Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-03-13
OuEENswARE,
THE NATIONAL BOARD OF HEALTH

power lodged in the national board of
health, some of its members or friends
have caused to be introduced health
bill, which, if passed, will clothe it
with still more absolute and danger
GUS power This bill provides that the
national board of health, or, in the in
tervals of its sessions, its executive
committee, as hereinafter provided,
shall make report to the president Of
the United States whenever any place
in the United States is considered by
it to be dangerously infected with
contagious or infectious disease, ard
that, upon official publication by the
president of such report the trans
portation of goods or persons from
! such place into the state, other than
1 that within such place is, shall be
unlawful, etc. This would give to a
, few doctors, living thousand miles
of who never saw case of yellow
fever in their lives powcr to throttle
the commerce of sea ports, railroads,
cities and states, upon mere suspicion.
The bill goes On to afix penalties, and
directs that such places are "consid-
cred dangerously infected" shall re-
main under the ban until the presi-
dent shall by proclamation remove
the disability. Who is to "con-
sidern whether a place is in
fected or not? The national board
of health or its executive committee.
This startling proposition has aroused
even the state board OF health at
Nashville, which, in consideration Of
the important interests involved and
the enormous power conferred, have
memorialized congress, as follows;
Crytog OF THE BOARD OF HEALrH,)
NASHVILLE TESN.,
March /, 1880
DEAR SIR: At recent meeting Of
the board Of health of this city, the
undersigned were directed to memo
rialize our senators and representa-
tiVes in congress, to the end that they
may use their influence and their
votes to defeat the passage of the first
section of senate bill 1882, entitled,
"To increase the efficiency Of the ma
tional board of health, - and which is
now pending before congress.
We, therefore, would respectfully
inform you that it is the sense of our
board that the contemplated amend
ment is highly nexpedient, and it is
calculated to infict serious detrimont
to the commercial interest Of a city,
y without compensatinggood. 1t would
place the decision Of special case Of
disease in the hands Of those who are
y at least foreign to the local welfare
and prosperity-ignorant Of the ante
cedents and surroundings. Further
more. the enactment OF such law
would give occasion to conflict Of
opinion and authority in matters
strictly medical, thereby rctarding the
progress Of sanitary work rather than
fostering and encouraging it. Trusting
that your concern for our local welfare
will induce you TO give this memorial
your early and attentive consideration,
we have the honor to be your obcdient
servants,
!. r. BUST, NJ. d., President.
r. CHEATuAM, NJ. d., Secretary
Tie following reply has been re-
ceived from Hon. Casey Young.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
WASHINGTON, D. G., March T. 1880.
Ny Dear Sir ! am in receipt OF your
favor of the lst inst, and will examine
the Objectionable provision in the bill
to which you refer. | am Of opinion
that the National board ofhealth al
ready has more power than is compat-
lbIe with the public interest, and am
not disposed to extend it beyond its
present limit. should be very glad
to have your own and the views Of
other officers In the south in respect
to future legislation on this subject,
as ! am somewhat in doubt as to the
precise course which it is proper for
congress to pursue. Very respcctlully,
CASEY YOUNG.
J. X. Buist, NJ. D., President Board
Of Health, Nashville, Tenn.
Favorable replies have also been re-
.k.ce;vcd rom Mossrs. Whilthorne,
House and Atkins, The people Of
Nashville and other cities have no
particular objection to make to the
fareical quarantine established around
Memphis late ia the season last year /;
but as there is a possibility Of this
chicken coming home to roost, they
do ina new light The American
points out two instances where United
States inspectors were ready, in 1879,
to declare that yellow fever had made
its appearance il Nashville, al
though there was not then, and
has never been, case Of yellow
ever originating in Nashville, even
among refugees frOm Memphis.
The American says: "Notwithstand-
ing our proximity to Memphis, and
close connections, but very few cases
were brought here from Memphis in
1878, and none in 1879, Notwith-
standing this, two cases, oncof whisky
liver in q confirmed drunkard the
other an ordinary case Of malarial
fever, from which the patient rccov-
cred, were pronounced yellow fcvcl