The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-04-10
STATE BOARD OF KEkLTH.

The State Board of Health, which
was in session last week in Nashville
issued the following address to the
citizens of the towns and villages o.
the State
1873 viii long be remembered BY
the people of Tennessee as a year es'
pecially marked as one of disaster and
death. The yellow fever was brought
up the Mississippi river and fastened
its deadly fangs upon the city of Mem
phis. From thence it radiated
through the Western Division of our
State, carrying disfnay into almost
every household. Itdtd not stop here,
but travelling with dread fatality Oh
the lines IF the railroads and river, it
swept into the mountain city O. Chat
tanoogs, and into various towns and
cities of Kentucky. Nor were its av-
ages confined, as heretofore. 20 towns,
but it scattered all through the villa,
ges and farms of West Tennessee,
with = virulence and fatality unknown
heretofore III the annals of this dread
pestilential fever. It's damage to life
and property was beyond computation.
Commerce ceased at its approach.
Business Of every kind was distorted,
and the people suffered all the horrors
of disease and want. Had it not been
for the royal munihcence of our friends
and brethren throughout the Christian
world femme would have been added
to the horrors Of pestilence. But when
our people were Frustrated and dying,
powerless to stay the hand of the des-
troyer, the brotherhood Of the Ameri>
cans citizens asserted itself, overcame
all sectional jealousy, and they came
promptly to our assistance. The
scenes Of 1873 are liable to be repeat
ed. Althaugh no case of yellow fever
has YET bcen,;levelopedin our 6or1ers,
or indeed in the United States, there
is Il possibility Off recurrence with the
returning warmth of summer.
In view of this fact, the Legislature,
at its last session, just closed, by enact
ment enlarged the powers of the State
Board Of Health, giving it authoity tc
declare quarantine and to make santi-
ary rules and regulations with 4 view
to prevent the introduction and spread
of epidemic diseases into our borderr.
or, if possible, stamp them out should
they unfortunately get u footing in
our midst.
Though the General Government
has established u National Board of
Health, it gave it only advisory pow
ers, without means or money to aid
us in an emergency. And thus We
are thrown upon our own resources.
The establishment Of Site Board is
but Il step n the right direction, and
without The tho active cooperation of
the whole teyple of our State their efS
forts will be, ina great measure, futile.
Every one knows the Importance of
preventive measures. We all re-
member that some towns, almost with
in hearing Of the shrieks Of the dying,
by strict quarantine and seasonable
sanitary measures, escaped completely.
This exemption it was thought was
due to a determination, ineSDrably
carried out on the part Of the citizens
of those towns. However severe this
may work ;:pon few, it Is safety to
the MANY.
But 1t is to be hoped that by CO. /
operation of the local authorities with
The State Board of Health, should the (
Dccasion again arise, much alarm and |
needless sacrifice of life and property /
can tie prevented. -ArguIhents, how /
ever, on the p.opriety Of sanitary +,
measures are unnecessary, as the dear
ly bought experience Of last year is
conviction enough. TO gain the CO. /,
operation Of a people scattered over a
large extent of territory, it is absolute /
" necessary tc adopt uniform system
under which to operate. Without !
system Nothing can be done. With it |
'uch measures can he carried as will |
almost assure this state against anoth- /
,r invasion. In order to enforce such
as tie State Bo3rd in its
wisdom mag adopt, it il absolutely
Necessary that each town in the State
hall establish Board Of Health, as
lqxilliary to the State Board, and we
;cw appeal TO every city, town and
yillage in Tennessee to at once proceed
With the organization Of such boards.
They should be constituted of firm,
prudent and wise physicians, with one
II more intelligent citizens. They
nay have to take such action as will |
equire the experience of all these
qualities to the fullest extent They
nay be placed in such a condition as
will tax to the utmost all the best
powers of the human heart and brain.
20 assisted, the State Board would,
indeed, feel that half its labOrs were
lready accomplished. Without 1t,
Is efforts to secure safety would fall
o the ground. We therefore, appeal
o you all, in the name of our CONS
non humanity, to at once proceed to
rganized, they are requested to COM
nunicate at once with this board, that
is aid may at any time be envcked,
f found necessary. We especially
rge upon the citizens of the State to
rganize everywhere. Do not rest in
ancied security upon any wild theory
fatnosphericor Typographical ihmu,
ity. member Chattanooga.