Dr. Hinsdale Resignation

Dr. Hinsdale resigned the office of health officer last week, but his bill was reconsidered and ordered paid and his resignation not accepted.

The resignation was precipitated by some troublesome health bills, the kind that the board of supervisors wrangle over. The principal item of Dr Hinsdale's $144 was for fumigating by Florian Muehlig. Dr. Hinsdale's own part of the bill being $4.50.

Ald. Fischer said there had been contagious diseases every year, but such a bill as this never came before the council since he had been a member.

Dr. Hinsdale said he had previously presented and been paid such a bill.

Ald. Koch did not remember paying such bills before. He thought it was a county, not a city bill.

Ald. Clancy thought this bill ought to be investigated by a committee.

Dr. Hinsdale said a similar bill had once before been paid him. He understood that previous health officers had presented similar bills. He had written the state board of health and had discovered that there was no fixed price for fumigating, but that usually the minimum price was $3. He had charged the minimum. In cases of smallpox, the charge was made against the county, but not in scarlet fever and diphtheria.

Mr. Sawyer said there was no law to compel a person to fumigate his house, but it was mandatory upon the health officer to see that his house was fumigated after every contagious disease. It was not for the protection of the patient, but of other people. Somebody ought to pay these bills. They are not county bills.

Ex-Ald. Prettyman, being called upon by Mr. Koch as an ex-supervisor, said the county had been paying just such bills for different townships and cities.

Dr. Hinsdale said he had had some experience with the honorable supervisors. One supervisor said he would give no more for a bill with his O. K. than he would for the scratch of a setting hen. They would pay no attention whatever to bills he audited.

Ald. Hamilton recommended the allowance of the bill.

Ald. Schlenker: "If these people whose houses have been fumigated cannot pay, the bills ought to be referred to the poor committee. The allowance of the bill was lost by a vote of 7 to 5, Aid. Koch, Schlenker, Clancy, Kearns and Fischer voting in the negative.

Dr. Hinsdale: "I hereby and hereon resign the office of health officer, my resignation to take immediate effect."

Ald. Hamilton. "I am not in favor of accepting this resignation."

Dr. Hinsdale: "It isn't a question of pay. If the city needs this money I am willing to donate it."

Aid. Clancy thought it was a matter that ought to be investigated. If the county paid bills for the rest of the county, he did not want the city to pay this.

Ald. Koch indorsed this view.

Dr. Copeland sympathized with Dr. Hinsdale. Fumigating is not for the benefit of the patient, but for the benefit of the public. We ought to pay for it and then if we have a claim against the county, we ought to collect it. The doctor had given half his me to the duties of health officer. He hoped the bill would be passed and that the doctor would reconsider his resignation.

Ald. Fischer moved to reconsider the vote.

Mr. Prettyman, called upon again, said these bills had been presented to the supervisors by individuals, with the O. K. of the health officer.

Ald. Koch, in his eight years of council experience had not seen such bills presented. He had paid such bills in his own family. There were names on this bill of people much more able to pay than he was. Aid. Fischer wanted to pay these bills if it was the city's place to pay them.

Mr. Sawyer asserted that they belonged to the city to pay.

The bills then passed, 8 yeas, 4 nays, Ald. Fischer voting to pay them.

Dr. Hinsdale then stated that the only reason he had accepted the position of health officer was because he was connected with the University and it seemed to him that the students could get some clinical advantages they could get in no other way, that they could see cases of smallpox and other contagious diseases through a window. If it were not for this he would not do the work of health officer for $1,500 a year.