Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-16
Alarming Negligence by the Health
Omcer = Professional Egotlsm
Rebuked by Excessive Null
sanees Throughout the
City.

tablish q quarantine on Presidents
Island. DR.. Mitchell was anxious to
use all necessary precaution against the
introduction Of yellow fever. Drs. Err.
skine and Brown, with an unusual de.
gree of intelligent skill, did not believe
this was of any avail and defeated
the scheme, but in lieu Of this the city
council appropriated eight thousand dol.
lars to the improvement of the streets.
What a farce; and yet what q compli-
ment to the intelligence Of intellectual
physicians and managers Of the board Of
health. What is the fact now, and what
is the condition of the city of MemphisH
Business men and all who remember the
fearful epidemic OF 1873, which gave US
over two thousand graves, and has helped
to reduce the trade of Memphis from
800, 100000 to $68, 900, 900, listen TO
truth and realize your danger, for con.
cealment is useless. The sanitary con.
dition Of Memphis to-day is such as 20
invite any disease where filth is requi.
site fer its promotion. The board of
health is insufficient, and the $1,000
annually given to the secretary and to
the health officer is mentioned by the
worthy bat misguided officials. The
suggestions offered by DR.. Mitchell, the
president, whose salary was 81 per an
annum, was worth a great deal, though
they were rejected by the city council,
whose members choose to indorse the
views and sustain the antagonism Of the
salaried %gentlemea, Drs. Brown and
Erskine. Unless the city be cleansed,
we are liable 20 have yellow fever aud
any Other disease incident to this eli.
mate. The secretary of the Memphis
Beard Of Health had not heard that any
yellow fever exists 10 New Orleans.
We know Of at least one death
from yellow fever in New Orleans
aud if either the secretary or the health
officer desire it, we will give him indis
putable evidence. Either or both ar,
invited to make inquiry. The LEDGE
yesterday made the following statement
Citizens who know Of nuisances ant
streets being in dangerous condition ar
earnestly requested to report the same Il
the LEDGER"
The responses are numerous. Rea,
what they say: One citizens requests u
to state that the real Of the Knickel
booker building on Madison street, be
tween Main and Front streets, is in
deplorable condition, reeking with fit
and most foul with death breedin
poison.
Another citizen says that for tw
months he has been trying to get th
board Of health to abate a nuisance o
the lot at the northeast corner Of Wiz
chester avenue and Robinson street. A
overiowed priVy has sickened the neigh
borhood and justly invoked many an il
vocation upon the supreme negligence {
the health officer. A privy is overlowet
its stencil spreads out, its odors e a
far and nea and the sanitary sergeant
of whom we shall speak to morrow, ha
failed to do anything.
The mud hole at the corner of Thir
and Jefferson streets is ~complaine,
about.
The alley in the real Of the Peabod
Hotel is a nuisance. The sanitary ma
bassed down this alley this morning
He manifested a sense of heroic duty i
abusing the existence of thirteen piece
of waste newspapers thrown from th
LEDGER office into the alley. This ma
of intelligence declared that such pspe
would produce sickness. This man ha
been recently appointed, we believe
The man who once filled the place wa
discharged because be voted the Demt
cratic ticket. Is it no. q good assuranc
that such men are employed by th
health officer, John Erskine, NJ. Dr.
less than N hundred yerds from Mad
son street this intelligent health SCI
geant came in contact with a stream {
refuse from the Peabody Hotel kitchen
Did he abate it2 No. Did he deodoriz
it? No. Will he do SOP No, not vi
less directed" How long will the pei
pie Of Memphis have just complaint
While the health officer and secretary {
the board OF health are honestly actl
ated, we are forced to differ with thes
worthy officials and excellent geAtlt
men.
We received this morning the follow
> ing complaint:
ION fernando street, near LindeI
f two filth holes in the street fill the Al
with their pe%stilential perfume; just b
low, zeal Browns avenue, anothe
> smell cries aloud for the health office
: In the bayou on fernando, neal SoutI
5 the carca3 of a pup Aoatr around, an
five young pups find a resting place fc
!. their dead bodies in q mud hole 0
Broadway, near Davey avenue"
Ladies' Lager Beer Garden
: Charles BertOn, proprietor