National Republican., 1878-11-06

as the strongest possible appeals for such alter
ations In the laws, for such creation OF new
powers rs shall be competent to arrest travel
along any Of the great high ways Of the conn
try whom the public safety demands II. Our
seaports are quarantined In such manner as
to demonstrate beyond the possibility Of doubt
the utility OF the measure, and yet hundreds
Of miles Of river arc opened to the undisputed
dissemination through the very heart Of the
| country Of tho most dreadful OF all plaques.
Tho same may bo said In regard TO our rail.
roads, single lines Of which own routes through
several States, and stretch over an area Of
thousands Of miles,
1t is quite evident that no State board Of
| health, or any collection Of them. can OF will
so concert their actions upon a sanitary ques-
tion rs to establish any necessary quarantine
along these routes The General Government,
however, through properly constituted bu'
rcau, could accomplish this with certainty,
could properly harmonic State interests, and
would, besides, command respect for Its orders,
which would be proportionate with the power
to execute them. Had such board existed al
the outbreak Of the epidemic In New Orleans,
| 1t 10 impossible to calculate how much money
would have been saved, aud how many pro-
cious lives would have escaped the sacrifice.
Whatever may be said against the fmpracti.
cabilty of internal quarantine, there h no
argument against systematising such general
means Of protection for towns along the great
arteries Of travel, and In different States, as
shall express the advanced views held by lead
ing sanitary antborities The experiences al
this port demonstrate how this can be done
consistently how the interests Of oil can be
recognized. and still all be benefited how dis
easo can be effcctually quarantined and Jet
business 90 on as usual how by proper and
intelligent conservatism tho peorlc are edu.
Gated to indorse sanitary regulations and jeal.
ously to guard against any Infringement Of the
nect tssary authority Of the health officials.
From this point Of view, and under proper
ccntraliziug influences II can easily be proven
that all the internal quarantine that IL neces
sary In times Of greatperiI can be made cfiec-
tive, and that the people themselves may offer.
in their own interests. the requisite assistance.
But not only during pcstilence, but at other
tines will there be the greatest use for such q
bureau. Our great rivers are becoming pol
luted, our great railroads are interfering with
the drainage Of the towns through which they
, pass, are altering the natural watercourses OF
different sections Of country. are shutting of
the drainage OF swamp-lands and the like, and
there Is at present no power to arrest the
spread Of the evils or mitigate their results.
On general principles, then. there can be no
possible argument against the formation OF a
bureau such as has been suggested, except,
perhaps, that 1t may be used a mere politi-
cal machine and managed by incompetent and
irresponsible individuals. But Of the possible
dangers in this connection we shall have some.
thing to say at future time.
We have quoted the editorial Of the
Record because it presents the leading ar.
guments in favor of o national health
again forced upon public attention by re.
cent unhappy events. The institution Of =
National Sanitary Bureau has an unquali
fed approval, and we trust that Drs
WooDwoRTH and Cox and their coadjutor
may succeed in an effort which must graf
ify oil who desire to promote the physical
intellectual, and moral development Of tn,
nation. "Sdna mems in corpore sano," which
applies to individuals, is especially appli
i. cable to the aggregation Of individuals con
stituting communities and nations.