The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-08-21

A called meeting Of the Common Coun.
Gil was held Yesterday evening TO consider
the propriety of protecting the city against
yellowieyer. Present: Messrs. Adams,
Baker, Christian, .Crensbaw, Curtis. Gen
try, Hargrove, Hayes, Irwin, Mcdowell,
Pierce, Phillips, Pollock, Rankin, Skinker,
Straus, Talbot, Taylor, and Manson. :.
The President (Dr. sfanson) stated that
he had called the needing at the request OF
the Board OF Health, but was himself op-
posed to establishing quarantine.
Mr.. Curtis said that Us the Board of
Health had las he saw from the ordinances)
full power to act in the premises; he would
move that the Council adjourn.
The President thought the gentleman
was mistaken.
The clerk was requested to read the ord
inances, from which it somewhat appeared
that the Council must take action.
Mr.. Curtis said that he judged that tho
Board had power because they had to-day
uuarantined vessel from Delaware Break
wafer.
On motion of Mr.. Straus, Dr. r. G.. Ca
bell. the president OF the Board OF Health,
was requested to address the Council on
the subject. Carried.
VIEWS OF DR.. CABELL.
DR.. Cabell said that he had requested this
meeting because the necessity for quaran-
tine. or some protection against the intro
duction of yellow-fever, was urged upon
him by many members OF the medical ia
Guilty, shippers, businessmen, and ladies.
DR.. Cabell referred to and endorsed the
letter published in the Dispatch, and signed
.s Sanitarian -; which, he said. was the
production OF one Of the most learned and
obseryant members OF the profession in
Virginia. DR.. Cabell thought there was
more danger Of the yellow-iever this year
than before, on account of the great fresEet
OF November, 1877, which inundated mary
houses in the lower part OF the city, ana
left Objectionable deposits, and damp celiars
and walls. He would not say that the feVer
would prevail here, but it might. vessels
from infected ports were, in his oplnlon, spe-
cialIy to be dreaded. We should take every
precaution possible to prevent the dis
e1se coming here on ships. The Doctor
stated that he went down the river ycster-
day and met the brig Prmus. She was in the
tow of tug along with four other vessels.
! He boarded her, and found that, though
last from Delaware Breakwater, she had
cleared from port about twenty-five miles
from Rio, and she had on board quantity
of sand as ballast, which be had ordered
to be thrown overheard far below the city,
and the brig fumigated. The representa-
tive OF HaSall, Crenslaw & Co. had tele-
sraphed from New York for him to look
after this vessel. There was no sickness on
board.
DR.. Cabell said that when he asked for
this meeting of the Council he was not
aware that he had the power to proceed
against suspected vessels. he had since
| oyrtb H.
ready his, it seemed. Now what. he wanted
was tie means.
'. ANOTHER VIEW.
DR.. BeaIe, who is one of our oldest prac-
ticine physicians, was next invited to ad-
dress the Council. lie said that there were
about twenty-three cases OF yellow-feyer
brought here from Norfolk in 1855, and that
4 oplv three OF the parties died. He doesn't
\ believe that there is physician on the face
1 of the earth who now believes that the dis
ease Is contagious. He thought the sani-
tary condition OF the city better now than
ever before, and the disease not at all likely
to spread here, and therefore didn't con-
slider q quarantine necessary, as 1t would
certainly iniure business.
DIR. CahelI maintained that quarantine
would not iniure the city. lie believed in
taking an open and frank course in this as
in ali similar matters. Nothing could be
gained by conccalment. He had been one
Of the first 10 introduce in his mortuary
reports statements as to smallpox, or
cholera, and had seen the beneficial effects
OF II. It allayed fear and alarm. II there
Should be death from yellow-feyer here
to-day be would deem it his duty to publish
the fact tomorrow.
A PROPOSITION.
Mr.. Curtis offered the following:
Resolued 1.-THE Board of Aldermen con-
curring), That the president OF the Board
Of Health be authorized to employ such
person or persons, and such vessel or craft
as may be required to beard or hail all YES
sells coming to the port OF Richmond at a
point not less than fifteen miles from Rich
mond. and auy vessel coming from any port
south OF Charleston, S. c., shall stop at 4
point in tue river named by the president Of
the Board of Health, and the fact be rep
resented to him, and any vessel refusing 10
stop shall be fined $L00.
WHAT is QUARANTINE?
Mr.. Curtis thought that this would be all
the precaution necessary, and would inter-
fere with our commerce less than quaran-
tine.
Mr.. Talbot thought that after all it
amounted to quarantine.
Mr.. Curtis said it was quite another
thing. ......
Mr.. Talbot thought that the trouble
would be, If we took this action, we would
hereafter be classed as Il yellow-fever city.
1t would be q confession that we are in the
yelow-fever zone. 1t would be permanent
ly damaging to business. Ii there was any
necessity for quarantine he. would Of
course consent to it. But there is none.
He was Of opinion that nothing should be
and await developments.
. Air. Talbot (at the suggestion OF Mr..
/ Straus), moved that the Council declare it
ineXpedient to take action Oh the subject.
Mr.. Curtis, while unwilling to spread
abroad in the newspapers the report that
Richmond had established a quarantine,
thought that some power and means ought
to be given the Board OF Health to prevent
vessels from infected ports coming here.
Mr.. Straus said that in his opinion the
less said about this matter the better. There
is Committee on Health and an appropria-
tion at it's command amounting to $500.
That he believed sufficient.
| wASTED-MoSEY.
DR.. Cabell said that that was hospital
fund. The expenses would, in his opinion,
be light Colonel Whitcomb would allow
him to use the tug Craighill when it would
not interfere with her regular business. He
had ordered the, brig Primus to be fumi-
gated. That was bill she would have to
nav. The chief cost to which the city
would be subjected in such cases would be
in paving the health officer five dollars per
/ doy while so emDlOyed.