The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-08-07
$3.50. q fFsr the Dispntcii:l
yellow. FeSer fin the sonIn , s..1
~ 80 wa1fnnal B0afa OF HensIisssss -.

ssincs the recent Sap $50 o,l
foyer in Memphis nnfriendly cr'.. I'VE ,sso,,
the mart Of tile press have bcen nasss,up sron
tt,e supposed fnacttun OF tue haiionai y ,afa
Of Health. Such criticisms are pas',d upon
\ complete nliscoHception as 20 che ch2rac.
ter and extent o! the authority conferred
upou this Beard by the acts OF Congress
which def..le its powers anu prescribe 10
duties.
Urder the constituting act, approved
Morch al the movers OF the Board are
stric,Iv limited TO The task OF investigating
the nature and causes Of yellow:feyer IN
tha niaces where 1t is endemic, and OF re-
nortinr TO the next Congress plan tor
nermaneut health organization. In fuins-
mont of the former OF these duties COM
missIon composed OF eminent yelloW-ieVer
aynrrts has been sent to Cuba. and IS now
actively engaged in the investigation OF
thot disease by all the means known 10 SCI
ence. :.
CONGRESS = bill was introduced by Senator
Harris. OF Tennessee, which gave full au-
thnritv TO the Board of Health to frame
rnles and regulations relating 10 quaran-
tine. both maritime and inland. and by
which II was "charged with the execution
| of the provisions OF this and all other Jaws
| TO prevent the introduction OF contagious
or infectious diseases into the United
States, and the enforcement OF all quaran-
tine regulations established by law, lindef
the authority OF the United States, IN re-
snect TO all vessels and vehicles engaged IN
! commerce with foreign nations and among
the States, whether by land or water" AS
| mirbt have been expected, this bill ehcoun-
tered such determined opposition in the
Senate, in which it originated, that on a
| fest vote it was recommitted. with virtual
| instructions TO the committee to dlYest 1t OF
all the features which were in conflict with
| tue paramount rights OF the STATES IN re-
| spcct to sanitary legislation.
The amended bill, which finally passed
both branches of Congress, and was ap-
proved June Cd, distinctly recognizes these
rights Of the States, and consequently con-
lers upon the National Board Of Health no
other authority than that OF aiding State
and munici.;al boards Of health in the exc
cution and enforcement OF their rules and
regulations. Such authority is conferred by
section OF the act 10 question, in these
terms:
1.-THE National Board of Health shall CO.
operate with and, so far as it lawfully may,
aid State and municipal boards OF health in
the execution and enforcement of tue rules
the introduction OF contagious or infectious
diseases into the United States from foreign
countries and into one State from another"
1t is true that in the succeeding clauses
Of the same section authority is given to the
Board in certain contingency-that,n name
", OF the State or local authorities failing or
refusing to make adequate provision for
the emergency, then 10 "report the flcts to
the President of the United States, WHO
shall, il in his iudom ent it is necessary and
proper, order said Board Of Health to make
such additional rules and regulations as are
nc cessary to prevent the introduction Of
such diseases into tue United States from
foreign countries, or into one State from
another, which, when so made and APP
proved By the President, shall be promu:
gated by the National Board OF Health and
enforced by the sanitary authorities OF the
States, where the States vii! undertake to
execute and enforce them; but ii the State
authorities shall fail o. refuse to enforce
said rules and regulations, The President
may detail an officer or appoint il proper
parson for that purpose"
With reference TO this clause let it suffice
to say that the contingency for the applica.
ton Of this long aud tedious process which it
requires has not yet occurred. On the con-
trary, 4 large aiority OF the States, whose
invasion by the yellow-fevcr is threatened
proXimately or remotely, have adopted rules
and regulations rcctmmt nded by the Ma
tonal Board of Health, While others have
resorted to yet more stringent measures
measures not approved by the Board of
Health as unnecessarily leading to all the
cruelties of the so-caIled "shot-gun quar-
antine," but with which the Board Las no
authority to interfere. ~ 81.
To carry out the intent Of the law, :. AS
| far as it lawfully may" the Board proceed
ed to frame rules aud regulations believed
TO be suitable and adequate. This duty
was performed in consultation with large
number of State and municipal health Off
GERS at q conference held at Atlanta, Ga,
early in May, to which all saniIarlans were
invited. A second consultation was subSc-
qucntly had in Washington, and the result
was the adoption of certain rules, which
were widely circulated, and which, as III
ready intimated. have been generally adopt
ed by the State and municipal authorities
OF the Mississippi Valley, as well rs ny
most Of the State boards Of health of Tie
Atlantic States. By thus adopting these
rules, as recommended by the National
Board OF Health, they make them tlcir
own, and then it is competent Tor t"e Na-
tiona Board to aid in their cAtcll'i'i
by pecuniary contributions. ana y. ~
vice and counsel given by tue l'aio "S.,'.e
of the Board on the spot. Iae>c 'srn's'
under the title OF sanitary inspectors, nav, n"'I
heen selected with great care from Tue iead-
ino members of the medical profession
throurhout the southern States, anu are
Enown RI he eXpcrts in the matter OF yell
inu, f.ver 70 which they have been accli-
r,,tod in former epidemics. Applications
fnr {. ,jd.n duly authenticated 10y the Gov
a,.,or of the State or the chief municipal
eeicar az a city. and endorsed by the resi-
dnnt orents OF the Board, are promptly con-
STIRRED and acted upon. Early in July
c;rcnar was addressed to State and munich
nal boards of health setting forth the cond-
lions under which such applications should
be made, specifying, amongst other things,
the necessity Of itemiZed estimates as pro-
per in the nature Of things and as required
bv the law, which prcscribes that the money
placed at the disposal OF the Board shall
" be disbursed under the direction OF the
Secretary Of the Treasury on estimates to
be made by the National Board OF Health
and TO be approved by him."
1t may be added that the measures re-
ferrcd to are at the same time comprehen-
siye and minute, and provide for almost
every conceivable emergency, however far
they may fall short Of accomplishing all that
is desired towards the prevention CT the
spread OF the subtle and mysterious yellow
fever poison. They are set forth in Il series
OF publications, OF which the following arc
the principal ones:
/. Rules and regulations for securing the
best sanitary condition OF vessels, including
their cargoes, passengers, and crews, COM
inp into the Tinted Statpc frnm INV foroirp