The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11
Report of State Health Officer.

DIR. K. NJ. Swearingen, of this city
state health officer, has just handed il
his report to the governor, in which
he gives history of the yellow fever
epidemic at Brownsville last summer
the facts of which were published in
the STATESMAN at the time. He SAYS
of the quarantine station at Calves.
ton, which construction was begun by
Mr.. Harry Devlin, of Galveston, un.
der $4,000 bond to complete it by
January l, 1888:
1.-The Galveston board of health.
about the LIST of August, apprehend.
ing that infection might possibly be
brought to the city by laborers en-
gagged so near the quarantine station.
ordered Mr.. Devlin to discontinue
work, and made it impossible for the
conditions of his bond to be complied
with. Notwithstanding these I'M
looked for and unavoidable deten-
tions, the work is rapidly progressing,
and will be ready for use when the
quarantine season again opens"
As to the workings of the present
quarantine system, and the amend
ments that l think ought to be made,
l respectfully submit
l. That the several articles on quar-
antine be consolidated into one, and
made clear and explicit, SO that any
ordinary intelligence can understand
its meaning, as once recommended by
your eXcellency.
2. That all local guarantees declar-
ed by county or city authorities be re-
quired to obey the rules prescribed by
the governor. Without such q pro-
vision it is impossible to have concert
of action. AS it now is, one county
can adopt rules to suit their peculiar
ideas or prejudiceS, that conflict with
those of the next county or city, and
there is no power that can undo them.
For instance, from five to ten
days is the ordinary period con-
sidered necessary to hold one
in quarantine, bat if one of these
local authorities, from fear, malice or
ignorance, sees proper to extend the
time to twenty, thirty or sixty days,
he can do so, and the unfortunate
prisoner has no higher tribunals to
look to for relief.
3. That all quarantine officers, com.
missiOned and paid by the state, should
be appointed by the governor and
he under the direct and exclusive
control of the governor and his
health officer. The state health
officer would then be clothed with
power commensurate with his great
esponSibilities, and local interests
would not be paramount in opening
and closing the gateways of commerce
and infection.
4. An appropriation sufficiently
large to have contingent fund of a
few thousand dollars, to be used, in case
of an epidemic, to prevent its spread.
L can see no special good in dividing
the appropriation into two separate
funds-One under the head of Quar-
antine Buildings" and the other
For pay of officers and employees"
Last year nearly five thousand dollars
of the building fund was not eX-
pended, but it could not be touched to
pay the two thousand dollar deficiency
on the other appropriation. Thirty
five thousand dollars per annum-the
amount usually giVen-under one
caption, will, think, meet all the
probable requirements of the next
year.
With these changes, the present
system will be materially improved.
Local boards of health, and the state
board, if one is ever organized, will
find ample and attractive fields for
the exercise of their best minds in
gathering vital statistics and direct
ing sanitary improvements. Small
states, where the members of
boards of health can be brought
together in few hours, can well as
sumo quarantine duties, and spare
time for the endless controversies that
enliven their meetings, but vast ter
ritory like ours. with an exposed bor-
der reaching from Denison to Sabine
Pass. along the entire coast to Brazos
then up the Rio Grande to
Laredo, can, think, be more prompt
ly and effectively defended by the
states chief executive.