Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-08-11
KILL OR CURE
Is the Plan Suggested by Or. COchrans
Of the National Board Of Health.

urges the removal Of all unacelimate
people until there is no fuel here to fee
the epidemici also the removal Of the sic
to camp hospitals outside Of the city ais
the isolation of infected persons and place
within the limits of the city, and disinfeC
ton, as far as an existing knowledge make
it possible, of infected clothing, bedding
and dwellings.
DR.. Cochrane says he understands how
hard it win be to drive people out Of tn,
city who may be unwilling to 60, also how
hard and thankless a thing it is to under
take the wholesale removal of the sicE
from their homes to hospitals, but he
thinks the policy worthy of trial. He
will not guarantee that this plan will
check the epidemic, but it is worth while,
he says, 10 exhaust every possible device
in the attempt to check it. No disgrace,
in his opinion, win attach to a failure, but
great credit will result if it is successful.
He thinks the National board of health
would do wisely to expend s50,OO0to $780,
600 in quenching the fever here.
The foregoing is the substance of a dis
patch DR.. Coehrane sent to Washington
last Saturday, and he asked that it be
shown to DR.. R. w. Mitchell, who is now
there.
The most sensible remarks on the sub
jet Of DIR. Cochrane's impracticable, net
to sayinhuman proposition to experiment
on our inhabitants, with a view of trying
to stop the yellow fever, were made Sat
urday evening at the Planters Insurance
building meeting of the authorities and
Others by Rev. DR.. Dalzell. The reverend
gentleman v~entilates the SEXUAL situation
as follows: He believed disinfection md
isolation altogether impracticable at the
present time. If there was one focus
there were twenty foci of the disease IN
the city-at least twenty centers of infec-
ton. As far as the character of the dis
ease was concerned, physicians might
readily disagree as to malignity. In some
cases it was SO mild as to raise a doubt of
if being yellow fever at all; yet within
twenty feet Of such cases others had been
encountered of the most malignant ma
ture. 1t was vain TO talk about isolation
and disinfection, because in the same
day cases had occurred in widely
separated localities. Everything had been
done to depopulate the city. A number
of people had shown a decided disincli-
nation to leave the city. For this there
were powerful reasons. The little prom.
erty they have accumulated would be
probably gone when they returned. For
himself he had a wife and child who had
never had the fever. His wife had posi-
lively refused to go unless he did So. He
remained, because there were duties that
kept him and many others were in the
same situation. Wholesale depopulation
Of the city was impracticable. The au-
thorities were rigidly adhering to the rule
had adopted not to issue any rations
except to the people in camps. He knew
this, because he had seen more than one
stricken widow and orphan crying for
oreaS. and getting none. The %proposi-
non Of DIR. Cochrane came too late. He
the removal of a patient to a
or elsewhere, even in the early
stages Of the disease, highly dangerous
had seen it tried often, and in every
Instance the patient died. He would not
allow any member Of his family to be
'emoyed, except by physical force.
As to the future, no one could tell
'nything about it, but judging from
experience in the past, would say that
is not doomed to undergo a
'reat epidemic. Speaking of the rules Of
he National board, the doctor said they
must go on as they have for a month past
appointing inspectors, and so forth
The Hon. John League came TO the
and defended the third class by say
ng everything had been done to remove
be first and second classes from the city.
he did not support the argument of
Cochrane in his proposal to remove
he third class by force. In spite of op-
however, 4 resolution offered by
ieneral w. ]. Smith was adopted. It is
s follows:
Resolved, That this meeting indorses
ne suggestions and recommendations
ubmitted by DIR. jerome Cochrane for
he depopulation, isolation and disinfec-
OF the city, and the removal of the
lex 70 camp hospitals, and we urge upon
ne National board of health TO promptly
ar-y INTO effect said recommendations.