The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-05-09
A WISE MOVEMENT.

a WISE MOVEMENT.
Several prominent citizens who have
made the prevalence of contagious diseases
in this city asubje ctof observation and study
for years past and have proven to their own
and others satisfaction that the principal
cause Of the introduction of said disease in
this community is the marine hospital and
the marine surgeons Office, have taken
| steps toward lessening the chances, it may
be said the certainty, OF introducing such
diseases through this means in the future.
The gentlemen IN question have had print.
ed and placed on file in the principal
business houses and hotels of the city a
petition, addressed to Dr. John
II. Rauch, secretary of the Illinois State
Board of Health;
Board of Health, asking the board to use
its influence to have the marine surgeons
Office in this city removed from the custom
house to ST. Msry's hospital. II is accom-
panied by maps showing the surroundings
Of the custom house and the hospital, and
the internal arrangement of the former.
II is the intention of the gentlemen who
have taken this important matter in hand
to have the petitions signed by oil the prin-
cipal citizens and by all Others who may
take an interest in the matter. And in
this they will doubtless be successful, for
there are very few people who have given
the matter any attention, who will not will
ingly endorse the sentiments expressed in
the petition. 1t is eminently proper that
the matter should be submitted to the state
board Of health, for II is established to
take cognizance Of oil matters prejudicial to
the health of the people Of the state, more
especially matters over which municipal
authorities have no control, such as the
custom house and its very Objectionable
adjunct, the marine hospital.
The object sought to be attained by the
above petition is Of the greatest Importance
70 the people of Cairo regardless Of color or
condition. 1t is nothing less than the re-
mOval from the most populous centres in
the city Of what has been, and will be as
long as it remains where it is, an almost
certain disseminator in this city Of any con-
tagious disease which may prevail any
where around US. In the absence of gov
eminent marine hospital, St. Mary's hospital
has been contracted with to take charge of
all marine patients. This hos
pital, as every one knows,
occupies a square right across the stree.
from the high school, 81. Joseph's church
and Loretto Academy, Within square of
il another private school and the court
house and county Jail, and within two
squares is the coored free school. The
several schools are constantly crowded
with pupils day after day, the church at
least every Sunday and some week days
and the court house is the resort of people
from all over the county nearly every day.
The six hundred or over young people at
tending the four schools, the several hun
drcd grown people attending the church,
and the large number of strangers going to
and from the court house, especially now
when court is in session, must all travel the
same route taken by persons going directly
to or from the hospital, and are all liable
to unconsciously come in contact with per-
sons on their ways to the hospital.
And If such persons are afflicted
with any contagious disease, % is
the case with many now, they may com
municate the germs Of the dreadful dis
ease to hundreds of children by simply
passing them on their way to or from the
schools. While II can be safely said that
no case Of smallpox has so far this season,
originated from the hospital directly, yet,
there il no telling how many cases were
the result of exposure 10 smallpo afflicted
mariners on their way to the hospital. II
Ia not claimed that the mere removal of
the marine station from st, Mays hospital
would also remove oil possibility of con-
lagoon from persons going to or from the
hospital, simply because such removal
would not prevent oil persons afflicted in
any manner from seeking the hospital for
refuge aud treatment. But 1t 10 claimed,
and with good reason, that, as about