National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-02-06

character manifested by the disease, the |
possibility of this occurrence will be nm
usually great, and source of infection once |
established, the experience of the past year
has shown too plainly the difficulty of re-
straining the spread of the disease. II Is |
probable that 1T is only in this way that
epidemcs Of yellow fever ever occur in the |
United States without the source of infection |
being directly imported from foreign places,
the testimony being overwhelmingly in
in favor of the disease never originating
here spontaneously. 1t has been decided
by the hest authorities on the subject that
the late epidemic might have been wholly
prevented or greatly limited by the operation
Of intellgently administered sanitary laws,
with q saving of human suffering aud of
commercial loss that it is impossible TO es-
innate. In view of this fact it is surpris-
ing enough TO see an effort made to delay
the action oil Congress in enactng the legis
lation which the whole country, and espe-
cially the South, demands A bill intro
duced by Senator WITHERs proposes to re-
| fer the whole matter of health legislation to
the National Academy of Sciences, who ARE
TO consider the subject and report to Con-
gress next winter scheme for sanitary
| legislation. There are two serious objec-
tions to this pan the first being that
while the National Academy are safely and
maturcly deliberating the question yellow
fever mny again be ravaging the districts
where it lately prevailed; and secondly,
| wifi NIL Ana o. t1,at In1
the National Academy of Sciences is not the
best source from which suggestions for
health legislation might emanate. Its mem-
bers are distinguished for their knowledge
| of nearly all branches of science; but those
directly connected with sanitary matters,
and it is safe to say that there are
but few members of the body who
have any practical knowledge or experience
in public health matters, and, without
doubt, the academy could better decide on
almost any subject likely to be referred to
them than on the one in question. Such
reference, too, seems wholly unnecessary,
Congress having appropriated q large sum
Of money for sccu ring the desired inGorma-
ton and appointed board of experts for
this purpose. In their report they have
presented all the information attainablc in
this country and recommended the extern
sion of the inquiry TO the West Indies,
where the disease is always in existencea and
may be studied under more favorable cir
cumstances than under its epidemic preva-
lcnce. The board recommend simple and
practical scheme of legislation which prom
iscs to secure immunity from the importa-
tion of disease, or to limit its extension if
it obtains foothold, with the least possible
inconvenience to commerce. Congress is,
therefore, in possession of all the informa-
tion attainable that can be Of any practical
use in legislation.
The prevalence Of the plague in South
eastern Europe and the danger of its extern
sion to this country, either by vessels sailing
directly from the Black Sea, or intermedi-
ately through the various European ports
with which we have communication, is an
other powerful reason for insisting on such
action by Congress Ms will secure us from
such terrible visitations. The conditions
: favorable for the spread of this scourge, il
, once introduced, exist over much larger
extent than those favorable for the spread OF
! yellow fever and although the plague has
, been considered as thing or the past, the
-, experience of the last summer teaches us
= the facility with which an apparently eX.
tinct scourge may be redeveloped when il
l. gains foothold in localities where favorable
q conditions exist. The bills introduced By
4 Senators MATTHEWS and HARRIS, re-
, spectively, are each well calculated to NEE
If the end in view, and on the remedy of som,
n imperlections in detail, which will readily
= become apparent under discussion, the pas
n sage of either of these billswill secure TO th
country the means protecting itselfagains
!. the introduction and spread of contagious
y diseases.