Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-16

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"PubIic health Is public wealth" has some
time been repeated for an axiom, and corpo.
rations aim at securing share Of the public
wealth: can they therefore either Justly or
safely disregard the public health
a. For some years the National Government
has sustained a meteorological service for the
benefit Of the agricultural and commercial in
terests These are the very interests which
support railroads, and it Is plainly an advant-
age to the companies to cooperate with and
extend this service. both to enable them to
guard their own property from damage by
storms, and for the benefit of agriculturists
who give them business. The cost would pe
trivial, for the observations could be made and
forwarded byt egraph operators; and it is not
impossible tn the necessary instruments
would be furn shed by. the government The
utilization of is branch of railroad sanitation
with the Mai onal Signal Service would be so
manlfestly advantageous to all concerned that
it could not fail of adoption.
s. Railroad companies are constantly liable
to receive persons and animals affected with
contagious diseases for Transportation in their
cars, and no one would assert that it is proper
to admit them. lt is too much to expect that
the ordinary officers of company could be
depended on &c Eel and ward off all dan
ger of this kind. come advantage might be
derived from printed rules. prepared by pro-
feSsional man, but instances would arise call
ing for medical diagnosis; and then physi-
clans certificate should be obtained to settle
the doubts of a station agent or a train con-
ductor, before admitting a suspected person
generally
shipped only at few important stations, It
would be easy to have the herds inspected by
an expert beforehand.
1t is beyond question that many animals are
destroyed and many more injured during
transportation by overcrowding and by con-
hnemt mt too long without food and water
Strict rules should be framed to govern this
kind of traffic, and nothing short Of special
supervision can secure their enforcement
Safety requires that this supervision should be
exercised from a sanitary standpoint and so
often that its influence may never be wanting
g. The experience of the yellow fever cpl
demic of 1873 taught the managers OF railroads
running out Of New Orleans particularly the
usefulness of medical officers in their service
curing actual or threatened pestience. The
judicious efforts of sanitarians in 1879 prevented
a general resort to the shotgun guarantees
which characterized the year 1878. Had there
been a sanitary organization in 1878 upon the
railroads, 1t is certain that they would have
been spared much pecuniary loss, and the
people along their lines much needless alarm
and deprivation of The comforts of life.
In the presence Of danger from pestilence
people look to their physicians The medical
adviser of q railroad company can come to a
rational and probably satisfactory understand
ing with his professional brethren; and, if the
people are distrustful, he can bring medical
men to meet them whom they will trust.
Occasions arise when legislation or discus
sions of questions in medical or other bodies
affect the sanitary and material interest of
railroads. and when their accredited medical
representatives might be of great benefit.
Their value would be most appreciated in
their absence, as with life-preservers in a ship
wreck
But whatever advantage might be claimed
for railroad sanitation, either to the public or
to the companies, the question of its adoption
by any management will turn upon its proba-
bic financial success I6 seems to be generally
agreed that any system of relief maintained
by railroad company is better than to let the
victims of accidents shift for themselves and
look for reimbursement in the courts. To put
the service directly under the general manage
ment would be like leaving the workshops or
the operation of the road without separate
supervision. The superintendent is ex-
pense, but it is not presumed that men are
the best judges Of what they are to do at a
particular time, though they may know how
to do it.
as to physical defects, there can be little
doubt thatit will cost a company more to find
them out by a series Of accidents than to pay
a medical man to discover them before the
men are trusted with lives and property.
In fact every feature of this service is design
ed to Secure the company against pecuniary
losses. l. By reducing the cost Of actual dis
asters to the lowest amount. 2 By adopting
precautions to obviate disasters. g. By pre-
serving the health and securing the efficiency
Of employees. a. By avoiding the stigma Of
common carriers Of contagion and desLroYers
of live stock, with its incidental losses. g. By
oOviating interruption of business through
quarantine Instructions and expensive law
suits for damages to person and property. 1t
has, therefore, the essential nature of insur-
aUce with the substitution of the element of
prevention in place Of reimbursement What
a gain would it be TO fire and marine insurance
if this substitution could be achieved by any
system capable of formulation
A few remarks upon the personnel of a rail-
road sanitary service might here be appro-
pirate. Suppose ,UCO miles of single track road
to be under the same general management, one
medical man should be capable of exercising
sanitary Superintendent over tbs whole But
Z nn6QrCf0O0
private practice and every other occupation
except this duty. Then there should be a dis
trlct surgeon at every point where the crews
of trains shift. The workshops would natu-
rally fall into this arrangement District sur
geonS would attend the hospitals and be sent
for in case of accidents within their own or ad-
joining districts. These surgeons might attend
TO private practice. Their compensation from
the company would be according to a settled
tariff for surgical cases. Hospital service and
the medical attendance of employees and their
families might be at a fixed salary.
Examinations for physical condition Of en-
ployes would be made and carefully recorded
by the chief surgeon, and he would also be the
inspector of hospitals and all wounded per-
sons. at every point where cattle in large
numbers are shipped there must be an in
spector of stock "a physician or veterinarian
to see that no diseased animals are admitted
and the rules enforced relative to overcrowd-
ing, etc.
In addition to the above, It might be expe-
dent to make arrangements with local physi-
clans at all important stations along the lines
to render service, in case of accidents at fixed
rates CT compensation.
l can not doubt that such sanitary oreani-
cation would conduce to the common benefit
of companies and employees; to the latter by
contributing to their health and comfort to
the former by diminishing Interruptions and
in their operations, while
their mutual relations would become
more harmonious and friendly. In
like manner its influence would be
salutary, as affecting the relations of the
company with the public. Notwithstanding
the proveTbial recklesSness Of the average
American traveller touching his personal
safety, there is large fraction who value Sc
curity from preventable accidents and dis
eases. and would manifest preference for a
where this consideration is recog-
nized. They are the most intelligent and in
fuential portion of the public, and the best
patrons of transportation companies. In the riv-
airy of numerous and competing routes, manag-
ers are wont to boast Of the advantages which
they offer in respect to economy speed comfort,
and even safety. Liberal expenditures are
made to promote speed and comfort. in the
confident expectation that they will be re-
turned in augme nted business receipts.
It is certain that much might be done for
safety in the manner herein indi-
Gated, and that the public might be invited to
appreciate the offer through the usual adver-
tising mediums. There is good reason to pre-
sumo that many would be sensible to such an
and give preference to the safer
pathway. Thus the premium on the insurance
would be returned, and the saving of life and