The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-11-15
GIBSON COUNTY.
Organization ola Board Of Health
itary Matters-Dr.J j, Berrien
Lindsley's Report.

LhuuSat1 htpOEt.
Nashville, Nov. 5.-To James D.
Plunket, M. d., Chairman of the Ex-
ecutive Committee--Sir; At the DC.
tober term OF the Gibson County Court
it was "ordered by the Court that
Drs. S. w. Caldwell, j a. Hender>
son. j. w. Penn, ID. j. TuIt aud j.
ID. Mckenzie be, and they are hereby,
appointed Board of Health for the
county of Gibson. stls,i Of.
These gentlemen were called to-
gether at Trenton by Chairman, Cald-
we'll on Monday, the 81 inst, tor the
purpose of0rgaulzation and consulting.
Upon his appl cation to the President
Of the board | was directed to I've
present at said meeting and To report
the results Of my visit, which l have
the honor of now doing.
The Gibson County Board .of
Health was appointed for work aud
are well distributed DR.. Caldwelfs
residence is Trenton, DIR. Henderson
is at Milan, DIR. Penn, at Hum boldt,
DR.. Tull at York vile, aud DIR. Nc.
kenzie at Bradford. Thus every
portion of the county has member
of the board near at hand. The
TO rd was organized 10y the election
of DIR. Penn, President; DR.. McKen-
zie, Vice President, and DIR. Caldwell,
Secretary. Some two hours were
spent in considering the work before
the board.
All agreed that Tennessee fur
nished no finer field than Gibson Coun.
ty tor efficient sanitary work. A large,
old, populous and healthy county, in
tersected oy three great railroad lines,
and with some ten or more t1ourlsh~
ing towns and villages, it has evils in
herited from the past, and evils
threatened by the future to remedy
and prevent. In early days fatal
error was committed 10y allowing the
rivers and creeks 70 be INSTRUCTED by
the construction Of mill>dams. Large
tracts Of most valuable lands are thus
converted into laboratories of malaria,
causing annually the loss of many
thousands III labor, and the expendi-
ture of many more for medical servi
ces and drugs. AS the population is
steadily growing this nuisance becomes
more and more one of first magnitude
How to abate it with just respect to
vested rights is an urgent and troub-
lesome problem, not only for Gibson
County, but for all West tennessee,
which is now fairly entered upon IA
career of prosperous agriculture to be
frustrated alone by sickness and the
ill-tame always thus caused.
The most notable ill to be anticipa-
ted at very early day is the pollu.
ton OF the water supply IN Trenton
and all the other fourishing centers
Of population in Gibson. Wells at II
moderate cost now furnish the supply
of water. OF course, as dwellings,
increase in proximity and out houses
becomes numerous, ii thorough and
constant system Of scavengering sys-
tenn is requisite to prevent soil pollu>
ton ana consequent poisoning OF the
wells. Right here is Immediate and
pressing work for active boards, not
only in Gibson County Gut through
out the State of Tennesiee.
With the terrible lessons taught us
by the dreadful epidemics Of 1873,
1878 and 1879, aud by the recent
losses and present uneasIness i'll Eu>
rope, the public authorities are with>
out excuse for negligence.
In conclusion allow me to say that
my visit was made most pleasant by
the cordial manner i'll which the Coun.
" Board appreciated the co,opera,
ton Of the State Board; and that the
cause.of public health would receive
great impetus if every County Court
IN the State should at once follow the
example so well set by old Gibson.
The very first step towards prevents
ing the invasion of an impending cpl
demic, or for mitigating the ravages
and terrors OF AN epidemic when
prevalent Is an organization which has
the confidence OF Tire community and
the pluck and skill cody To face panic
terr0rs more alarming than those OF
wal. All of which is respectfully
submitted by
j, BERRI LINDSEY, NJ. D..