Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-07-06
STATE HEALTH.
Meeting OF the State Board at Nash
ville-Precautions Taken Against
YeIlOW-Jaek.
Description OF a Smallpox House OF
Horrors in Davidson County by
the Secretary.

The State Board of Health met at Nash
vile Tuesday morning at tie capitol, Pres
ident L. A. AtchisoD in the chair; present,
Vice President J. d. PluDk-tt, Secretary W.
NJ Clark. Colonel E. W. Cole, G.. 3. Thornton
and J. NJ. Stafford.
DR. Clark, the secretary, N sde long re-
port, relating now Davidson county provides
Tor the accommodation of smsl poI patients.
The following is the doctors account of bis
visit TO
THE HOUSE OF HORRORS.
visited in company with the surgeon, DR..
J. Bunyan Stephens, the penthouse OF David
son county. The house ia situated on the
bank OF the Cum berlaod river on a lot OF
twelve acres. The land is z low, rich bot
tom and is subject 10 overflow, the water
mark now showing about eight feet on the
building. There Is a heavy growth Of weeds
around the house, and there Is all the evil
dence OF dampness on the vegetation around.
Having had no patients for seven years the
building has been used in the interior as a
barn or gransry, and piles of decayIng, half
rotten cobs and corn-husks lie all around the
building. There lie a strong smell OF decay
Ing vegetation pervading the atmosphere,
and from the freqent foss of the river aud
the heavy dews IL Is kept moist, even 10 this
dry weather As evidence of the moisture
around taU floors are decaying, that IL, on
out of shape. A cellar beneath, full of " alter
during all overaows, still is damp, mouldy
and dank, though We have had no rains for
soma time.
At this time there are twenty-three pa
tents in the building, and there have been
nine deaths. There are seven eight pa
TENTS now very low, and il l. questionable
If but lew OF them recover. There are four
teen patients convalescent, or nearly 80,
h.atF Tor art Of ~ Ill, u
Ire building has ten rooms IN it-four above
and four below in the ell aud two in the
front. The rooms are smsll, except those IN
front, one OF which Is occupied by the an
itor. The rooms in the ell are ABOUT twelve
by fifteen, and in the front sixteen by six
teen. There are at tn present time in some
three patients to the room, two in a few, and
in one there four, aud in that room the
stencil from the putrid flesh is simply awful.
There is great want OF room in the hos
p.lal, az every new case seut there now must
oe crowded INTO rooms already overiull.
In one room there we're two patients
IN very low condition, while in
another he'd there lay CORPSE recently
al. And yet there lis no reOedy for wan.
If room. | was informed by the surgeon
IL at it was determined to build another
house right away. The necessity for this is
great, Tor as they are now situated persons
sent into quarantine are conGned ih-re IN
the midst OF actual smallpox, thus insuriug
an attack when IT might otherwise be escaped
by being in another huildIng. A nurse is
empicyed-a whit man nsmed Steveus-
vi o al The time II my visit had every room
well secured. But he had not whiIe-wa.hed
Ih= walls, aud they were bisckened WI
effiuvia and saliva from the patients. In the
crowded condition of the building, It's low
81 uation and the damp, mouldy state of the
building, and the vast amount of decsying
weeds and other negotiations, and from the
piles OF cobs and stalks around, il is Certainly
a bad place to send patients TO, and does not
reflect credit upon the wealthy county to
winch it belongs.
SMALLPOX IN THE STATE.
The following is DIR. Clark's recapitulation