The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-09-03
LETTER FROM DIR. WRIT JOHNSTON.
Explanation Of His Action in Regard to
the Report Of Yellow Fever
at StarkVilIe
Jackson, Mss, August %, 1879.

JACKSON, Miss, August %, 1879.
EDITORS CLARION:
/ A special dispatch from Starkville, touching
my action in connection with the recent report
| of yellow fever at that place, having appeared
in several newspapers calls for an explanation
from me-
The telegram referred to does not present all
of the facts in the case, and Is calculated 10
produce the erroneous impression that my
whole purpose was to circulate the report &c
injure the town, and does not even intimate
that my purpose might have been sincere and
honorable, in the discharge of my duties as q
health officer of the State. 1t is singular thai
the author did not embrace in his dispatch all
of the facts in the case, which he could easily
have done had he chosen to inform himself
In fact the telegram to me from the National
Board of Health was in the hands of the
President of the Board of Health OF Starkville
| oath inst, before the date of the dispatch
/ (25th inst.,) that appeared in the Vicksbure
Herald.
On August I'D, received the following
telegram from DR.. T. J. Turner Secretary
National Board of Health:
\
To Writ Johnston any member State Board
of Health, jackson, Miss:
Information has been received at this Office as
! follows: c. W. Townsend, Mayor Starkville,
Miss, writes me twentieth inst, that there are
three cases of fever in that place and wants me
TO advise with their Board of Health ID. w. n.
Ames, President. Carried there from Memphis.
(Signed) TURNER.
Immediately after its reception, l sent the
follnyUinfr faIaOrarn 70 tba r a..
Starkville Board of Health;
JACKSON, Miss, August 22d, 1879.
To DIR. w. y. Ames, President Board of Health,
Starkville, Miss:
Information received at this office of yellow
fever at Starkville. If true, induce your people
TO leave. Isolate eases. When cases recover
die, burn bedding and fumigate houses.
Most important thing is to induce every one to
leave. Telegraph me particulars
WRIT JOHNSTON, Secretary
1 also telegraphed DR.. Turner that would be
glad if he would advise as requested.
The following was sent the Boards of Health
at ten places on the line of the NJ. q o. Rail
road:
JACKSON, August odd 1879.
To -- President Board of Health:
Three cases Of yellow fever reported at
Starkville.
WRIT JOHNSTON, Secretary.
Late on the evening of the 23d reply was
received from the President OF the Board Of
Health st Starkville, informing,me that the re-
port was not correct, and l at once wrote a
communication to each Board OF Health to
whom had telegraphed the report, including
copy of the telegram from the National
Board of Health, and copy of the one from
Starkville denying the correctness of the re-
port. Thus [ corrected the report at every
point where / announced it.
The same day that l received the telegram
from Washington, several daily papers pub
lished an Associated Press dispatch announc-
ing four instead of three.'cases of yellow fever
at Starkville, and saying that an Inspector of
the National Board had been ordered there
to investigate the report. L am ignorant
of the authorship of that dispatch, and am in
no way responsible for it. So far as l know
this is the first time the telegram to me has
appeared in print.
The information to me was official and from
source that l never questioned 1t was GER
tain to my mind that the National Board of
Health had received letter over the name OF
party known to be Mayor OF Starkville, and
that that Board was requested to advise with
party known to be the President OF the County
Board of Health. Therefore, no doubt was
left in my mind as to the reliability of the re-
port. The Secretary of the National Board
had perhaps never seen the signature of the
Mayor of Starkyille, and therefore had no
reason to doubt the genuineness of the letter
Banks have been known to pay out large sums
of money on forged checks.
am certain that my action in regard to
the report concerning Starkville would, under
similar circumstances, have been the same in
regard to any other place.
WRIT JOHNSTON
Secretary State Board of Health.