Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-10-05
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
Secretary CIarke's Reporf-A Lengthy
and Exhaustive Argumeat-fre-
cautions Against the
importation OF YeIIoW-Fever-Histor
of the Outbreak of smallpox On
Centennial Island.
snec,.l corre,,opdepce OF the Appeal

NASHVILLE, October 3.-Secretary Clarke,
of the State Board OF Health, has submitted
his report. II is very lengthy document,
and covers all questions affecting the health
of the State. From the report, it appears
that there are now over 5000 physicians IN
the State, printed catalogue OF whom will
be printed
and the measures taken against its importa-
ton, DIR. Clarke says:
am nv July report / stated the National
Board declined TO place inspectors on duty
in New Orleans, so far as the railroads were
concerned unless q case or cases OF yellow
fever should occur IN that city, rendering
necessarv. Immediately alter the meeting
of Jnly / received official information that
a case of yellow-fever had made Its appear |
ance there. I at ouce called upon the Ma
tional Board 10 fulfill its promise to lnaugu- |
rate inspection, and having received prompt |
assurance il would be done l instructed the |
agents kindly furnished by the railroads 10
take up certificates at Corinth, urana juno
ton and Decatur. This duty was also per
| formed at Memphis by the local board there,
| and requested the board at Chattanooga to
do the same there, which request was as
snred would be complied with. No further
spread has occurred in New Orleans, but a
| rigid inspection is still maintained;
| Upon seeing reports OF yelio"-ieVer
| l.
| dent of the Board OF Health of that city,
| asking for information as to its extent and
the measures taken to con6ne il to the city.
T was promptly assured by DIR. Hargls that
| the citv was using all available means 10
prevent its spread, and that Alabama had
established most rigid quarantine, no care
running to that place from any point. also
received notice of its appearance at thai
place from the National Board OF heatn,
! with the assurance that all would be done
| neces sary to prevent its spread. 10 further
guard against accidental introduction L cor
responded with the local boards OF cities
likely to be affected, requesting them TO
keep a strict watch on refugees from tnat
point. | received letter from Maj. Geddee,
stating that he had instructed all conductors
to keep sharp lookout upon passengers
from the South, for the purpose OF reporting
TO him any suspicious case. beg leave IN
this connection % commend the hearty spirit
!, of cooperation at all times exhibited by the
officers of the different railroads in Iennes-
see, who stand ready at all times to AID the
Board in every way demanded"
= The repor: gives very full history oil the
smallpox in Tennessee. In regard TO Inc
outbreak on Centennial Island, and the mode
: of it's introduction, DR.. Clarke says; son the
|. 18th of August received an earnest request
E from the Hon. A. w. Smith, Judge OF the
County Court of Upton county, to visit that
l.
v had some smallpox at various times In the
' county. bat had been able to manage it, but
now it had broken out on Centennial Island
. and as that an important steamboat
4 landing, he hoped the State Board OF Health
would look into and do for 1t what 1t could
a By the advice of your president went there
4 | at once 1t IL situated in the Mississippi
d river. about thirty miles from Memphis, anc
is has about 500 people living on ii, mostly
N colored. / found it deserted by the whites
n with two or three exceptions, and quaran
d tined against by all the surrounding coun
l. try. found on my first visit there wer'
l. nine cases OF smallpox, besides two deaths
E. There is no physician in twenty miles OF thu
is place, and no chance to get any. Besides
r the smallpox there were many cases OF |
low type of fever with no medical attend
ance, all doctors refusing go there. AS
matter of course these cases had no attend
e. ance, and yet they seemed 10 get alonni
lie very we'll, no larger number dying II
D. prorortion than usual. The manner OF con
IA tracing the disease is given you as re
a. ceiyed il. A negro preacher came iron
ir Memphis to an adjoining island to hold
Of meeting. He got sick as soon as he arrived
did not preach, but was taken TO cabin
a short distance from the river, where he die
lie from smallpox. Centennial Island is ser
ID arated from the one on which he died by
" chute of the river about half mile wild,
r. aud the cabin of these Centennial negroes
a. on the opposite bank from the place wher
as he preacher died. The children we're in th
IN habit of playing on the bank OF the rive
ID almost constantly, and the people there al
e. sert most positively there was no other POI
lie | sible chance to take the disease. They ga
a Ihey knew the preacher had smallpox on tn
tie other side and were particular no. to cro'
ovsr. and the child who first took the small
ee nox had never been away from the tarn
u I examined infinitely into the matter bot
from the afflicted family and from the whit,
n on the island, aud The above is all coul
". Gather. When the child broke out the
er thought it was poisoned from Jerusalei
oak. which growing there profusely az
o. | very rank often has that effect on Ii
children. and therefore took no precal
zee TONS Hence many visited 1t, and they dl
L: not discover their error until it had broke
al out in different parts OF the island. r
nd ceiy.d from DIR. Thornton lot of vacciI
ii matter and sent out messengers and collectt
rs, all the citizens together and vsccinat'
ms them. and appointed Mr.. W. E. Wright,
verv intelligent merchant, inspector of Il
u. Island. who had instructions to prevent al
1ar further exposure 10 it. / was compelled
he remain several days on the island TO get
his his in a sale condition. have had the gratl
he ing report since then of the complete disa
m pearance of the disease, the disinfection
a,+ infected houses and gooos, and the island
W. now thrown open to the world"
an Among other matters, the report contai
raj the following complimentary notice of ye
city: "On my return to Memphis, at the l
eff onest of the members residing there, ]
ate MANNED over one day to inspect the conditi
He of the city as compared with it in 1879, VIII
sed Tmade an inspection for the State Bosrd.
not travelled over the greater part of the sal
ife | districts / did formerly, and found a m,
gratifying change. In no section was Il
so so more apparent than ON the liue of the Gayc
ces bavou. You will remember the bayou "
at that time we'll nigh bordered with de
l. and decaying domestic animals, with wee
asf, and mud At the present, all is chang
ov. and in no part of the city Is there me-
Ak cleanliness than in that fatal section.
list nools of stagnant water have disappear'
ibe streets have been filed aud provisio
oil M ade for carrying off all superfuous wat
rn- In no place is there more crafty ng chan
tn than in the long neglected Winchester Cen
tery. Ii is now neatly fenced with wire, I
tombs set up, cattle no longer roam over
graves and the place now gives tokens OF
~. ing the property of living persons. Anoth
-, change from the former condition will dou
me less conduce TO tine health Of the people, II
liz ia the removal of the Nicholson pavemel
on and the substitution of limestone paveme
a., for the rotten wood. The decrease IN
';as death rate of that city ia thoroughly
liz counted for in the wonderful amount OF s;
80 Eitsry reforms OF the city. The work OF
YER scavenger above ground, coupled with
A.. silent duty of The sewers below, will reno
- the stigma of unhealthiness so long hangl
est over Memphis"
h. Altogether, the report indicates that
;on general health of the State is good, al
* with the exception of some smallpox IL
q few localities, there is no serious slckn
al prevailing. FRESH
' J SANDWICH ISLANDS.
in
ut Large Influx of Portuguese Immigral
The Sugar Crop.