St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-09
OFFICIAL
Proceedings Of the Common Council
Regular Meeting.

COMMUNICATIONS.
From his Honor the Mayor.-Precautions
against cholera
To the Honorable, the Common Council of
the City of 81. Paul:
GENTLEMEN: The occurrence of the recent
and still existing cholera epidemicin Eurone
together with the enormous ravages which it
mas made there, has necessarily attracted gen
eral attention throughout the United States.
ana experience warns rs that the usual ac-
compartment OF such an outbreak has been
the transmission OF such an epidemic To this
country, and That upon its appearance here it
has usually followed the great avenues Of
travel and commerce.
In view of these facts and of the important
duties with reference TO the public health
with which your honorable body and the ex-
ecutive officers Of this city are charged,
have deemed it my duty to investigate the
condition Of this city with reference to the
same, and in that behalf have called upon the
Health Department for their views upon the
subject
The response from that Department has
been immediate and exhaustive and / here
with submit to you a communication from
DR.. Hoyt which speaks for Itself and which is
entitled TO your most earnest consideration.
With the consent of DIR. Hoyt also called
the matter to the attention Of the County
Medical Society Of this city, which is com
posed of our most eminent physicians, men
whose cminence and accom- plishments in
their profession entitle them to the highest
consideration upon any opinion which they
may express with reference 10 matters within
the scope Of their professional duty
or requirements. And that the matter
might be directly discussed,
submitted to that body at one Of their meet
ings the following questions:
First-Are we likely to have the cholera in
st. Paul during the summer Of 1850
Seconds the city in good sanitary con-
dition!
Third-What steps should be taken to
place the city in the best possible condition
in anticipation of a cholera cpidemics
These questions have been fully answered
by the medical society through certain of
their most eminent members TO whom they
have committed the necessary investigation
and response, and | herewith submit their
answers to you for your consideration and
action in connection with the communion
ton of the health department; believing and
knowing that your honorable body is thor
oughly aware of the important and solemn
duty imposed upon all public functioaaries in
the most important matter OF the public
health. | do not intend to extend this COM
munication to any unnecessary length,
although / consider it my duty to make 1t the
subject of special meeting of your honora-
bic body; nor is it my desire that in making
it should be considered to any extent To
appear in the character of an alarmist. /
simply seek to discharge the duties which are
apparently incumbent upon myself in view
of the threatened approach of this most dan
gerous and epidemic disease, and with the
desire TO further enable your honorable body
TO obtain such accurate and reliable infor-
nation upon the subject as will enable you
upon your part to most thoroughly and eff
GENTLY, and for the general public good, per-
form the duties which you have under
taken and which you have so
well discharged in every respect.
1t must not be forgotten that in the extra
ordinary development of our city and the
magnitude of the public and private works
in which we are now engaged, that the ques-
ton of the public health both underlies and
surmounts them all in its importance, and
the duties which it imposes upon us. Neither
our magnificent public Improvements, COM
mercia enterprise, financial successes, or
general advance in culture or prosper
ity, are Of any service to us unless at the
same time the sanitary condition of the city
shall be equal to the efficient and thorough
protection of the public health aud that it
should be particularly guarded against the
occurrence of epdemics of any character.
In our situation, and with our climate,
Nature has put us in position to be amply
able to protect ourselves against such occur
rences. if due care is given and proper pre-
cautions are taken against the existence of
dangerous localities, or the accumulation of
4Iuo Of h. aft, 81. II.
garbage an, other filth which form the hot
beds of diseases of this character.
We are under a special and solemn duty
IN this particular to every citizen, and more
particularly to that large portion of our citi-
zens who, upon the advent of such dis
ease, would be unable TO protect themselves
from its ravages by either the renovation of
their particular locality, or a removal from
them to other points. 1t is further apparent
from the report of the Health Department.
and the very important communication from
the County Medical Society, that
there are conditions and localities
in this city which would be fruit
full sources for the inception and spread of
the disease referred to, should the same oD-
tain foothold upon this continent and be
transmitted to this city. That these gentle
men seriously apprehend such an invasion OF
the United States by that disease; that they
believe that in case of such invasion it will
be necessarily transmitted to this city; and
that if the conditions which they conn plain of
are not changed and Immediately removed,
it is apt to assume an epidemic form among
US; under these circumstances immediate
action is required.
There is but one policy to pursue and that
is to place the city at once in the best sani-
tary condition possible at whatever trouble or
expense the same may be obtained.
No question of economy, no question OF
policy, no question of hesitancy ought to be
considered for an instant If the apprehen-
sions of the gentlemen referred to should be
fulfilled, and no steps should be taken in the
Interim to avert the possible danger it. will
be too late when the fatal certainty shall ap-
pear to do that which We can do now, and
that which we have ample time and oppor-
sunity to effect, and neglect or hesitation
npon our part in this matter would if the
same should result fatally to any of our citi-
gems, be criminal negligence upon our part
beyond the effect of an absolute affirmative
crime
| therefore most earnestly request your i'm
mediate and most thorough Investigation of
this subject, both upon the apprehended ap-
pearance of cholera in the United States dur
ing the coming summer and the condition of
this city to resist its attacks.
The necessary steps to be taken to make
such resistance require immediate action.
do not stop to point out to you from an
other view the obvious advantages of such
action, and the benefits to accrue to the city
from public conviction and belief founded
upon your action, that the sanitary condition
Of the city would be such as to practically
protect it against an epidemic, so far as hu-
man means could do so, for / conceive it to
be the fact that the higher obligation, our