The Baltimore County union., 1883-01-27
corrsspondsaes Baifinsors CoHniy UaioH.
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
wAxrnI.y. Janu,rv aaa Issa

with every sober. minded citizen Of the State Of
Maryland, ] feel that have been misFcpresented
aud outraged by the action Of the State Board Of
Health In what they did yesterday In Baltimore
city. The Board deliberately went 10 work and
passed n resolution declaring % the entire country
In effect "that the State of Maryland q threatened
with epidemic Of smallpox. aud applying 10 the
United States Government through the Governor
Of the State for such portion of the contingent fund
Of 100000 In the hands Of the President Of the
United States for threatened or actual cpidemies,
as may DO necessary 10 meet the exigeneiss Of the
case" cannot for the life of me inns CINE, nor do
] believe any other citizen of the State can, by
what shadow Of authority this Board took upon
itself the responsibility, In the face of all the
known facts in the case. not only 10 brand the
very worst form In which the disease Of smallpox
has yet assumed 10 our midst a. epidemic, or as
approaching one, or by what action, circumstance
or combination of circumstances of an official
public character they felt themselves called upon
TO ask assistance Of pecuniaTy any other char.
actcr Of the Federal authorities.
The disease, 90 far a. II has AZ yet been devel.
| opcd In the State, We have every assurance, has
for the most part assumed light form aud Is very
FAR from even the appearance OF an epidemic. IL
is easily controlled and has for the mos: part
yielded quickly and properly 10 ordinary treat.
neni. and has not SPREAD so far a. thecity Is con
cerned, beyond the localities In which II at first
made its appearance. except In isolated eases of
one case here aud there, widely separated from
each other And 80 far n the counties OI the State
are concerned the people nor the profession In
the least fearful either of a spread Of the disease
or tha, u will In any event assume anything be-
You'd the mildcst form. Every precaution and
very active work has been undertaken all over
those portions Of the State nj all likely 20 be reach
ed by the disease In any manner. Vaccination
has been very general. and IL now actively and
universally going on In the city. which has been
tho only portion of the State that has suffered ta
any extent, and that only Ia spots. where IL has
In the main been made 20 lingcF, aud IL being, We
are informed by the Mayor aud the entire faculty
outside Of the Ajority Of the State Boar success
iuvy eradeaied and win be beyond any rsaeOnas
bic doubt stamped out.
Further, what efforts can be conceived of more
concentrated, intelligent and far. Preaching than
those already made BY the State and city author.
titles. not only for the suppression of the disease
itself and 10 prevent its spread. bat for the CON-
fort and sustenance of the stricken ones and those
whose duty IL Is made OF becomes to care for them
The city and it, citizens have been liberal and
ready at any moment TO increase their liberality
g. any extent ani the counties are ready 20 meet
any demands that may be made upon them for
active measures In every direction should IL be
come necessary in their midst. or if need be come
60 the help q the city should the city need or de.
sire their assistance.
What then can be the reason for the action of
the State Board Of Health; wo have seen that
there has been no call made upon them for action
upon their part and that there is no earthly need
for any. What, therefore. can IL be that has
caused them thus unbdden 10 rush into organized
action AMI boomerang themselves up and down
the cty and State at the fearful rate they will find
themselves haycd By their own action! very
much fear il will be time very far beyond the
existence of the disease they have made an excuse
for their action before the majority of the Board
at least will 60 feel tho rebounding and
singing effects Of their own pe,ard. So far as the
-Cnmmissonrr of Health of Baltimore city is
concerned Or. Steuartl it has. I doubt not. taken
all who know him by surprise. No professional
or private character has stood hi CHER than his own
And dcsers eiiy 50. but--but lac VA. removed b.
Mayor Whyie 10 make room for DIR. Benson. and
there will he thousands Of his fellow. citizens who
will be ready before many days have passed, 10
view Of the ventilation this action of the Board
will be sure to get. who will silently think and
loudly proclaim that his action was 10 damage an
administration of city affairs that saw it 10 dis
pensc with his services.
OF DR.. Teackle. another one Of the three who
voted for the resolution, IL Is known that he l.
State Vaccine Agent. and that he exhausted what.
ever of appropriation came into his hands from
the State authorities IN the propagation and dis
tribution of virus. and that II he has made any
effort. 60 secure additional sums of money from
the state at the disposal Of the Governor. he has
failed In his efforts 90 do And this view Of Il
l. warranted by the substitute offered by DR.. Den
son 90 the original resolution Of Dr. SteuaTi. a.
follows; THAT the Governor of the State be Ia.
formed that IL he docs not supply the means that
Ae has ~ ks haHds TO supply virus for the State Of
Maryland. the counties particularly. this Board
will be compelled % ask through him Of the Pres.
ideut Of the United States for such aid" II Is
fair % presume that DIR. Teaeklc has made efforts
o. secure from the Governor additional means TO
enable him TO run his virus propag aiing farm, the
active efec; Of the product of which has been vo.
leniiy attacked by some Of the city ply sieians.-
And he will doubtless find that his vote In the
affirmative upon the resolution Of Dr. stuart will
in certain quarters be made 20 hang upon the
"sum Of 100000 or so much thereof as may be
deemed necessary 10 meet the exigencies of the
case" or in other words, there may aud doubtless
will be scores of citizens who will think tha, be
more anxious TO furnish the sineWs from the
Federal treasury 90 run his virus farm than he
was careful for the good name Of his native city
or the of Mayor whyie's efforts 90 reassure
the commercial AMI mercantile world that cpl.
demic existed. a. indeed II did. and does mol.
Why the DR.. failed in his efforts TO secure from
the Governor or State authorities any portion Of
or all of the fund. at their disposal I caanot Of
course venture 10 guess. But the Goyernor knows
the reason. and if his heart and temperament ha.
no; been wonderfully changed during his present
and very recent illness. make no doubt the peo
pie will hear from him. aecOmpanie With small
measure of hi. loud and long adjeciire ,cords.
am more than gra,i6ei to know that Dr. J. 4.
Ward. who l. % favorably and generally regarded
BY citizen Il the county a. clear he ,ded and
cultured physician and gentleman, did not vote
with the majority. But hardly think the people
of the county wilt excuse him for faiIin. O. en-.
brace the opportunity Of . lifetime to place him.
self upon the record and upon the right side. H.
knows why he did not. aud IL may be tina; he eau
he induced o. speak out.
OF fCraWford Neilson, Eco. care 90 say moth
ing. for the reason that being a simple arehitec,
and an honest seareher after knowlcdre. he pre.
ferred TO follow those professional gentlemen for
whose scientific knowledge of diseases and eonta
gious epdemits he had profound respec; rather
than follow the one negative. who was willing 70
beard the Governor over the shoulders of the Pre-.
ideni and who belonged to Mayor whytc's al.
ministration. Yours. &c.. LEWis.