04/13/1944
1"
183
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING BOARD OF HEALTH
HElD IN OFFICE OF BOARD
APRIL 13, 1944
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Present: Chairman Addison Hewlett, Mayor Bruce B. Cameron, Dr. J. C.
Wessell, Dr. B. R. Morrison and Mr. H. M. Roland.
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Minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.
The Health Officer presented the monthly reports.
The Health Officer asked for and received authority to proceed with the
rat proofing of the John Ponos property at 105 Grace Street.
Mayor Cameron explained that he was Mayor of the Town and therefore Ex-
officio member of the Board of Health, but that he was speaking then as
a representative of the tax pa,yers of the City. Ma,yor Cameron read to the
Board members a series of prepared figures on the assessed values of pro-
perties within the City limits and beyond the City limits and quoted figures
on what percentage of joint City-County appropriations people living within
the City paid. He then gave the data on taxes to a representative of the
press.
The Mayor then referred to the amount of filth, stinch and sewage he had
seen on two inspections made by himself and a committee of City officials
in connection with condemnation for demolition of certain residences and
buildings. He read parts of letters between the City Manager and the Health
Officer regarding the question as to why such places had not been found and
corrected in routine inspection (copies of letters attached). Conditions
found in Goldstein's Alley were most severely criticised.
Mayor Cameron explained that he had no personal feelings against Dr. Elliot,
but that he (Dr. Ellipt) was afraid to hurt anybody's feelings, that his
administration was weak, that he did not make the health department employees
work and that he did not enforce health regulations. He said he was not going
to stand for sloppy administration, that as far as he was concerned no man was
bigger than his position and that if Dr. Elliot did not have intestinal forti-
tude enough to do his work, let him get out and let the Board get some one who
would.
Dr. Wessell coaunented that one of the sanitary inspectors was partially dis-
abled by reason of poor health. Mayor Cameron replied that if a man was sick
he was sorry for him, but that he had no right to be paid with tax money and
that it was up to Dr. Elliot to get rid of him and get some one who could work.
,
The Mayor said that the City could get more for their money by running their
own health department.
The Health Officer read a telegram from Dr. J. C. Knox of the State Board of
Health on the number of sanitarians employed in various health departments
"~.,, ~.,.,,~.. -...-- '~"".",...,
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184
and what proportion of their time was spent in the inspection of private
premises (copy attached). He also read comparative figures on the num-
ber of cases of typhoid fever, a typical example of filth born diseases,
in a group of other cities and counties as compared to Wilmington. The
Health Officer then asked the Mayor if he would not have to admit that
that was a pretty good record. To this the Mayor replied · just luck".
.I"I~
Mayor Cameron then said that the whole health department was in a rut
and, in effect, that the tax payers were not getting anything for their
money.
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Mayor Cameron moved that the Health Officer be instr'Ucted to request
the United States Public Health Service to send a man here to make a
survey of the health department I s work and make recommendations for im-
proving the service. Seconded by Dr. Wessell. Carried.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
APproved; ~ / J
1944
U:~.
Clerk
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"'"
$
Charge to the account of
WESTERN
UNION
1206-H
./ CHECK
ACCOUNTH1G INFORMI>.TlON
TIME FILED
... ,.
l.LA';'; of SlEVICE ll<::;IRED
MEST1C CABLE
f'J-"-i"r,;~ ORDlllARY
0", URGlNT
lrrTFR R,\TE
iOR\L [lIrERR[D
" ,", t1Il;I1T
LEn'f! LETTfR
,,~rV,1 ';HlP
"tHI'IC[ R~LllnGRAM
l'",,,,o. ,ru,ul,j cb,,,k d""""l""n'io.
J,,,;,,'<I; ~,b",Wi... tbe m""""sewill be
\t"3.n,rnitted ...,p\"~"mor
orJin.'ll'Y,'ublewam.
-,
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lthe following me:;sage, subject to the terms on back hereof which are hereby agreed to
R. B. WHITE
PRE:S'OE:NT
NE:WCOMB CARLTON
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
.J C WILLEVER
-'R,~T "lGE:_PRE:S'OE:NT
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COP Y
CFA 157 59-RALlUGH NCAR 13 125 1 P
1944 APR 13 PM 1 25
DR.A. H. ELLIOT-
COUNTY HEIILTH OFFICER V1IUlN-
ASHEVILIE CHARLOTTE SIX SANITAIUANS EACH ONE EACH GENERAL SANITATION INSPECT
PlUVATE PREMISES ON COMPLAINT. I'1INSTOM SALEM TOTAL SIX ONE ROUTINE PRIVATE
PREMISES INSPECTION GREENSBORO TOTAL FIVE. ONE INSPECTS PlUVATE PREMISES ON
COMPLAINT. DURHAM TOTAL SEVEN. ONE ROUTINE PRIVATE PRl<-;MISES INSPECTION.
RALEIGH TOTAL FOUR. THREE PRIVATE PREMISES INSPECTION ON COMPLAINT. ROCKY MOUNT
TOTAL TWO SMALL PERCENTAGE TIME INSPECTION PRIVATE PRElIISES-
DR. J. C. KNOX
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ALL MESSAGES TAKEN BY THIS COMPANY ARE SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING TERMS:
To glllll"d 8.l!ain$ mlstnk<'8 or delay~,. the sender of Ii IllN;Sll,Il:'e ahouJd orrfer It r~pea\E'd, that is, tclegn>phE"d back to thf' orlginntlng om!'!' for ('ompar!soTl. For .Ibis,
oll"-h:111 th('
n~':~~~~~~o'f:i~~a~~'.~Jla;:e ~~r~m~dCl~?Il~~g~.t~?sIli:oll;r~~~JlB othcrwJ1;c lnulcated on Its la('(', Husls UIl unrt'IJCIHed IlJCSSlIgc nnd P~jd tvr as such, in ('l}IJsul"rbu,m Wh"fpof
it 18 flgrPf'll l>"lw<'('n
1. The COlllll:ln~' sLall not he Iiahle tor mli<t.akcB or delays In the trallsmlsslon nf dcllv('fY, or !(l1" nOIl~(lrliW'ry of auy mess!lp;c r{'('('h"ed for trallsll,issioll at Ow unrep,'llt"d-UH'S8,
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if:,; i:,;';':~:;:';
iu dJ\hC'f or O!J:;ClIfC messug{'s.
:!. IIIUll)! ('venl the "ompIln~' FllillI not I1e Ibhlc for dlllJ1ages Jor mistakes or <!ebys in the- tmn::mbsion or dpllnn", or for the nOll-lJ"lhery, of 'UlY me~Hlig~. Whf'llJf'r _"ilU<lc'i
hy
I.he ]wgH.C'''!lCf) 'J! its gery:wts or otherwise, !lPyond th" ~um of fi.ve thousand dollars, at which am011l1l. ('~('h llK~,~lig"l' J.-; .d,'emed tn "to' v:1I1I('<1. unkES 11 f!""ut.(T
\:"IIC iF sratf'q II' \HIT ing
by th" SNider then'of at tile flint' the nJcss::tg" i" leodefl'd for trunEmls~l(lll. and unless till> rep<'lltcd-meSJiHgC fute Is paid or a~;r('ed to be pal,), unci ~u addltJonal ehurg(l
CllU,li tn OIle-
tCllth of Oil!' pereent or the amount by wIdeh sli<'h vahrutinn /';IH1I1 excecd five tlJOuaand dollars. ..
3. The COlu[mny h lJcrr>hy made the n<.:"nt of th(' scmll'f. wlll10ut Haullity. 10 {orwardtbls mrR,"aRE' O\Tr tllPllnrs oJ any other roml'nn~' wh{'n n""".-;~ar;' fo f{'U{'u its fle.~tinali()ll.
0' 'oeh4om;;O!i:':ii:;;'M;1:'J';~ '\~,~::iwnJ1~fo~~:'\'j,:;;';1~,~:;~ W,~ ~,~;,;;~,"S~,;'~'j,t'~~~,;~,:;"t;' .:;~(; \L!I;\~~mJ:;:"~i1,:'~m.~'j,:11:.\,;11::\ ~,g:":JJ;O~;~~,~;,~ ;M,;;;i,
':;;lb\~h~~::"T~~:!,j;1
his e>:perl8r. {'nl!l'avf1f to routrrH'1 f'Jr lllID for Ruch (ll'l!\"O'[~' at a rt'ason"LI{' prlo-{'.
tb, "';;P"~?/,;g;;:,;,~~g:\,g\:;':;hii;,'th:'ii;,,;g;:;r,~~; ;,;."::::;:t'j,"i,;:'~;;;;,::'."il th, "n" '" ",,,,,,,,, ,,' one ,,' i" ',.,,,,miHin, ollk,'", onil iJ" m'$"" 1.' ,"'0' <0
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afl"I' ttu' IW-,I;.'
is fth.d wIth the ""mpilIlY Jur traU:;i)ji~~IOn: provided, h01\eVer, tll'lt tlli5 condition ~hall not apply tu l"i:Jl!j,,; f',r dal1l"g,'~ or uverclur;.:ps W!tl,in the IJtlrnew of C<('<'1ioJ]
415 of t 1\" , "Him
catl"u,,;Act of 1[1:;1.
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aubj('.rt tOff'J'll1tallJy rOl"IlNplJi ..ndr.n,'t'.
.... ~P"(' ,<II Unlll> gUVl'ritlllg llle UIH\l>llil~"ioll of ll1r(;Sl\gt'~ aCc'unllng' to lIwir l'l~~_~('.~, h~ "lllJlljf'!"alt"d IocilJ"", ~h"ll u!lJJ1~' to lll('~su;;(.s ill /'l\I'h
of ~T1l'h r{'~Jlulh'" tl:l~eR ill 1!d,lJtj
toMI t.he fOrl'!:"(jlIlgt('fl1l~.
~. ::\0 C-lUl,lo}<,,, ur the <'''mnal1;. l~ aur.\lurized too vary t!Jt: !uregUlug.
1-38
TELEGRAMS
A fUll-ratee:q'etlitcdser\"k".
DAY LETTEFtS
A defnrcd ser~r"':lt JUW{'t Hum tll,' sl~"<l,,r<1 tf'lrgraUl rates.
SERIALS
DOMESTIC SERVICES
CLASSES OF SERVICE
THE WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH
I"COAI'ORATED
R. B. WHITE;, PR1;511)[fH
COMPAN'
.
ORDINAPIES
CABLE SERVICES
Tl,{' O:bnrbrdllcrvke, al tun r"l,'~. ',,<iI' l1JC'~~..l;:~~_ n')",i~;ilL!; uJ ,,!-](,ttt"J' gr"LJlJ~ "'!!Y.
lltulv\\P;':'"te.
:r..Iessn.gessent. in srrtions {hlflllg thcHaUlt' <1,,\
NIGHT LETTERS
DEF"ERREDS
Pl.lin lungUag" m."~~ag<'~. ~llIlJ"~t to IJ~IJH, 'ld"rre{t ill 1~' ,I oj tui!-r"l" 'lL':I;~".":B.
Ar<.('ptcd up to 2 A.M. for dl'Jlver~' not "arlieI' titan UJ(' Inlluwlnll" morning at rat{'!l
SUbstantially JO\\!.'f than thlllit:lllUard tl'legf"Dl or day l~ttcr rates.
SHIP RADIO(iRAMS
NIGHT LETTERS
O\eflligJ'1 pLin-luil).(lI:l:,;('m{'s_"l<",'g.
A servipe t.o Ilhlllll at sea, in nil fJart:.< (Jl till' world. l'Jal11 Inllgllagl' or code langu.age
may l'l'u~ea.
URGENTS
Telegrams of tl'1ecategories listed at the right, to any Western Union destination In the United States
::\le~~ag('s taking" pr, l'~d"l1c{' nV"f :dt UliH"f (He~~a::;{~ eX(-CIII :::ovenUTlf'lIt, fJ1('ssagce
TELeGRAMS OF PRESCRIBED FIXED TEXT
'THERE IS A SPECIAL LOW-RATE WESTERN UNION SERVICE FOR EVERY SOCIAL NEED
GREETINGS AT
Christr'J:lS ~Tf>W Year Easter
Yalentine'~ Day :r,r"th'_'r ~ Day Father's Day
Jewiilh New Y,'ur Thanksgiving
25~
35~
CONGRATULATIONS ON
Allnircrsarie<i 'Weddings
hjrt.hda~ S COmmencement
Birth of a Child
TELEGRAMS ,OF SENDER'S OWN COMPOSITION (first 15 words)
HOTEL or TRANSPORTATION RESERVATIONS ~
TOURATE TELEGRAMS, fo.. TRAVELERS \ (first 15 words)
35~
MISCELLANEOUS
Bon Voyage tdegntl1l:l "Pep" telegrams
Kiddi<,gramil (.~o 35r tate) "Thank You" telegrams
ASK ANY WESTERN UNION OFnCE OR AGENCV FOR FULL INF"ORMATION
CITY OF WILMINGTON
NORTH CAROLINA
March 23, 1944
Dr. A. H. Elliott
Consolidated Board of Health
Wilmington, North Carolina
Dear Dr. Elliott:
Any
be appreciated since I
on of hous or
locations where
ut in back yards.
d 308 Campbell Street.
some time and it has
tions have been made by
see that such are cor-
In connection with
condemnation this week there were d"
waste matters and sewage from hou
These locations were 502 and 504
These conditions seemed to have prev
developed inquiry as to what tary
your inspectors to check ers
rected before they are "st
ard to this matter would
ion to answer the inquiries.
A. C. Nichols
A. C. Nichols
City Manager
ACN:DLW
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March 28, 1944
Mr. A. C. Nichols
City Manager
Wilmington, North Carolina
Dear Mr. Nichols:
The question raised in your letter of March
inspections are made by our inspectors as
emptying into back yards may be answe
as much routine inspection of premis
toilets, as time permits and that
to in your letter are reported to
With only three men spe!l<:ling part 0
the vast majority of such conditions
tenants or neighbors seek r om t
You know, of course,
scores and sc
tubs, lava
regulatio
other h
e water ~s concerned that
of homes do not have any bath
. tche ere such facilities exist our
require that they empty into the sewer system. On the
the regulati do not make these facilities mandatory.
1:; sanitary
ewage and e water
g that ou do,
cially out r
the ones referred
ts or the neighbors.
on routine inspection
our attention as the
onditions.
Our men work diligently
posed of and I believe
disposal are called to
1 sewage properly die-
es of improper sewage
Mr. Hun
back yar
anything
and empty J
our jurisdiction.
itary inspectors, has informed JIl9 that the
cond Street did not, in his opinion, have
itute a health hazard. There was some lumber
ard which, in his opinion, did not come within
Any time that you receive these complaints we will be glad to investigate
and, if possible, clear up all health hazards.
Yours very truly,
A. H. ELLIOT, M. D.
County Health Officer
AHE/B
CITY OF WILMINGTON
NORTH CAROLINA
April 11, 1944
Dr. A. H. Elliott, Health Officer
Consolidated Board of Health
Wilmington, North Carolina
Dear Dr. Elliott:
I have had occasion recently to go
trips for the purpose of viewing and cond
that the committee considered unsafe fo
conditions very bad at numerous place
I think the conditions reflect bad
on two ins
operty in
tation. I
itation standpoint
department.
On our first trip we found se
ditions in backyards were terri and I
we happened to have Goldste"
the alley the stench almo
in this area were inadeq
long time ago by the hea
letter after our first
The City of Wilmington i
work and sanitary inspect
inspecting ab pie
sanitary st
ing on the ground. Con-
criminal. This morning
ist. When we went into
he toilet accommodations
houl ave been condemned a
had Mr. Nichols write you a
answer was not satisfactory.
arge amount of money to health
observations on two trips,
rty, the average was bad from a
etter in advance of our next Board of Health
meeting a in at that meeting concerning the unsanitary
conditions inspection trips. As a member of the Board
of Health tter job could be done even though conditions
under which rks are being administered are hard. If there
is a lack of 0 s that would keep our health department from re-
quiring people to clean their premises then we should put such machinery
in force at once. I don't see how we can have a healthy city with con-
ditions existing such as I saw this morning.
Yours very truly,
(s) Bruce B. Cameron
Bruce B. Cameron
Mayor
BBC:DllV
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NORTH CAROLINA LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES
"Only Official Auoelation of the Municipalities of the State"
SEVENTH FLOOR, RALEIGH BUILDING
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RALEIGH, N. C. ..j}
f-". i; ( t~
,j;
I Z, r 1"[
,I
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--7 I I ,.(
Dr. A. R. Elliott
Covnty Health Officer
New Hanover County
Wilmington, N. C.
Dear Dr. Elliott:
The W.P.A. ~ronicipal Governmen Surv~J which is
jointly sponsored by the North Carolina Local overnment Com-
mission and the League of 1runicipalities has ncluded in its scope
of study public health activities in citie Dr. Reynolds and
Dr. Fox of the State Board of Health are operatin~ in this
work and we have been able to obtain a c nsiderable amount of
pertinant information from the various reports received by the
State Board.
It is my understanding that New Hanover County
and the City of Wilmington have a joint health department. We
do not have, however, information on the history of your depaet-
ment; i.e. date the city-county department was organized, growth
of activities and the special legislative or charter act under
which authority your Health Department is operating.
We are considerine; the pl1bltcation of e. report
on this subject and are esp8cie.lly interested in the four city-
county health departments which have been organized in the State.
"':~uld greatly apprecie.t.e your sendinl': us whatever information
:rou have covering the above items.
Thankin~ you in advance for this favor, I am
HBWjpmr
Very truly your s,
--?./.iffi...;. tfJ 8. ~~.. tr_____
HilUe.rd B. Wilson
State Supervisor
L
1,~unic.lral Government Survey
ADDRESS:
, .
121~ South Sahsl,ury St.
Raleigh, North carolina