Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-07-13
Mississippi valley Sanitary AT.
fairs

its utter incapacity for usefulness. II
never prevented an epidemic or cured
q case Of yellow fever. 1t has passed
out Of legal existence, and all its pow.
ers, duties and paraphernalis have
been turned over to the Maine Hos.
pital Service, q branch 81. the govern
ment established about ore hundred
years ago, and thoroughly reorgAniEsd
and set in motion about the year 1871.
When the National Board 81 Health
was established it was at time of
public excitement and more or less
peril. 1t was q we'll devised scheme
to set up q permanent bureau, but by
the strenuous efforts of one Senator it
was fortunately limited to a period of
four years. Hence these tears and
the organization of a so-called Santa
ry Council Of the Mississippi Valley
in the interest of the National Board,
and to unite in the effort to have it
restored to life and power
when the next Congress meets.
The office seekers will not subside.
Very few Of them stand any chance
under the Marine Hospital Service.
but under the other flag they might be
appointed to positions. When the
National Board of Health was Gre.
ated its pompOus President called on
Surgeon General Hamilton and said:
II will close your Office in less than
eighteen months" DR.. Hamilton had
been an army surgeon and was not
ready to be addressed out of Office by
q civilian. He is not out of Office yet,
but has been entrusted with larger
powers and discretion than ever be- |
fore by the national government. I'll
is the other gentleman and his follow |
ers who are stalking around looking for |
places and appropriations. As to who |
holds the Offices, the public cannot be
greatly concerned, but the discharge
Of certain duties is a matter Of the
utmost importance. The National
Board having been relocated back |
to nOnenity, what sense is
there in opposing the Marine Hos |
pital Service? Its officials are we'll |
trained and competent. They are |
never allowed to remain at one place !
longer than three years. and thus do
not form strong local attachments and |
prejudices. Their dutyis all they know, |
and their term Of Office does not de- |
pend upon an epidemic or popular |
excitement. Does it not hold to rea. |
son that they are competent to enforce !
quarantine or any necessary sanitary
measure. Yet the President Of the
Taxing District announces officially
that he will list sock it to EN-" even
If he has TO run quarantine at Pres
ident's Island with a policeman in
canoe. As matter OF fact, however.
he borrowed the steamer, floats, etc.,
from the Marine Hospital Service
There are serious doubts as to whether
an interior quarantine. 400 miles from
the coast on an air line, is necessary or
amounts to much, except when there
is yellow fever epidemic on the
coast. No cases, as far as known.
have appeared on shore this year.
The effective work of quarantine
against infected vessels coming from
Havana, Vera Cruz or other points is
done by the Marine Hospital Service
in conjunction with State and munich
pal authorities. ALI vessels having
cases on board are sent to Ship
Island, a point out in the Gulf
between but south Of New Orleans
and Mobile. This important station
is partly if not in full charge of DR..
Finhey, of Memphis, a highly intel
ligent young physician, who has seen
yellow fever at its worst, and felt it,
too, for he had it here in 1873, when
some of his family died Of the disease.
Those who know him are assured that
be will do his full duty. Now, what
has the so called Sanitary COun>
oil Of the Mississippi Valley to do
with all thiS2 Simply nothing at
all except to make big fuss, denounce
the Marine Hospital Service, annoy
steamboats, and wait for something to
turn up in its favor. This Sanitary
Council is the widow Of the late Ia.
mented National Board Of Health.
which lives in the hope Of a glorious
resurrection for Its Consort when Con.
gress meets, or there is another cpl
dsmic. Tie health of the Mississippi
valley was never better than now.
There is no apparent cause for
alarm. Memphis is ia q very 6ne san
itary condition, and fewer people are
going away than usual. Even the
pheuOmeually sensational st. Louis
drummer has not been able to start an
untavorable rumor worth noticing. II,
however, danger should ever arise this
year or any time in the future, the
Marine Hospital Service will be found
at the front and not at headquarters
Ia the rear, and will be found fully
equal to the demands Of the occasion.