The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-28
nIl,aoltd lsllatlh.
rluTynsl, Z s.. NOVEMBER g, 1878 Is
The Doosors.
he recent Convention q the healts


The Doctors. !.
The recent Convention sos aae , Aeassu
association, In this city Is com eaieu upon '
srarv sui,ie,s and generally with xprsssionss
80 ....ro. that The learned body failed 10 ar
,.;ro - conclusions OF a more definite char
a..er' ,,a,, those announced. Indeed, there
,,,oso no conclusions concerning the nature
and form Of the causes oil yelloW-ieS ::
me Association itself declared that the
committee upon the subject had arrived at
nothing definite, and formulated questions
Cor continued inquiry and Investigation,
which showed shat the origin and causes Oh
ye,low-rever are as mysterious as ever.
one point made By the Association was
that The only safeguard against the spread
OF the disease OF yellow-feyer was the quar-
antine--the keeping away all persons ana
Sims or other thing afflicted or tainted with
the disease. They furthermore united III
pstitioning Congress to pass quarantine
law for the whole country.
On this subject there has been some dis
cussioa. There is an evident tendency 10
INDIGESTION and apprehension. Quarantine
is a thing that carries great inconvenience
and often injury and wrong with ~ ana
should be avoided save where Indispensable
to public safety.
It's a question that has been the suo1ec'
of rs much discussion rs almost any othef'
and the party opposed to quarantine mas
becn always strong in numbers as well as
argument. 1t is not surprising that when
il is proposed to establish national quar-
antine persons should be anxious 10 see
something OF its provisions before FORMING
their opinions.
Quarantine is sweeping in It's ehects'
THE p,acinr OF a large commerce and large
communities under the paralysis OF quar-
antine is fearful matter. Nothing on
earth but regard for the public safety in
), a case OF the greatest peril could excuse SO
harsh and ruinous q measure, anu Con-
sress should deliberate long before ma
turing one that may be followed with dlsas-
trous consequences.
YeIlow.feYcr, as is admitted by all the
learned men who discussed the subject IN
the Association, is mysterious and subtle
disease; but this cannot be said OF the
method proposed rs protection against 1t.
That is positive and imperative. 1t may wen
be a philosophical question whether th!ns
so Intangible can be guarded against IN
this positive manner that is attended
with such widespread discontinue aud
If intercourse,
There is such entire uncertainty as
to where the disease may appear that
there is no telling where quarantine may
be ordered, and should an unsnarded law
be passed great injury may be lnhictca
upon communities by extending ii over
districts that should not be included III the
fever zone.
Although yelow-fever has appeared in
former times in northern cities, IL DaS
been long time since. The southern cities
are looked upon rs most liable to the dis
ease, and there is good reason for those
cities to look we'll to any national law
OF quarantine. Should law not properly
guarded be passed, the appearance OF a
single case in any town may cut it Oil from
NIL commute ltion with the world Of tue
United States for months, to the ruin OF It's
trade and people. What would New York
say to stoppage Of all trade with the west
Indies from July to November? for yellow
fever hardly ever ceases in Havana.
We incline to the opinion that States are
better judges Of what they need than Con-
gress possibly can be, and to them should
be left the laws that are necessary for the
health and protection OF the communities
within their boundaries. They know what
the danger is and what they want to meet
it. ANY national law, we apprehend, would
act most unequaliy and with injury to many
communities.
YeIow-feyer is not regular in its coming,
nor in its degree OF yrulence. EXpe-
ricnce is the best qualification for the
task Of providing in the best manner, for
avoiding it and for mitigating its rlgor
should it come. We therefore think that
Congress itself will not undertake the task
OF maturing q law upon matter that should
be so properly LETT to those who are familiar
with it. They know what is needed for
their benefit, and they should not fall under
the bad effects OF measures matured by per-
sons who know little OF the subject.