New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-08-04
NEW ORLEANS, FRIDAY. AUGUST 4, 1875.
B0aFd of Health.


The regular meeting Of the Board of
Health was held yesterday at their rooms
at the State House.
Present-Dr Gaudet, president; DR. Le-
monnier, secretary; DR.. Finney and Mr..
Shaw.
The minutes of the previous meeting
were read and approved.
The reports of the sanitary inspectors,
with the exception Of those Of the Fourth
and Seventh district1. were read.
DR.. w. II. Hire, of the First District, re-
ports vigorous work in inspection, espe-
cially on shipboard. Inspections, i420 fu-
migations, 6.
DR.. B. +. Taylor, of the Second District,
states the health is excellent. Inspections,
1868; distinctions, 81 fumigations, / ships
disinfected, 4.
DR.. Gustave Devron, of the Third Dis
trict, says the drainage has been neglected,
and reperts ten cases of malarial fever in
consequence. Smallpox contin nes, in spite
suit of the carelessness of DR.. Hayes, of
the Smallpox Hospital. On this he says:
Smallpox continues also, in spite of the
hot weather, which generally stops its
course. can only attribute its continued
existence in the Third District to two
causes:
|. The location of the Smallpox Hayes
Hospital in the District, and his careless
management of the same (no care being
taken to prevent patients from going out Of
the lnclosure. or any restriction used to
prevent visitors, often family servants.
from visiting the inmates of this pesthouse)
. The same want of care in the attend
ants on patients suffering with small pox,
when treated in their own domicile, visit
ors being allowed at all hours in the sick
room, and either contracting the disease
themselves or carrying it home to their
families and neighbors.
DR.. Devron gives examples, and thus con-
cludes his report:
A little more control over the Smallpox
Hospital by the Board of Health might
tend to stop the above named want of care
of the smallpox monopolist, and little
timely instruction on the part of family
physicians would prevent the repetition of
such casualties as those connected with the
Livaudais case.
Smallpox, II cases, white, colored; 5
males, 8 females; adults, 8 children; of the
above died, as follows: Two white 3 co.,
ored: malice, 3 females; adults, chill
dren. Inspections 72O, fumigations 8, cases
of smallpox IA. A number of nuisances
were also reported, which were ordered
abated.
DR.. E. Dubuclet, of the Fifth District re-
ports one case of smallpox in six weeks.
He complains of the action of John Ma
honey. city employe, in regard to sand.
Inspections ABB fumigations l, cases Of
smallpox ], vessels fumigated 3.
DR.. r. A. Bayley, of the Sixth District,
states the health is excellent, with the ex-
ception of three cases of malarial and one
of typhoid fever. Inspections 2O6
The following communication was re-
ceived. DR.. Lemonnier having made the
matter public, he requested that the letter
should be given the same notoriety. 1t was
accordingly made part Of the proceedings:
MISSISSIPPI QUARANTINE STATION /
July "a, 1876
To DR.. Y. f. Lemonn:er, Secretary Board of Health
New Orleans
printed reports of the proceedings of the
Board of Health statements to the effect
that l 'illegally pay the employees and of.
tcers, and certain necessary expenses of
this station, and send only the balances to
the Board of Health;" that l improperly
use the money of the Board of HEALTH
etc. If, through the action of the board,
these matters are to come before the pub
| lie, it is but just to the public, and those
i,nv paHi al hot oil hQ
should be known.
1t is true that from the collections made
| here | have first paid the Necessary ex
penses Of this station, and sent only the re-
| mainder to the board, but sending them
vouchers, subject to their approval, for all
expenditures, and reports as often as de
sired of all collections; and this l believe
to be not only legal, bat necessary and
proper.
The quarantine law (Revised Statutes
| section 30l6) requires the Board of Health
to appoint treasurer for the quarantine
grounds to reside here, whose duty il
shall be ito attend to the finances, ETC., and
! pay over to the secretary of the Board Ot
Health all monthly balances in his hands
| etc." but for many years the board, fol
| economic reasons, has failed to appoint said
treasurer, and as it is absolutely necessary
that there should be disbursing Officer
here, the resident physician has also acted
as such officer. What have done and all
doing has been more or less the custom fol
twenty years, and it is an eminently proper
custom.
| This quarantine station was established
| for the protection of the city and State
| from the Importation of disease. not for the
support of State Board of Health; anG
from the collections made here the expense
| of this station ought to and must be first
paid or quarantine can not be efficiently
and properly maintained. 1t is even 4
grave legal question whether all funds col
lected here ought not to be expended fol
the maintenance of this station, and the
| balances sent from here to you, to cOnstl
tute tuId to be used solely and entirely
for that specific purpose.
1t is known to you that when absent from
duty l am voluntarily without pay; thai
the quarantine whaves and buildings art
rapidly going to ruin for want of imme
diate repair, and that this station has nevel
before been 60 economically managed.
After paying expenses here we can prob
ably send you during, July. August ant
September $1,000, and during October. No
vember and December over $500, and yo,
now have about $1,000 of unpaid draft
which should be summarily collected.
AS the necessary expenses OF the Boar'
of Health that are not paid by the city ar
now very light (omitting the pay of its off
cers), l trust that the above sums, if it
officers will patriotioally continue to wal
for their salaries, will be sufficient to pre-
vent any diminution of the boards efficienc
because Of a want of funds.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant
NJ. A. SOUTHWORTH. NJ. D.,
Resident Physician.
The following resolution was adopted:
Rcsolred, That inasmuch as DR.. S.
Russell has failed to accept the Office t
which this board elected him, said office b
| dacIara0 vacant and that Thura0a,