The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-04-22
PROTECTION AGAINST DISEASE.
AN ADDRESS, ELOQUENT AND FULL OF VAIL
UABLE SUGGESTIONS,

| SANITARY COUNCIL OF THE MISSISSIPPI
| VALLEY.
| On Tuesday morning, after concluding
| its labors in its second session at The
Halliday in this city, the Sanitary Council
| of the Mississippi Valley adjourned to the
| opera house, which had been placed at its
disposal by the management, for the pur-
pose of listening to lecture by the presi'
dent of the council, DR.. J. j. Speed. The
audience, which had preceded the council
there, was not large because little notice OF
the lecture had been given, but 1t com
prised number of Cairos most prominent
citizens, including the mayor and members
of the city council and local board OF health
Before entering upon the lecture proper
the speaker took occasion to express the
sympathy of the council for highly re-
spected member, who was absent be-
cause of bereavement, and for another who
| had but recently passed away, as follows;
Remembering the gifted man who pre-
sided over the last meeting of the council,
and conscious of his great grief tor a lost
son, it is becoming to US to make some ex-
preston of sympathy.
The genial face and the clear brain OF
DR., Kcdzir will be missed in our delibera.
tons, but we know that his sympa,hies are
with us-let us show that our sympathies
are with him.
Another name comes up which calls for
mention and memory--Dr. Chas White, of
New Orleans.
Forty years agoitwas my fortune to listen
to the teachings of venerable pulpit orator
who was then president of Wabash College.
In series of addresses to young men he
laid out for them paths toward the best
and the highest for man. All his teach
ings pointed upward His own life was
pure and noble and many Of the principles
which guide the best men Of to-day are
principles Enumerated by that grand old
gray haired president. That man was the
father Of our brother Or. Chas. White. !
commend his memory to you.
Hereupon the DR.. spoke very deliberately
and distinctly, as follows, upon the neces,
sity of national control of the prevention of
the introduction OF contagious diseases
from foreign countries into the United
States
Gentlemen;
Lying directly on the surface of our con-
stitution and interviewer with all our pro-
ceedings you find the idea of protection
against disease. 1t is the central idea of all
sanitary teaching and the practice of SAM.
tary art. 1t is very old idea---od as civil.
ization. In some crude shape we find il
recognized by the earliest government OF
which we have any record, Crude as were
the appliances and the PHILOSOPHY they are
proof of the importance attached by all peo.
pies to afreer and stronger life-the stronger
and freer from disease the better the man :
hood even if that manhood was savage
but il instead of savage that manhood was
part of civilized society how infinitely en-
HANGED was that civilization. This idea OF
a better civilization by reason of freedom
from disease ran down through all the
ages from Moses through the Pharoahs, and
the Rolomies, and the Caesars, making an
impress upon history everywhere, and yet
eliminating in no comprehensive ply
losophy and no minute detail of applica-
ton till the middle of the 10th century.
1t was reserved for this generation to
claim for human health supremacy over
all material interests, lift sanitation to the
dignity of science, and to demand for the
individual and for the nation protection
against disease.
The announcement Of new PHILOSOPHY
and the setting on foot Of new devices for
a longer life, arrested individual and gov
| ornamental attention, and has opened up a
new chapter in human history. 1t is in
| the interes, of this new movement that We
are assembled in council to-day in the
heart oIthe Mississippi valley.
"ro prevent the spreading of disease and
to promote interstate sanitation says the
constitution.
Now, to prevent the spread, we must
know something of the origin and mode of
communication, II is true of all disease
Touching the especial scourgo OF this great
valley, we know that over the persistent
heat and rainfall which have SO much to
do with yellow fever we have no control,
out over our own drainage and cleanliness,
and general surroundings, we have control I;
ana while we may not stamp out the germ
IN i's original habitant, We can refuse TO
furnish a n'dus for its prop sgalon in our