Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 1.djvu/733

Rh

Under practically the same management a school of pharmacy has been established at Portland to meet the demands of government and people alike for men qualified to compound and sell drugs and medicines in conformity to the recent legislation of congress and the several state legislatures.

The enactment of "the pure food and drug act" by congress, and of similar legislation by many of the states has placed an importance upon pharmacy and pharmaceutical chemistry greater than it has ever before enjoyed in this country. The demand for educated pharmacists was never so great as it is today. Not only are salaries for this class higher than ever before, but there are more opportunities for advancement. The demand is for good men, those having business capacity and a good pharmaceutical education. There is no liklihood that there will be any material change in this report, unless it be to intensify the present demand for the kind of pharmacists now most needed. Employers are looking for men who have a college education, and the supply is not equal to the demand.

The sanitorium is the smaller and more exclusive form of the hospital, and is an evolution of medical practice which has been made possible in America by the increase of wealth, the development of specialists in medical practice, and the desire for more exclusive and better service. Portland has already a large number of these institutions, and all seemingly well patronized. There are two at Mt. Tabor, one in Holladay's addition, one in southeast Portland, and two in old west side Portland. They are all private enterprises, the city and state governments exercising no control over them further than to send the grand jury to investigate complaints of improper treatment or management of insane patients at one of them.

The city, county and state authorities have each devoted much time and expense to the subject of public health. The city maintains a crematory to burn garbage—at an annual expense of $23,000, and a street cleaning department at an annual expense of $164,000. The health department is highly commended for its efficient service by the mayor who states in his annual report for January 5, 1910, that the mortality of the city is only 7.04 per 1,000 of the population, which is probably better than any other city of its size could show. The officials in charge of the public health are: city physician, health officer, three assistant health officers, market inspector, milk inspector, bacteriologist, four medical inspectors of schools, school nurse and pest house nurse.

As a part of the equipment of a modern city to maintain the public health, parks, and playgrounds for children are now in all civilized countries deemed a necessity. The scenic and geographical capabilities of Portland favor the disposition and development of this factor of the public health in a high degree. And the park board have bestowed much care and thought to this subject, so that the foundations have already been laid for a large and beautiful system of parks and boulevards. First meeting of the board of park commissioners was held on October 20, 1900, in office of mayor.

Members of First Board of Park Commissioners, 1900—Mayor H. S. Rowe, Gen. Charles F. Beebe, Rev. Thomas L. Eliot, Mr. Henry Fleckenstein, Colonel L. L. Hawkins, Hon. Rufus Mallory, and City Engineer W. B. Chase.

The board of park commissioners for the year 1910 are: The mayor, Joseph Simon, I. Lang, Ion Lewis, Dr. J. R. Wetherbee and Dr. E. G. Clarke.