Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-04
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
Give Us a Quarantine.

En1roRs APPEAL - S,aday's APPEAL
contains the doctors protest against quaran-
hne-a very important measure. beg leave
to second your move for 1t, with answers 10
"cogent reasons against It, you grant all
due respectabilIty to the professionals as dis
tlneuished professional men, and their posi-
tion and general character may lend much,
perhaps undue tceight to the document. BUT
It is not purely medical question, and should
not stand on authority Tor ipSe dirit), but on
ia own merits. Also, we find the absence of
names equally dil tinguished as M.D.'s, from
which it may be inferred they do not approve
the protest. From the array OF names and
the energy of their protest we infer they have
put forth their best wine first. We do not
propose to write an exhaustive review of the
protest. but only to weigh the ''most cogent
reasons" and see if they arc not found want
First-"There is no sufficient reason for
SUCH mo fever below US, and would
arouse alarm" -
Answer-They do not assure us there will
be no fever below during the summer, nor
could they do so-and it is yet early for It,
Do they mean TO wait fer it before preparing
against it? Such ctuld not be wise!
WHY lock the door after the horse
is taken? Did Noah wait to hear
the thunder, see the black cloud, the
fountains break, and torrents fall, then begin
to buster about to lay his keel? By no
his wisdom Suppose farmers below should
say, in the fall or winter, we have no sum,
Gent reason for these levees; there Is no Hood
! up the river, and no certainty OF an overflow
| the coming spring or summer; VINO could
sympathize with their sutfer1ngs when lrrep-
arabic? Also, 1t will arouse alarm. Answer;
The sanitary suggestions In the second
point contains an answer to this objection.
Second-"The money urgently demanded
| to abate nuisances in the city, as hot weather
advances Hear them, 'as hot weather adj
| yances." They elbow hot, and call for
money for sanitary measures In the city, not
fearing to excite alarm among the umld
country people, and drive them from the city,
| lest yellow fever spring up and cut oftRtheir
retreat; for see, say they, Memphis is using
preventives, which she would not do it the
doctors did not see yellow fever; it is there,
| sure; can't go to town now. Also: VIII
require salaried officer" How long? Three
months will decide whether we nave any cpl
| demic. The officer will not be banlshed So
ciety, or sent to Japan, or Patimos. And doc
| tors not crowded with practice In this healthy
| CITY need not demand exorbitant rates, and, If
| no fever, services would be light, and If it
should prevent such time as 1915, the
plttance is not to weigh against IN
expressible suffering and lncalculable sums.
Third-It would not be efectual while rail-
| road trains run.
Apswer-There may be different degrees
| of danger from different sources, but as the
river has proved to be the chief or only fear
| full one, it deserves the chief attention. That
it ''will trouble boating is not reason II
quarantine will prevent, yeliow-fever. ~
| should only be enforced when immediate
danger is known to exist below" See an
swer to procrastination under the first rea-
| son. To avoid unnecessary inconvenience TO
boats, rules can be modified to circumstances,
etc. The weight of the protest Is mo fever
below" and mo money" The first, ltseems,
| does not touch the case. The second, II a
fact that Memphis is too poor to afford rea-
sonable sanitary protection during the sum-
| mer she need not expect to grow. A VaIua-
Bile family that came here to live IN January
| last expressed fears of epidemics here, and a
few more will seal the fate of Memphis. A
| great deal is at stake. With all due respect
| submit If the ''cogent reasons" against a
quarantine are not found wanting. respect
fully, OUNCE PREVENTIVE
The Quarantine.
/ EpIToRs APPEAL-The morning papers of
Sunday contained an earnest protest over
the names of many medical gentlemen OF the
city, against the petition OF the president OF
the board of health to the proper authorities
for means wherewith to estaollsh quaran,
tine for the protection of Memphis against
the advent of epidemic diseases. The rea-
sons for this opposition were well based, and
present an argument for the serious consid-
Grafton of the question. STILL the object to
be accomplished by the action OF the board
of health loses none OF Its importance, nor
are its reasons for desiring this safeguard to
the city at all weakened. Boards OF health
are composed Tor should be) of gentlemen
whose skill and experience in the profession
of medicine render them proficient and capa-
bic of the discharge of the very highly re-
sponsible duties set before them. They are
| not only to use the best efforts to suppress
| h,,t ara snroSt and
most successful means of preventing the IN
gress of malignant, contagious and Infectious
| epidemics, A board being established. 1t Is
supposed that the confidence of the people Of
| every class is reposed In IT, as regards ability
energy and capacity. 10 1t they look, ano
upon it they rely for the accomplishment Of
, every public hygienic measure. 1t Is not to
be fully and confidently trusted, and espe'
cially by those of official authority; if, indeed
its opinions are to be suspected and Its actions
circumscribed, there Is little practical useful.
ness in its establishment, and it were wei
that it be abolished. 1t must be admitted
that ''caution is the mother of saiety; thu
lawless mob cannot be put down If the city
police run hither and thither for arms with
| which to suppress it; the nation cannot defenc
itself from the ravages and depredations of {
} common enemy lift unpreparedlya and thought
} lessly await his coming. The time to protec
I the city from epidemics is when the genera
5 COZ iition indicates and favors their approach
| 1t may be true that no neighboring city a
| present contains a single case; but is 1t no
| probable that such could be and rot be know
: beyond its immediate locality even, unit
, other cases occur and the whole populace be
y come frightened by its rapid diffusion? Whel
: it really appears, the necessity for quarantin
4 | almost ceases TO exist. When It thorough
) prevails, who shall say that quarantine wa
4 not blessing and caused the city to remain
uninfected because of its protection? Is
not better to expend few thousand as
I | safeguard than to lose millions by the dlsas
: trous effects of yellow fever, besides the thou
y sands of valued lives that Will have passe
y | avav? The condition of the finances OF tn
!, | city is such as to warrant the strlctest an
, most scrupulous economy; In every posslol
), way should its means be husbanded. Blu
poor economy would it be to deny the amour
asked for by DR.. Mitchell and expend man
=, times that amount IN consequence CT epl
demic disaster With due Difference to til
Judgment of the many distinguished mem
/ bers of the medical profession who so vlru
e lenty oppose it, we beg leave to offer on
"a opinion to the contrary, and most unhesltai
s. ingly say that 1t would be most Judlcioui
wise and effective precautionary measure &c
3 the common council of the city to act upo
{. the petition of the president of the board {
l. health and grant the necessary funds. Ih
Is suggestion of calling the attention of til
sanitary officers direct to the present cond
le ton of the city Is most opportune. Incl
l. are certain localities which are in a mo
se deplorable condition. Not only within th
d thickly- populated squares, but in the sui
N urban precincts. One, particularly, Ii
as writer would most respectfully ask to
= visited quickly by some active Samaritan, Q
re Dunlap street, between Bass avenue an
D. Court street extended, west side. Here is
J. row of tenements known as 1.-The Barracks,
Of now occupied by colored families, which, h
E. gether with space just south and adjoining
in and opposite the residence o. the well know
Is boot and shoe manufacturer, Mr.. Willia
Miller, cause more offensive effiuvia than Il
i Aueean stables of old. a pery small struc
n. ure, whose use 1t is unnecessary to mentiol
~ stands in the open space above described. ar
= at night, particularly, emits the most stiflin
s: loathsome and unbearable odors, which V
r. with the stenches of London's renowne
r BLEEDING Heart" yard. Many other plac'
~ might be named We earnestly hope tn
az ere long something will be done to clean
ID the city OF this foul rottenness. and thus &C
rs much to that winch. all long and hope for
ID the promotion Of health. wH.R.