Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/477

 A MODEL MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT.

HOW THE LOW ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN CARING FOR THE HEALTH OF NEW YORK CITY.

I.

INTRODUCTORY.

THE general health of a city must naturally appeal, as a mat- ter of the first importance, to everyone who takes any real interest in his own welfare or that of his fellow-citizens. Above all, to the man who has children to bring up it is essential that his liv- ing surroundings be as healthful as possible, that the sanitary condition of the public schools be properly regulated, and that every precaution be taken by the authorities to prevent the spread of contagious diseases. Yet few persons probably realize how much the health of their community depends upon the character of its government. They fail to appreciate the vast powers vested in the board of health of a modern city, or to understand how fully their own welfare depends upon the honesty and efficiency of their health officers. For did they really appreciate these facts, it is well-nigh inconceivable how, in the majority of our large cities, they could persistently jeopardize their own lives and happiness by choosing men to rule over them who are utterly incompetent, or wilfully negligent. It is bad enough for our tax- payers in these days to allow their money to be squandered as they do. But it surely cannot be true that they would wilfully endanger the health of a whole community, if they knew how much this depended upon the character of their city governments.

In New York, for instance, at the present time the Depart- ment of Health, through its hundreds of subordinate officers and employees, 1 has the general welfare of some three and a half millions of people practically at its mercy. Its corps of sanitary and medical inspectors have absolute power to enter and investi- gate the general sanitary condition of all public and private build-

J The total force numbers about one thousand men.

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