Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-24
The NnsionnI board OF Heal.h.

SAPELO QUARANTINE STATION, July %
Editor M0r1,ing Nel0s: Ia your issue of the
IS h instant, in your comments il your local
columns on the action of the Sanitary Com
uissioners IN regard to the closing Of Sapelo
Quarantine Station, note the following:
y 'I5 IS not a matter OF much i'm
pOrtance whether the National Board is pro-
vided with funds enough to publish its bull
letins or keep up a large expenditure. sub
jecting It to sharp criticism"
Allow me to ask your attention to a few
thoughts suggested by the above. 1t is the
duty OF 3 National Board Of Health to study
all questions affecting the health of the
whole country. For this purpose yellow
fever has been studied in Havana and in the
South. Malarial disease is now undergoing
an exhaustive course of investigation by
experts to discover, If possible, its essential
cause. The diseases produced by impure
drinking water is the subject OF an elabo-
rate essay recently published by the board.
Under the law United States consular
officers are required to observe and to make
to the National Board weekly reports of the
sanitary condition of the ports and Coun-
tries where they are stationed.
In all these Investigations aud reports the
interested in the work and enlightened as to
the sources of danger to the public health
and means for averting il? Surely, one who
is himself engaged IN educating public
opinion, does not need to be told that It
must be by publication.
How can this best be done? Obviously by
the board Itself.
Again, sanitary legislation and the en-
fOrcement Of sanitary laws can be very
slightly in advance of public opinion. To
educate public opinion, then, is the ohly
method Of advancing sanitary science and
promoting the public health. It is the lack
Of knowledge on this subject that the pub
lie is so little awake to what so deeply con-
Germs its welfare, and that Congress is more
occupied with the political than the santa
nv wants OF the country. In fact, National
Board OF Health was obtained from Con-
gress only after years OF effort by santa
rfans in that direction, and since its creation
It has been provided with only small frac-
ton OF the powers and means that Nation
al Board shOuldihave; that is, II it is to cope
with diseases that are national In their
operations aud are not limited by State aud
political boundaries
You speak of 'a large expenditure"
During the three years of its existence the
expenses of the National Board of Health
have Appropriated half million dollars, or
less than two hundred thousand dollars per
annum. The items Of this expenditure are
detailed In the bulletins OF the board, and
confidently appeal to the record to show
that the funds were disbursed economically
and solely for objects conducive to the
public health. Surely, a government which
spends its millions upon army, navy and
pensions, should not grudge one million at
least of its bountiful surplus for a nations
greatest blessing, the public health.
1 trust that you will take a liberal view OF
the obligations of a National Board of
Health. and that IN the performance of your
duty as an educator of public opinion you
will not fail 10 advocate the claims Of The
board to the support Of public opinion, so
far as you think its action may deserve 1t.
Very respectfully, w. ID. ELLIOTT.