New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-05-15
BOARD of Health.

The regular meeting OF the Board of
Health was held last evening.
DR.. White, president. DR.. Gaudet, Dr. Le
Monnier, and Messrs Burwen, Woodward
and Heath were present.
number of communications and nui-
sances were submitted and disposed of in
the usual way.
In accordance with the previous sugges-
ton of Mr.. Burwell, the sanitary officers
reported a nun mber of destitute persons to be
referred to the relief committee.
The subject OF quarantine being the topic
of the evening, DR.. White submitted the
following observations, referring to the
communication OF the sixty three physicians
relative to it:
The communication does not state whether
detention only is meant, or a system of de-
tention, inspection and disintection, nor
what is meant by protection. That may be
complete or partial. 1t is not shown that
quarantine does not protect the city from
yellow fever, because its presence may be
due from survival OF the poison or defective
methods OF administration, instead of error
IN the principles OF the system, and because
three epidenics occurred during the twenty
years since quarantince was established to
eleven in the twenty years previous to it.
Ten days is enough to show whether danger
is present, but time is of no value in rem.
dering a vessel harmless If the recon-
AVhNutiOuc "a LILO W" III WtTo
adopted, passengers from Havana would
reach New Orleans within The period of in
cubation. The chief danger is frOm trans
mission OF poison from the holds Of vessels,
not from person to person.
The presence of few cases of yellow
fever i'll June, July and August would de-
stroy the fall trade OF the city. which is of
more value than all the summer trade with
yellow fever ports. He was persuaded of
the V9lr1A Of ipa1rAinu ipsp
ton, disinfection. and such detention as
would prevent the introduction of cases
from foreign ports.
The board has endeavored to check the
disease at its foci either in holds or dwell
ings, and with some apparent success, and
its purpose is to continue this course. and if
sufficient success is achieved the General
Assembly might be recommended to modify
the quarantine laws SO that the safety of
both city and State might be secured.
The law requires the issue of a prOclama-
ton OF quarantine, timely notice of danger
by the quarantine physician, and advice for
quarantine by the board. The board is
compelled to carry out the law.
The board adopted the views of Dr.
White. and resolved that its opinion was
that the continued prosperity and health of
this city are inseparable, and that it can
not expect to enjoy the numerous advan-
tages which arise from a prosperous, per-
manent population until it's good health is
a well established and generally recognized
fact.
Mr.. Burwell suggested that the owners
and agents OF vessels would be willing to
comply with regulations Of dlsinfection,
etc.. in foreign ports that the board might |
establish, and cited an example OF one own
er who would be glad to do so.
Captain Woodward gave similar in |
stance, and stated owners would all be |
willing to enter into such contract.
Considerable discussion followed, and it |
being considered of much Importance, DR.. |
White appointed DR.. Gaudet, Captain |
Woodward and Mr.. Burwell a committee to |
act during the season collecting data on |
'he subject to prepare memorial on the |
subject of dsintectiOn and quarantine DR.. |
LeMonnier and DR.. White agreeing to col |
ect and submit all the facts they could !
,ollect to the COMMITTEES.
The board then adjourned.