Page images
PDF
EPUB

The Board of State Charities.

NAMES OF THE MEMBErs of the Board of STATE CHARITIES SINCE ITS ORGANIZATION IN 1867- Concluded.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Jas. F. Campbell, Gov.... Hamilton.. President, ex-officio.

[blocks in formation]

Jos. Perkins.
Geo. Hoadley.
Lyman Jackson.
M. D. Carrington.
Jno. Beatty.
J. W. Andrews.
J. B. Foraker.
Jno, G. Doren.

J. E. Campbell.
H. H. McFadden.
James Wilson.
Charles Parrott.

President, ex-officio.
August, 1885.
October, 1885...
President, ex-officio.

Chas. Foster.

Chas. Boesel.

Steubenv'le May, 1887.

Greenfield. April, 1888..

Columbus.. January, 1889..

Deceased.

SECRETARIES OF THE BOARD.

The Secretary of the Board, in addition to other duties, visits and inspects all the institutions coming under its supervision.

Since its organization in 1867 it has had three secretaries: Rev. Albert G. Byers, M. D., 1867 to 1890; John G. Doren, December, 1890, to April, 1892; Joseph Perkins Byers, son of the first Secretary, since April, 1892.

The present Secretary was born in Columbus, September 23, 1868. He attended the public schools and was graduated from the high school in 1887. Almost immediately thereafter he entered the office of the Board of State Charities as an assistant to his father, which position he retained until April, 1892, when he was made Secretary of the Board.

T

THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.

HE Ohio State Board of Health was established by an act of
Legislature, passed April 14, 1886. Hon. J. B. Foraker, the
Governor of Ohio, appointed the following persons as

[blocks in formation]

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE.

[blocks in formation]

The Board held its first meeting in Columbus on April 30, 1886, and organized by electing Dr. W. H. Cretcher President, and appointing Dr. G. C. Ashmun, the health officer of Cleveland, as Secretary.

The State Board of Health.

Dr. Ashmun resigned this position in June, 1886, and Dr. Guy Case, of Cleveland, was appointed as his successor. Dr. Case tendered his resignation July 27, 1886, and Dr. C. O. Probst, of Columbus, was appointed Secretary on the same date. Dr. Probst has continuously filled the position since that time, and is the present Secretary.

The Board first directed its efforts to building up a complete health organization for the entire State. In 1886 the larger cities and a very few villages were the only municipalities that had availed themselves. of the provisions of an act permitting them to establish a local board

of health.

In furtherance of its work in this direction the Board began, in 1897, a systematic examination of the streams of Ohio. Each main stream, with its tributaries, has been carefully examined from source to outlet with a view to determining the source and character of its pollution. Monthly chemical and bacteriological examinations of the waters of these streams, taken at various places on each stream, have been made, and careful gagings and measurements to determine their rates of flow at different seasons of the year. This work is about completed.

An act of 1900 authorized the Board to establish a Laboratory "for the examination of public water supplies, the diagnosis of diphtheria, typhoid fever, hydrophobia, glanders, etc., and for the examination of food suspected to be the cause of disease."

The Laboratory has been placed at the disposal of all local boards of health, and much good has already resulted from its establishment.

The Board is frequently called upon to examine the sanitary condition of public institutions and school buildings, to investigate the causes of outbreaks of epidemic diseases, and to assist the local authorities in the abatement of nuisances injurious to health.

Beginning with a Secretary, the working force of the Board has been gradually increased until it now embraces a chief clerk, two stenographers, an engineer, a chemist and a bacteriologist.

The immense growth of public sentiment in the last ten years in favor of improved sanitary conditions and more stringent measures for the prevention of disease has been due in no small part to the progressive character of the work of the State Board of Health; and we may confidently hope that this enlightened sentiment wil gradually lead to a more generous support of health measures whereby the sum of human happiness and average duration of life may be materially increased.

The State Board of Health secured legislation from time to time, gradually extending the powers and duties of local boards of health, and making provision for their establishment throughout the State.

The State Board of Health.

In 1893 the townships, which up to that time had had practically no protection in health matters, were required to establish boards of health, so that provision is now made for a board of health in every city, village and township, a grand total of 2112 such boards.

The State Board has kept in close touch with the local boards, and is constantly helping them by aid and advice.

In 1888 a monthly journal was established as a medium of frequent communication between the state and local boards of health. A summary of the weekly reports of contagious diseases, made to the State Board, by the local boards, is published therein, with other original and reprinted matter of interest, or suitable for the guidance or instruction of health officers and members of boards of health.

In 1891 a call was issued for a meeting of the State Board of Health and representatives of local boards of health. About forty delegates were present at this meeting. Annual meetings have been held regularly since; the attendance at the meeting for 1901 was nearly or quite four hundred.

The State Board has endeavored to disseminate among the people plain instructions for the prevention of the dangerous contagious diseases. Suitable pamphlets were prepared, and hundreds of thousands of copies have been distributed. All local boards of health have been supplied with copies of these, and when a contagious disease appears in any community they are urged to distribute the appropriate circular to families having the disease, and to their neighbors.

In 1893 an act was passed providing that plans for all proposed water works or sewerage systems, or for changes or extensions thereof should be submitted to and approved by the State Board of Health. The Board has examined and passed upon two hundred and twenty such plans. It has been able in this way to protect many communities against the introduction of an impure water supply, and to prevent what in some instances would have been dangerous pollution of sources of existing public water supplies.

[merged small][graphic][graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small]

T

HE dental law of Ohio is far from what it should be in comparison with the dental laws of other states.

Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Minnesota, and in fact most of the states require everyone to be examined by the dental board, graduates of reputable dental colleges as well as officer students, but the Ohio law makes it compulsory for the Board to license, without examination, all who hold diplomas from reputable dental colleges.

Consequently Ohio has been for years the dumping ground for incompetents who, although they may have secured diplomas, have not been. able to pass other state boards and so settle in Ohio where no examination was required of them.

And not only is the Board required to issue licenses, without examination, to graduates of the best dental colleges such as those belonging to the National Association of Dental Faculties, but of inferior colleges; colleges not qualified for membership in the above organization. Any college, according to the Ohio law, is "reputable" if it conforms to the following requirements: Any college which possesses buildings, by lease or otherwise, and equipments valued at not less than $5,000, which has a three years' course, six months each year, and a curriculum including anatomy, physiology, pathology, chemistry, microscopy, materia medica, metallurgy, operative, mechanical and surgical dentistry, is considered a

« PreviousContinue »