Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-02-28
aau0n. y .hs HeaIlh Omeer.

with the compliments OF Mr.. deo. n
Nichols, the printer. As Of general interest
we make the following synopsis Of the most
important reports, principal Of which il
that Of DR.. ]. T. MacFarland, the efficient
Health Officer. After referring to the or
ganization of the Board of Sanitary Com
missioners, and the manner in which that
branch of the public service has been con.
Quoted, the Health Officer says concerning
the
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
Special care and attention has been given
| TO the sanitary condition of the city and sur
roundings, and many nuisances have beer
| abated.
The quarantine regulations Of this port
have been very rigid; so much so as to
cause demur In several instances
The Board, fully appreciating the trust
reposed In them, and the responsibility
| involved, at the same time being DESTROYS
| not to unnecessarily impede commerce,
have acted throughout the wear with deter
mination to do all In their power to prevent
the introduction by vessels OF any disease
| into the city.
Special attention has been directed to
ballast from infected or suspected ports.
No sand or mixed ballast has been allowed
to be brought to the city, aud until late In
| the month of November, even stone
ballast brought from such ports was
| discharged at Quarantine Station. The dis
charge OF ballast is considered absolutely
necessary to the thoroughly cleansing of q
| vessel, as the timbers cannot be reached
| without so doing. The carrying out of this
| important regulation necessarily caused
| some detention, which is increased by the
| lazy working Of the crews, and the want OF
additional wharf room, so as to allow more
| than one vessel to discharge at the same
time. The discharging of ballast, sweeten-
ing of bilges and timbers, with thorough
| fumigation, has been the uniform mode OF
| treating vessels subjected to quarantine.
No case Of infectious or contagious disease
has beenIbrought to this port during thelpast
year, nor has any case developed while yes
sells have been undergoing quarantine deten.
| ton; In fact, but one case OF sickness has
| been under the treatment of the
| quarantine officer, that being a Cap
/ tain Of an inland coastwise schoon-
| er, and the disease bilious fever. Wire
communication from the city to Quaran.
| tine Station is much needed. It is impossf.
BILE at many times for the quarantine off.
| Ger to reach the telegraph station on Tybee
| Island in consequence of stormy weather.
and very often, owing to the wind being
| from or to the station, the signal flag on
| Tybee Island wharf cannot be seen by him.
l have endeavored, by official communica.
tions, to secure a proposal from the Tele-
| phone Company to build line to Quaran-
tine Station, and rent same to the city, and
regret to say that, up to this time, my efforts
have been fruitless. During the year
l have made several official visits to the
| Quarantine Station, and report the building
and wharf In very good condition, the
| foundations of these having been much
| improved by the deposit of ballast. l avail
myself Of this opportunity to commend DIR.
j. A. Huger for the manner in which he
has discharged the arduous duties of his
Office.
In the month of August the Sanitary
| Board were officially notified by w. III.
| Elliott, NJ. D., Inspector National Board OF
| Health, that the Sapelo Quarantine Station,
located on Black Beard Island. was ready 10
receive vessels arriving off this port
| from infected or suspicious ports having
| sickness on board at time OF arrival or hav-
ing had same during voyage. In accord
| ance with instructions, | issued notice to
pilots, giving this information, and directed
them not to board such vessels but send them
| to the Sapelo Station. The establishment
OF this Quarantine Hospital will undoubted-
| lY be a great relief to our harbor, should in
fected vessels arrive, but fortunately to
date we have had no occasion to use 1t.
Each pilot has from time to time been fur
nished with printed quarantine regulations,
| and masters of vessels are now furnished
| by the quarantine officer with a printed
| copy of regulations governing them.
have made inspection Of the city prop
erty at Timber Landing known as the pest
house, and find the buildings, fencing and
other property in good condition and well
! cared for by the keeper. The city and port
having been exempt from smallpox, this
property has not been used as hospital.
| / have given medical and surgical atten
ton to the police force and the paid Fire
| Department.
have given fourteen burial certificates
for whites and one hundred and nineteen
for blacks and colored. OF these there were
still born, whites six, still born black and
colored seventy-One. Two physicians are
employed by the city to attend those who
are unable to pay for medical
attendance, and medicines are fur
nished free of cost. Many,
| particularly among the black and colored
do not avail themselves Of this proffered
charity. Why not, and the remedy, are
| problems 20 be solved. Until lately the
| National Board of Health have been doing
| this city unintentional but great injustice,
| by publishing the death rate of races con.
solidated. Under instructions of the Sanitary
Board, entered objection to the tabular
| form used and have succeeded In having
the report so amended as to show at glance
| the death rate of whites and colored sepa,
rate.
During the past year Savannah like many
| other Southern cities, was visited by an cpl
\ demic of dengue fever. The disease made
| its appearance in september and continued
until cold weather, very few persons In the
city escaping an attack. Diphtheria has ex-
listed in sporadic form throughout the year.
| Disinfecting and cleansing of sinks and
flxy 1rrl1
attended to where such cases have made
their appearance. With these exceptions,
our citizens have cause to be thankful for
| the good health which has prevailed. No
case of smallpox has occurred In our
midst, neither has any case been brought to
| Quarantine Station. The City Physicians
were supplied with bovine virus during
| January, 1880, and instructed to vacci-
nate the poor who came under
| lieve that vaccination under this instruction
did not become general. l now have a sup
ply of bovine virus, which will be used
under direction of the Sanitary Board, who
are DESTROYS Of furnishing the protection of
vaccination to all who are unable to pay for
it. 1t is to be hoped that some plan of &C
ton will be inaugurated by which VAGINA
ton will become general, as in this way
| only can our community be protected from
this dreadful seourge. Now, when our city
| is free from this disease, is the time to act
upon this very important sanitary meas
ure. Vaccination is the only protec-
| ton against small pox, and, although
this fact is so we'll known, it is aston
| ishin'g and lamentable to find so large a
portion of our community who are unpro-
tected by this simple but effectual safe
| guard.
In closing this report, l would most re-
pectfully bring to the consideration of the
municipal authorities, and the community
at large, the following suggestions:
First. That all applicants for admission
into public schools be required to produce
| a physicians certificate that they have been
| successfully Yaccinated, and that admission
| be refused until such certificate is pre-
| sented.
Second. That re-vaccination be advised,
as the necessity for the same is taught by
experience.
Third. That legislation be invoked to make
vaccination compulsory, or as nearly so as
the laws of the State will allow.
Fourth. That our citizens be advised and
urged to adopt the rule Of not employing
any servant. unless he or she is vaccinated,
or will at once submit to the operation.
A singular feature in the report is the
statement in reference to the medical and
surgical attention given members of the
Police and Fire Departments. During the
year there were 235 visits paid policemen at
the barracks, 43 visits to policemen at
home, and for the same period only visits
to firemen ct their stations, and ! at home.
1t will thus be seen that while the sick list
of the police was very large, that OF the fire.
men was exceedingly small.