Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-10-08
ToN's STATEMENT.
OFFICE BOARD OF HEALTH. :
PENSACOLA. Fla. Oclnher q 1850 1

n,
PENSACOLA. FLA, October 3, 1887 I
The statement of Surgeon General Ham,
ilton, of the Marine Hospital Service, prop
agated throughout the country yesterday, bv
means OF the Associated Press, and received
here yesterday evening through the newspa-
pers. requires some notice at our hands.
We are not responsible fer what is said in
Geographic correspondence or newspaper
editorials. But although the surgeon-gen-
erals statement is prefaced by complaint
against these, yet before closing the whole
force of his TRADE is directed against Gov
Bloxham and the Pensacola Board of
Healih-especially the latter.
1t is not true that we have made any at
tack upon the National Board of Health.
Some disappointment was felt at first at the
answer of that body 20 our appeal for aid,
but this was owing entirely to misa pprehen-
sion of the facts. AS soon as these were
understood entire confidence and good feel
ing were restored, and the most cordial and
harmonious feelings have continued to pre-
vail between that body and ourselves.
DIR. Hamilton has made gross misstate-
meuts of other facts when he asserts that the
Pensacola Board OF Health wsnted money,
not assistance, and If assistance were fur
nished they wished the government to take
sides with them in their quarrel with the
mayor. He makes charges which, IL we
and courteous language would be pro-
nounced UNANIMOUSLY false; but as TO which
we shall only say that he has been
pitiably misinformed. 1t is true we wanted
money, but it was money for the relief of the
sick, suffering and destitute, not for the
maintenance of sanitary Gordon through
the piny woods OF Florida and Alabama. OF
what possible benefit 10 the sick and suffer-
ing of this community, or the healthy
all rhara h. 1f 4
gawky sentinels, doing and lounging
among the cattle ranges and turpentine
plantations of these woods? The people
who live among them are more efectaally
protected, if protection is needed, by the
precautions prompted BY their own Tears
than they would be by score of consecutive
sanitary cordons with an army of seutinels
TO man them. Nobody can pass from PEN
sscols in any direction through this already
existing voluntary and vigilant Gordon.
Even our mails are not permitted to pass
unless subjected TO inspection and fumiga-
ton. sometimes not even then.
This board has not and never had any
quarrel with Mayor Tarble. He is ez.o5ielo
a member of the board, but for reasons best
known 10 himself be has never thought
proper 10 take his seat or TO act with US in
any way. We have never interfered or sought
to interfere in any way with his civic
functions as mayor of this city or collector
of its port, which Office he also holds.
Mayer and Collector Tarble, in con-
versation with a member of this board, dis
tinctly asserted that the Marine Hospital
service would not contribute a cent TO the
relief of the sick and needy, otherwise than
by the establi shment of Gordon for the pro-
lection of persons outside of it. When asked
what possible good this could do to the dis
tressed sufferers, he answered that il would
give employment to many persons now un-
employed.
Now, we have no objection whatever 10
make to the use by Collector Tarble, DIR.
Hamilton or any other officer of the Treas
ury Department of funds in the hands OF
that department for any purpose they may
think fit, but we certainly cannot as Board
of Health or Individuals make ourselves,
party to any such monstrous imposition
upon the public as the representatives of the
establishment of DIR. Hamilton's Gordon of
job sentinels as measure OF relief 10 the
sufferers of Pensacola. We do not object to
the patronage which il would give them, or
to the influence which they would acquire in
the ensuing election or otherwise, but we re-
specdully decline to become parties to
Justification of the true character and effect
of such an enterprise.
DR.. Hamilton pleads that he can use the
funds at his disposal only for the suppress
sion of epidemics. We know no more effec-
tual means of suppressing an epidemic than
the relief or recovery of those afflicted by it.
Certainly a more effec ual aud legitimate APP
plication OF the funds provided for the Pur-
pose than the sineoure employment OF a
corps of idle and healthy sentinels would be.
We don't object and never have objected
TO the expenditure of the cash of the Treas
ury Department under the direction of its
own officers, but we can't consent to be made
parties to such expenditures or 10 express ap-
proval of it unless satisfied of IFS legitimacy
and Efficiency.
If Dr. Hamilton will come TO Pensacola
and take pereonal charge of the measures of
relief which he will soon find to be required,
instead of looking on from a distance, cavil-
ing. theorizing, planning cordons and de-
nouncipg men who have had lifelong ex-
periencs in the management OF yellow-fever
epidemics, we will be happy to yield 10 him
even TO the extent of abdicating our functions
in his favor, il necessary, and to cooperate
with him as far as we honestly and correctly
can.
R. B. S. HARGIS, NJ D., President
JNO- G. WHITING, ND, Secretary,
w. G. BRENT, Chairman tx Com,
W. J. FORDHAM, ND,
- Dz-- III