Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-09-19

A FEW days ago Surgeon General
(O Hamilton, of the Marine Hospital
Service, assured the country, through
the Associated Press, that his precau-
tions were of so extraordinarya char
acter as to preclude the possibility Of
the spread Of yellow fever. Now he
tells us, through the same medium,
that there is no danger in the North.
ern cities from any yellow fever this
season, but that, unless greater pre-
cautions are taken than now seem
probable in the South, there will be
great danger next year. There are
fears that refugees have escaped be
yond the cordOns within which the
government has endeavored to con6ne
them, and have brought clothing,
bedding and other infected material
into the upper part Of Texas,
rom which the disease may spread
next year. The Governor Of Texas
has declined the proposition that all
the ranches in that vicinity be
searched for infected clothing" This
proves that DIR. Hamilton, when he
superserviceably entered upon the
duties Of the National Board of
Hsalth, did not know what he was
doing, and that he cut of more than
be can chaw." AS supervising sani.
tary inspector, he is, by his own con
fession, a dead failure. In 1879 the
quarantine of the National Board of
Health was so complete and so tight
that not even a mouse could escape
detection, and the business public was
satisfied and the country gratiRed.
The contrast between then and now
must be a painful one for Surgeon
General (2) Hamilton.
The above appears, interrogation
points and all, in the Appeal Of this
morning. We call attention to the
last few lines in regard to the quaran-
tine of 1879, and will add few incon.
trOvertible statements on the mouse
question. We bad a quarantine at
Memphis, it is true. There was a
Gordon of pickets around the
city. There we're inspectors
and inspectors, and regular
trains and packets stopped
running. Yet as a real quarantine it
wasa farce. Hundreds Of people passed
in and out every day. Mr.. John
johnson, who is here to speak for
himself, issued thousands Of passes.
He had a clerk to fill up the blanks,
and it kept him busy day and night.
The blanks we're printed at the
LEDGER office, and we can give the
number ordered by Mr.. johnson, if re-
quired. The steamer Clarence, small
boat, run as a regular packet up and
down the river for the convenience Of
those within the lines. The Macaroni
ans, social organization, went out on
an excursion every SUndayand mingled
freely with people in the country. A
big traffic was carried on between the
people Of the inside and the outside
world by means of skiffs. The river
men brought In fruit, melons, green
corn, vegetables Of all kinds and car
riedoutsuch staple articlesas the coun.
try people ordered General Luke Il.
Wright, for further illustration, came
through tbelin to attend the August
election, and his influence had much
do with carrying the
city for the so 4 measure submitted to
the people. Almost anybody could
obtain a pass by the asking. Thous
ahds Of people passed freely through
the lines. ItwaS a quarantine in name,
but farce in fact. The only good
that could possibly be claimed for it
was that it preserved some show Of
discipline and authority within the
city, and may have prevented the
people of the interior from tearing up
railroads and destroying bridges.
That was the quarantine that could
keep out a mouse. Why, a whole
circus could have passed through if
there had been any occasion for it.
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