterion that we are not ac- complishing good work otherwise clse- where? No one realizes better than we the amount of work we have not vet touched, simply because of the need of more help to do the work. se and Belts, T3¢ Washable Cape at .... $1.15 Dent’s Dress Gioves .. $1.50 We have 25¢ “‘after hours” we * Dut 1 BATH ROBES AT $4.00, $4.25, $5.00, $5.50, $6.00, $6.50, $7.00 An unequalled assortment of the very newest ideas in Bath Robes. SMOKING JACKETS AT $4.00, $4.50, $5.00, $5.50 and $6.00 Beautiful shades in Blue, Gray, Brown, nicely Trimmed. dies’ and men. SWEATER COATS AT $2.50, $3.00, $3.50, $4.00, $5.00 and $6.00 With collar and with oui—in Navy, Havana, Crimson, Gray, Green—For La- EAGLE SILKCLOTH SHIRTS AT $2.00, $2.50 and $3.00 EACH If you look at one of these Shirts you will buy it. One of these Shirts in the new peach shades of white or blue will make a sensible and appropriate Christmas present—Come before the assortment is broken—they will prove ready sellers. them now at $1.00 and $1.50. EAGLE SHIRTS AT $1.00, $1.50 and $2.00 in plain white—fancy madras or percale, stiff or soft cuffs.. Eagle Shirts are the best fitting shirt made. We defy competition on Eagle Shirts. An EAGLE SPORT SHIRT will be appreciated by the young men. We have FLANNEL SHIRTS AT $1.00 and $1.50 You will admit that our $1.00 Flannel Shirt is the best on the market. have them in olive and gray and blue. We $6.00 and $7.00 TRAVELING BAGS $2.00, $2.50, $2.75, $3.00, $3.50, $4.00, $5.00, Always acceptable as a gift. Black and Tan. The all leather bag is here. NOTASEME HOSIERY, NICELY BOXED, 4 PAIR SILK LISLE $1.00, 2 PAIRS SILK $1.00 Ask those who wear notaseme. They will wear no other make. them for Ladies also at 25¢, 50c and $1.00. * We have (Incorporated) JOS. M. HALLORAN 248 MAIN STREET | ive to do the art first. Frequently citizens come to us in various frames of mind because we do not puta stop to something or other which objectionable to them and | possibly others. If it proves that | there is no law under which we can interfere, they insist we more important should sce that « law is made—regardless wheth- er it interferes with state or personal rights; should we not know of the nuisances, then—well, we often wish we had known. The health department is the infant | department of the city in point of years. It is just out of its swaddling clothes. But it has come to stay in the interest of overy one within the city, and developed to be one of our chief departmen 1t does not seck ‘mpathy nor does it avoid just crit- m, but it does want true co-opera- tion on the part of all citizens. Give it the criticism that is stimulating and constructive, not the insinuation that is depres and destructive to the work. Do vou realize, that throughout ail of Vi g laborator | tagious case, formation. berculosis for inspection except To the general work of a health depart- | ment, | we do not keep the records of birtas | 1 1d deaths—the balance sheet of | board of now ! Clerk. | take over this work owing to shortage in office help. The sanitary conditon of a ci no small importance from a finar cial point of | to settle and live in < as great as that fine streets, good etc., but as already work void of a eve, method and work undertaken to con- trol sanitation? ten thousand visitors. The records of the tu- department are not to the nurse. some who are conversant with it has appeared strange thut a health. These records are kept in the office of the Town We have made no effort to our p is The inducement a “sanitary town” offered by havins view. 'showing."” ‘When is pleasing to the the ting a city that who ever asks concerning Probably not one in Yet, were cne opened, and of every con- with much detailed in- open police protection, | stated it is a line | NECKWEAR 25¢, 50c and $1.00 {l We have without a doubt the finest Silk Knitted Four-in- Hand for 50c that _can be purchased anywhere. Beautiful patterns, large assortment, popular price. : We have also the celebrated Cheney Tie in all the new colors. The large shape four-in-hand—See it before you buy. Suits and Overcoais to inquire concorning thesc matters, invariably it would prove that t city which you are pleased to rercem - ber as “'a finc cily” because of its outs ward showing, spends as much in pré- portion to its value in its health wori | as in any other of its important de- partments. T. E. REEXS. . City itemns | —_— Furs cleaned at the Union Laundry, Tel. 994.—advt. Toys Gladdings, —advt, For the accommodation of its cus- tomers the New Britain Trust com- | pany will be open for the receipt of | deposits on Christmas eve from eight | o’clock to ten o'clock. The bank will | be closed all day Christmas—advt. | 266 Arch street. Toys, Toys, at Holiday goods at Babcock's—advt. Furope when it w civilized, the pride of its cities was their developed health departments, and that XLy per cent. of our own cities rank their health departments as being of chief importance? This notwithstand- , ing the fact that a health department has nothing showy or handsome {0 offer in the way of beautiful build- ings, streets, schools or parks. work of a health department is neces- | sarily of a nature that is not on view as is the work of many departments. Of not the least importance is the system of records: of our work, and ! the time required to keep them up. , The credit for much of this work is | due to our stenographer who, start- | ing with the work soon after the partment opened, has developed the system of records to a point that !s gratifying to those who use them. City On The Records. It may be interesting to know that since the opening of this department, we have a record and description of all new plumbing work in New Brit- ain; a similar record of all new sewer work connecting houses; a descrip- tion of the sanitary condition of most of the tenement houses and their sur- roundings; & record of all food stores, dairies, farms supplying milk to New Britain, and anaylsis of milk; a rec- ord of every culture taken since the l and :rl:u packages id t brightens housewives’ lives, As it brightens forks and knives. For cleaning knives and forks, washing dishes, pots and pans add a tablespoonful of Gold Dust to a panful of hot water. Gold Dust does not mar nor scratch. You will find direc- -GOLD DUS