Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-04-10
HE NATIONAL BOARD OF nEALTg,

HE NATIONAL BOARD OF HEALTB.
Or the continuance OF which 10 lis ori.iaal
ntegrity Of power and means 70 carry out
be objects for which it was srgauiz ed, The
auitsry Council of the Mississippi Valley
as respectfully pet!tionsd the President,
ives iti origin to Senator I,hsm G. Harris,
+ no, with the Hon. Casey Young, secured
be passage Of the &C, creating it. This they
i'd in difference to the expressed wishes
the people Of the whole country, who.
1879, demanded that the general gov
+nment should take some steps TO protect
be States from invasion By epidemic dis-
fsss like yelloW-fevsr, which, during the
fst OF those years, decimaled the Mis-
PhPpr valley az cost of many
ousand lives and nearly 100000 900. |
ow best 10 accomplish this was a problem
at gave Senator Harris a great deal of
ouhle and forced upon him the labor of !
UGH research, the examination OF data |
pm historic sources aud the sitting of the
81 medical testimony 10 be hsd upon the |
'J@ct OF ssEitary irspecLios ssryice and
enforcement Of quarantine. All
e EXPERT in Wellington were con-
Tied, and the result Was the or.
nization Of a boiy made upof sAnitarian4
ID medical practitioners OF tie highest |
Anding 10 tie army, navy, Marine Hos
tai Service and civil lie. They we're all
them gentleuea we'll known to the coun.
as admirably fitted and adap.ed to the
ties pre- cfbed in the act by long services
2 ID the positions the occupied as specialists
was deemed best to crea,e this body for The
vics because the duties we're peculiar and
uld take the physicilns employed 10 per-
N them away from those ths' ordinarily DE-.
ived upon thea ia the practice OF medi-
le. A careful examination Of the quAran.
e ard Inspection services of all the
Aritime nations Of Europa, as well as
At OF New York, showed that any,
ng like hospital pervics was in
npatibie with thorough inspection
d the careful enforcement OF quarantine
ht, while it would guard from dieease,
uld not be a burdea 10 Commerce. Sani-
y work, being special work, it was found
= aid not be followed WITH the care acd
elity required by medical n4n who was
voting himself 10 hospital OF general prsc-
2. No man can serve two m listers. This
fJund to be tue case in the practice OF
Pdicine as in other departments Of
mau 'fJrt, hence the specialties into
ich the faculty il divided and the num-
OF specialists who devote them selves to
eye and ear, the brain and nerves, to
ssesl.-disesses, aud so on. These divis-
:, some OF whica ore dow 50 arbitrary
t the general practitioner no less Than the
blic looks 10 the speci slist in oil cases fall
within the class Of diseases to which he
Fotes himself, exist for the benefit
the human rlcs, and grow out
he WAITS Of the people aud The increase Of
. eases iocident 10 our complex civilization.
! hitatioD, while il eau be more thoroughly
sued by men Of good general medical edu
ion, is quite within the power Of intelli-
laymtn to coGlp 80; ID, toe, with quar-
ine-its routine coo be enforced by lay
as we'll as ly doctors, bat when
existence OF disease is to be
srmined 10 a m n OF woman than the
lico- sanits'i'n has the advantage. He
detect disease by the least observable Of
gym toms, and by his knowledge of the
lin OF il trace it 10 its source. Medical
b Of this chars cler competed the National
.rd Of Health, and we're employed to per-
its duties. TIES bad nothing 10 do
h. hn.uftaI- crr1lA = l.
10, az theis time was fully occupied
the great, good work OF preventing the
[oductlon OF epidemic diseases. That
perf5rmsd that work faithfully and
ia patent in the undisputed fact that if
OF the States OF the Mississippi valley,
Pugh their sanitary experts and the pub.
press, cay 60. Lust year, owing TO politi-
Influence, the Marine Hos pital Service,
On is said to be part OF the political "a a.
hery Of the Treasury Department at
shiugtou, was, by al unlawful decision Of
Secretary Of the Treasury turning over
the 100000 apr priatea for quar- an
and inspection service, enabled to usurp
lace. This i, did, however, only in Texas,
re, at cost of $4,000, it established a
on, but did no, to any extent enter upon
other Of the duties which the NNiocal
I'd OF Health would have performed
--voL the appropriation b4en thus
rtfd, and, al the mayor Of Browns
positively asterr, tor political purposes
prevent he repetition Of so Aigrant sr
age W on the people during the coming
mer, ihe Sanit'ry Council OF the
sissippi valley, composed of ssnitariapi
aiioual repu ani 81 ate aud municipal
ers OF disIifc ion, have petilioned the
id NJ to place The 100000 appropriated
gu 1rsniiue and inspection services By
l.si Congress, at the disposal O.
h ional Board Of Health. That body
ally created for tina, work, has the
ideuce Of the people as no local body o
lar character could or can have, and III,
ident, IL yielding 10 the petition of III,
neil, will simply be acctding 10 tn
,es OF the people. 81 far az the Louisisni
e Board Of Health TO which We owe al
coniusisn) is concerned, it has not III,
dence of even the people it proposes t,
e, and he Health BJards, S ate ans
icipll, OF all the oth,r States, refuse t,
anything to do with i. or +
pit any OF its reports. Besides thu
. not the means OF adopting or enforcing
rsDUne, and csnnot at sll enter upo
ection service. The attitude of our oN
e Boald of Health and the city Boar
Health toward the Louisiana Board
of complete ENHANCEMENT, which is full,
fed by the conduct Of that body in 1S7j
subsequent years. Acting up TO this
ident Hidden, before the Sanitar
neil, mad come threats for Whic
New Orleans PcayuHe tlkes him t
in an article printed in another par
his issue OF the APPEAL. ADythin
silly and Undigu6ed, and utterly &
+ ance with the fscls, We have never read
il il only worthy Of republication as ev
e of the shifts TO which the Louisisn
ID is put 10 justify its course sgsin
National Board of Health and those VII
Iigently sustain it. What PresideI
den is therein sccusei Of threatening
people Of Memphis will su tain him Il
he National Board of Health "a pr
ed by presidential interference tro'
performances Of its duties, Memphi
r. Hidden very poiotsdly asserted,
son, will take care OF herself, and wi
rec a quarantine sgainst New Orlea'
her me,chs nts will feel, as they ha'
70. and no. only Memphis, but VIck
and n atchez will enforce rigid al
ting quarantine, as their only POssi6
,se against what is generally believed
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