Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/478

 460 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

ings of any kind whatever, and to order and compel the same to be placed in a proper and healthful condition. They have power to condemn and vacate buildings that are of themselves unfit, or which make adjacent buildings unfit, for human habitation; to prohibit all kinds of nuisances injurious to the public health ; to inspect and regulate the sale of every kind of food and drink, and destroy that which they consider tainted or dangerous ; to take all necessary measures to prevent the spread of contagious diseases, and to regulate all kinds of offensive trades. These, as well as a host of other regulations in the Sanitary Code, would seem to make the general power of New York's Board of Health almost absolute.

But not only are its general powers very great ; the work of the department also brings it in closer personal touch with the daily lives and welfare of the people than perhaps any other branch of the city government. To many of our poorer citizens it is often the only means of redress from the clutches of a land- lord who refuses to provide them with decent sanitary dwellings. Indeed, it is most striking when one examines the hundreds of complaints that are turned in by various individuals in a single day to see how the department has long been regarded as a sort of all-powerful haven of refuge by thousands of New York's tenement dwellers. The birth of every child born in the city must be fully recorded by the Board of Health, and all the milk which that child is fed on is tested as to its purity and nourish- ment. If at any time the child, no matter who it may be, poor or wealthy, is taken sick with a contagious disease, it is the Board of Health which investigates and, through its medical inspector, sees that the case is properly isolated either at home or in one of the city's hospitals for infectious diseases. Before the child can go to school it must obtain a vaccination certificate from the department, or, if taken ill with any form of contagious disease during school attendance, must also obtain a certificate before being allowed to return. And when the child is old enough to work it must obtain a proper employment certificate from the Board of Health. Later, if it grows up and marries, the mar- riage must be properly recorded by the department. And should