Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-02-09
QUARANTINE.
QOAfthN iNes
THE PRESIDENT oF THE STATE BOARD

QOAHhN iNEs
THE PRESIDENT OF THE STATE BOARD OF
HEALTH PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE.
NASHVILLE, February 8.-The following
letter was addressed, yesterday, TO the gov
ernor by the State Board of Health:
NASHVILLE, February 6, 1883.
To His Excellency, GOV. W. B. Bate:
beg leave, most respectfully, to invite your At
tention to the following facts:
The National Congress has unfortunately. left
to establish quarantine at the mouth of the Mis-
sissippi river and recent decisions of the courts of
Louisiana and the action Of the City Council of
New Orleans depives the State Board of Health
Under the circumstances Tennessee has abso-
9tsly no n IRON 1oia @ o.
ties of the past we must look to our own means OF
defense A small amount of money judiciously
expended in river quarantine below Memphis, by
Gordon suaidire thrown across the route OF travel
from infected points, would certainly and efectu-
With this object, respectfully suggest that the
Legislature be advised to place $4,000 at the dis
Posal OF the governor OF the state Is contingent
to remain untouched. T. A. ATCHISoN,
President State Board of Health.
C. C. FrTE Secretary.
Commenting on this the American says: at
will be observed that the request made here
asks for money TO be put, not into the hands
| of the board, but that it be placed at its dis
posal as contingent in case of emergency.
| 1t is important that this fact be noted, for il
ia known, though not generally, that in the
| epidemic of 1873 there was no available
| fund at Gov. Marks disposal, and that at q
/ time when money was most needed the funds
of the board, and that which came from
voluntary contribution, was exhausted
What happened then? The government al
Washington was appealed to for help, and
| some $75, 600 was sent into this State, all oi
which was used in staying the ravages of the
disease and in ministering to the wretch.
edness that prevailed, efectually ex
ploding the nonsense Of States rights, by
the-by, when it obstructs protection o.
health among the people. And this in itl
turn leads Us TO the main paint to which
we wish to call attention. The communities
lion above b ms been provoked by = condition
Of things in New Orleans bearing directly
upon the subject of national supervision o.
quarantine, and is 80 excellent an illustra
ton of what we have been endeavoring Il
exemplify these six months that we propos,
to make the most of it. Here il the highee
| official health authority In an inland Statt
communicating 10 the chief executive de
cided apprehension that the citizens of tina
State are in danger of subsection to possibl,
epidemic, which may be the consequence o
disqualification 10 LEGAL Board of Health II
l Inc city Ol new Ok1e2ue. 1Hdt pOafu, Dc i
said, has subsisted heretofore always b,
uncertain means, and IL now without eveI
these. A sum of $4,000 has been receives
| yearly from port fees, which sum, BY re
cent decision of high court Of law, ha
been declared beyond the power Of the boar
to collect. To this loss must also be nov
added the sum of $4,000 hitherto annual
; appropriated BY the city, but which has ais
been Withdrawn on the plea Of poverty
though We gather it is due to deeproote
contempt for the notorious ineficieucy Of th
board. The truth of the whole business
thst our own State and large other ssctio
: of country are virtually at the mercy {
, tropical diseases through complications j
: . local Board of Health in q neighbor1n
} city, state Of things, too, that may happe
: an indefinite number of times hereaftel
. An indefsnsible imposition is being inficte
= both upon New Orleans and upon Ii
t country adjacent and tributary to the Misi