The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-10
Evening session.


Al half-pnHt o'clock the society reas-
sembled, when DR., Bemiss advanced and said:
Gentemea- returned to this city on
yesterday / was Informed by the chairman Of
the committee on arrangements that our presi-
dent could not meet with ny On this occasion.
pected that should make the opening address.
With but a few hours. notice, and with some
siderable portion q that time. It Is simply I'm
possible To ll In = manner satisfactory, either
TO you or myself. the role OF our absent chief
tempt at discharge of duty, shall claim for
this attempt q few minutes only Of your time.
This Ia a period when the meetings. of medi-
usual Interest. The whole country, from Maine
to Texas, IL excited and anxious IN regard to
inyasions of epidemic diseases. The demands
CT the people are that some action be taken
which Is to give them more security agains.
epidemic visitations. While the prevention and
treatment OF apidemics represent but frag.
ment Of the practitioners duties M summed
together, the occasions OF their outbreak and
prevalence are periods of unusual reeponsibi-
lily %r ook to US Tor
eriSin and spread. They often demand 4
which, shall amount to positivs fnowiedse 'e Of
L. essentially ay in be shaety we o''g sSs
In respect 10 aome of our epidemic disease. If
the remark may not be true ~ applied TO all OF
them. But II is question pertinent to our
selves. whether we mny not study more closely
and more methodieally than hitherto, the con
ditions and circumstances affecting the devel
oaasee WHAT aesre 70 eSpress il ths cone
clusion that a fun knowledge OF all the facts
connected with the origin. mode. OF spread and
subsistence. or arrest of epidemics. will enable
us to accomplish q wonderful amount Of good
in restricting their progress. But It L. also
ohy 70 - sSaas ha labor e ye
sMpersede that higher ambition which is urx-
Inc various members of our profession to
patient and iltul efforts to bring into the sun
light of our knowledge, the hidden cause of at
least one Of our epidemic maladies- Yellow
ma recent destructive epidemic of yellow
fever In this State should make 1t a point Of
consideration aud discussion during the pres.
emit meeting. | do not mean to recommend i, That
the various opinions held respecting, points in
ia natural history which are not fully under
WHICH are likely to arise Ia future outbreaks
One of the most important Of these questions Ii
the proper CONSTRUCTION and administration o.
OF showing In strong language their independ
ence of legal statutes shot gun auarantines.'
1t is not at all necessary Tor US 10 give any m
general advisability OF such measures for the
arrest Of the spread Of yellow fever. In the pres
eof s aeon Il thef Il 9
result 81 reported cases or that disease.
think. therefore, 1t would be prudent action Of
our RtTi ~ dppOiut SouiAituocs ~ SoAAo VI sAA'
most populous or exposed parishes. Whose
duty 1t should be tn endeavor to give such a oil
rection to the construction and management 9
these guarantees that they should net be en-
forced unless justihabl-; and when enforced
that they should be deprived Of that unneces
sary rtRor which attended their execution II
1878. 1t happened not infrequently during thu
late epidemic that the sick were deprived Q
medical advice OF supplies necessary for theil
recovery and Of proper attention. by lines O
armed men, whose ideas OF duty contemplated
the protection OF those over whom they stooC
guard and none Others
But while We bestow merited degree of at
tention upon that direfol disease which has &C
recently robbed us of some Of the best of oul
other agencies exist In our midst which wage
lncessant war upon human health. First to bt
named in this list is the malaral poison.
Jake IL TO be strictly true that no considerable
MTrsa 81 this State is exempt from this poison
Mhre me laws which govern its evolution art
Msl Understood. we are nowerless to ntercep
as deSeiopment because the measure of drain.
posstIuVeiy necessary to this end cannot a
Dresent be undertaken. 1t may q honad thaI
cr ~ very distant day sanitary surveys may be
Rna Sasu under the supervision of the Nationa
iii ~ neaitn looking to the arrest az maIa.
az diseases Is those localities III this State IA,
tAlty reports sois Al 'iie nief
ab Su,, gentlemen we have very much to confa,
aeeous TeRaTdlnG the heath of tina I'M
NJ. 49, state One Of the nrohams u, /.
Mu,tvny Of our consideration enhra s wv ~
matrnnss,i Nohuauon aud reouirements ~ az on
fne.Iopoils. AS You are we'll awara IL ~ vi gu gu
frequently spoken of as verv ~ Is a CIT
Al ctVlilzed sanitary precepts Again II ~ LII y y
81 Inc plague SPOT of the nation r. - - Ssii
0e looked upon as In reality deserving nni,h