Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-11-23
PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH.


1t is gratifying to see the unanlmity with
which the people of the south are moving
for the protection of the public health.
Wealth and prosperity can never be found
in a land Of disease and death, and the
southern people are promoting their mate
rial prosperity when they commence investi-
eating the science of health. The report of
the National health association now In
session in Richmond, Virginia, has been re-
ceived with qualification by the country.
This body of eminent physicians, after
noUes, nave arrived aU Une unanIIIUus opln-
ion that yellow-fever is imported into this
country, and that absolute non-intercourse
with the infected countries and communities,
by quarantine, Is absolutely Indispensable.
We cannot see how, in the light of past ex-
perience, any man can have the hardihood to
deny that there is no safety in quarantine.
DIR. Chopin, we see it stated, demonstrated
in the convention at Richmond, that the yell
low-fever whenever it made its appearance in
New Orleans, had in every instance been
imported from other countries. The recent
experience in this section of country con-
firms the position of DIR. Chopin. The ter
rible contrast between the towns that opened
their gates and those that closed them is an
irresistible argument in favor of quarantine
measures. The yellow fever can be
traced from Grenada to Holly Springs with
as much certainty as the bloodhound trails
the panther to his den. Corinth, Mis-
sissippi, and Jackson, Tennessee, were for
three months surrounded by a constantly
contracting Gordon of yellow-fever; but wise
ly acting upon the principle that "self- pro-
lection is the first law of NATURE they
rigidly enforced quarantine regulations, and,
while isolated from the world and brooding
in sadness and sorrow over the m1sfortunes
of friends whose sufferiDgs they could not
stay, they saved themselves and thereby did
a good service to the afflicted, for they less
ened the labor and expense of those who
were ministering to the sick and burying the
dead. Those towns escaped because they
were hedged in by an impregnable wall.
Brownsville, Florence, Tuscumbia, Decatur
and other places visited by the pestilence
would have been free from yellow-fever had
they taken the same wise precaution. 1t is
hoped these towns, and the whole south, will
profit by the severe lessons of the past,
learned In sadness and sorrow, and save
themselves from similar misfortunes. But
strong opposition will be made to the pro-
posed national quarantine. The New Orleans
Times raises the howl. 1t says eve say
at once that the proposition is utterly unten-
able. Even if the assembled doctors should
decide that yellow-fever is exotic
and after SO deciding they
cannot prove tive should still OBJ
ject to the plan of Theoretically sealing
the port of New Orleans for six months out
OF the twelve. Such plan is simply prepos-
ferrous. Its effect would be to turn the city
over to decay, to render it uninhabitable, to
destroy it. Such quarantine would be |
farce unless it were made absolute, and to |
make it absolute would be to blot out New |
Orleans from among the dwelling PLACES of |
'he world, and turn it into a bowling will |
1erness. Life is worth more than cities, |
rade and commerce. We are proud Of New
orleans as southern emporium, and would |
'eJoice IN her prosperity, but millions of 1
ives are of more Importance to the south 1
han the prosperity of any city. What is |!
he destiny of New Orleans in comparison
With the fearful epidemic which first crept |
nto the Crescent City, and after capturing
his southern citadel, commenced an invasion
If the whole country? The loss to other cities
md towns, occasioned by the yellow-fever
Importation to the south through New Or |
cans and disseminated over the country,
annot be estimated. The Times talks
bout the decay and New Orleans becom-
ng a "howling wilderness" if the
proposed quarantine should be adopted, but
We can tell our cotemporary that if New Or
cans is to continue to be the general entrep0t
or the reception, deposit and distribution of
not only his loved city, but the
Whole south will go to decay" and become
"howling wilderness" A quaran tine will
,rotect New Orleans, and at the same time
'rotect her friends, the country contributing
o her support. But for the periodical APP
of yellow-fever, New Orleans would
AVE a population of half million, and
he idea of the Times preferring the yell
ow-fever to quarantine is preposterous.