Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-07-07

| president, DR. Atchison, and Drs. Pluuket,
| Stafford ami Thorn;on) a report from DIR.
Richard Cheatham was heard concerning
| the cases of smallpox occurring in Nash
vile. DR.. Cbeatham stated tina; he was not
prepared to make a full report, but he would
do 70 at future day.
THE BRENTWOOD EPIDEMIC.
DR.. Blackburn's report on the prevalence
of typho- slarial fever near Brentwood last
year, was read. 1t gave details of the APP
pesrance Of the disease and increasing to an
epidemic, during which not less than forty
cases occurred in that village consisting Of
not over 200 inhabitants The first case was
| negro man who had spent the year
1880 in the Mississippi river bottoms,
aud had suffered from dysentery as a
sequel TO melarial fever. During the
epidemic Of this season alluded to
there were FIVE or six cases among the whites
all Of whom recovered, and about thirty ne
grees, with three deaths. During the sum-
mer OF 1881 the disease was not confined to
Brentwood, but was on the hilltops and in
the valleys, also. During the present sea-
son, within the past three weeks, about item
cases have come to notice, and even dur
ing the winter and spring months cases have
,-r-I-vrr---s, T,fIUfrf sympuUns were
marked. In the cases of the winter and
spring the mslariai symptom was present.
THE EPIDEMIC CLAUSE.
The committee appointed Tuesday to re-
port on the epidemic portion of the secre-
tsry's report, su omitted the following:
Your committee, appointed to consider
the smallpox feature of the secretsry's re-
port, beg leave TO submit the following:
That the secretary be instructed whenever il
comes to his knowledge that smallpox exists
in any county, to inform himself as to what
provision is taken to provide for it and pre-
vent the community from its inhiction. That
If necessary to Obtain reliable information
he shall visit the locality in person, and in
the event the proper authorities have failed
TO take such steps as necessary or refuse to
do so after being notified, that the secretary
take such steps aS are necessary TO require
the chairman OF the County Court to comply
with the following sections of the Code of
Tennessee:
Section 1729. Statutes of Tennessee, Thompson
Il Steger) II ii appears, at any time, that the
smallpox, or other contagious disease, exist in
any county in the State, the County Court enter
exists in the county, the court shall adopt such
measures as it may think proper to put stop TO
sec. 1880. The necessary expenses of such meas
ures shall constitute county charge, and the
court may order me payment OF the same out of
sec, l5$1. The judge, or the chairman OF the
County Court, may, in vacation, adopt such meas
ures as he thinks best 10 prevent the spread of any
contagious disease.
The Davidson county pesthouse or small
pox hospitaI, having been recently inspected
10y The secretary OF this board, and found in
adequate IN many respects, chiefly as to its
uusanitary location, It's deficiencies in archi-
tectural construction and general dilapi-
dated condition, as well as want of appll-
ances and facilities for the proper comfort
and well-being OF its inmates, and general
incompetent and grossly negligent admins
tratiOn Of the institution, that the secretary
is instructed 10 make these facts known to
the chairman of the County Court, and in
the event he fails to axe such steps with all
due diligence to effect needed reforms,
both for The proper comfort of the inmates
and 10 prevent the hospital being focus of
infection, that he be instructed 10 proceed
against said chairman, under the above
named statute, and, If necessary, present
him 10 the grand jury OF Davidson county
at its next session, for permitting a public
charity to be a public nuisance. Respect
July, G. B. THORNTON, MD,
J. NJ Stafford, MD.
The latter clause of the report elected
warm debate, participated in by DR.. G. B.
Thornton, warmly advocating its passage
and DR.. Atchison in opposition. The report
WIS finally adopted. /
THE LEGISLATIVE REPORT.
The committee appointed on the legisla-
tive clause Of the secretary's report sub
mitted the following, which was received and
adopted:
To the President and Members of the State Board |
OF Health:
GENTLEMEN-Your committee to whom |
was referred that portion OF the secretary's |
report which embraces the correspondence |
in which the National Board OF Health sug-
geEts the possibilities of its being unable to |
render, for the future, that pecuniary aid I
in the event that pestience comes
DR. danger threatens, if "the provisions of the
sundry civil service appropriation bill now
before Congress be enacted into law" would
report that, notwithstanding the
manly reply of his Excellency Governor
Hawkins, when asked by our executive Of
icer if Tennessee would furnish the money
necessary if the general government did not,
N the event of an epidemic in our State,
hat the expenditure of sum of money
1ut of the State treasury would not lay
n the way OF prOtectiOn-notwithstan
ng this noble assurance of assistance
t necessity requires, your committee are i'm
pressed with the fact that should Congress
all to make liberal appropriations of funds
or use through the National Board of
Health in the aiding of all State and loo al
boards of health in times of general distress,
hat great embarrassment must follow to the
public in consequence of the curtailment OF
he efficiency of such State and local health
departments from want of ample means. To
he end therefore, of inducing Congress, SO
ar as this board may, your committee sug-
.est that the following preamble and resou-
ions be adopted as memorial to Congress,
rging the importance of their being gener-
us in providing for emergencies which
ave been national in their effects, and
'hich, having occurred, warrant us in the
elief that they may occur again:
WHEREAS. In 1878 the most disastrous epidemic
hat ever visited Tennessee swept through the
tate, destroying thousands of human lives and
lillions OF money by paralyZing enterprise, OBJ
-ructiug travel and deranging commerce; and
Ihereas in 1879 the pestilence revived and threat
ned repetition of the terrible eXperi enceS of |
he summer preceding, and then Only was it
through Federal money that the State Board of
Iealth was enabled to restrict its raYages by
ming it, as they did practically, to the corporate
mits of Memphis; therefore be it
r, SOlUed That il is the sense of this board that
honey is the prime essential in the preventing
nd suppressing of epidemic diseases, and to that
nd the Congress of the United States is hereby
lemOrislized to make avsilable fund of not less
nan $500, 600, to be used by he National Board of
ealth in aiding State and local boards of health
enforcing their rules ana regulations TO prevent
lie Introduction and spread of contagious and
ifecious diseases into and within the United
Iates.
ResolUed, That the secretary be and is hereby
lrected to mail at once a copy of these resolu-
ous TO each of our senators and represen tatiyes |
Congress- and request their influence and votes
, q 4hn IN 10 att nj nj 4 ,