The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-12
NOT UNTIL A BLACK FROST.
Savannah to Keep the Quarantine
Rigidly in Force.

A light frost fell here yesterday morning,
mercury dropping to AZ, and light frost
atJacksonville is also reported by the signal
service. A MORNING News reporter called
on DIR. Duncan, of the sanitary COMMITTEES,
yesterday to inquire at what time, in his
opinion, the quarantine can be removed
with safety to Savannah.
DR.. Duncan replied that he does not think
! 1t VIII be safe to relax the present rigid
| quarantine against infected Florida points
| until black frost has visited Savannah.
He says that he thinks it will be the
| judgment of the sanitary authorities that
not until ice forms here should the quaran-
tine be raised, and even then he thinks that
no bedding or clothing should be permitted
TO come from infected points without it has
been thoroughly fumigated or exposed to
the cold air at a freezing temperature. He
admits that this rule may be difficult of en-
iorcement, but If the people are educated to
the Importance of such precaution, they
will gladly lend every assistance in the
proper fumigation of their baggage, or,
better still, its exposure to the cold air at
the temperature mentioned.
While DIR. Duncan says that there is
danger from clothing or bedding, not fumi-
gated or exposed to the cold, hiding the
fever germ until the summer, and then
when opened forming focus for the spread
VI biiS ulocdSc, no ilttS no apprehension lluJ
we Will have the fever at Savannah next
summer IL proper precaution is taken. In
fact, he thinks that the fever in florida,
which is less virulent this year than last.
will die out this winter and if there are
sporadic cases next season the fever will be
less malignant than the present year, and
without there is fresh importation next
year there will be very little danger from
thu disease in Florida another year -
Ilr. I'm dnas baIinvn fhnt fhora
is, or has been, an epidemic Of malarial
fevers at jacksonville, but that many cases
thought to be malarial fevers were really
mild cases of yellow fever, of which there
were so many at Jacksonville. His expert
ence is that when yellow fever hibernates
over from year to year it becomes milder
until it finally dies out, as he thinks it will this
winter in thu infected districts in Florida.
In the course of the interview DR.. Dun
can alluded tp the editorial in yesterdays
MORNING NEWS on the city election as being
well timed and very proper. The under
taking of house drainage, he says, is an en-
terprise OF so large a scope, of such SAM
tary Importance, and requiring SO great an
expenditure of money, it requires that only
the most competent and practical men
should be selected for mayor and aldermen,
who will be looked to to carry it out. II is
essential, he thinks, not only that there
should be system of house drainage, but
that there should be no mistake in the sys-
tenn. The grades and levels of the city, Dr.
Duncan says, are being established by Mr.
Percy Singden, under the supervision of
City Civil Engineer Col. w. J. VIM, and
the latter has filed bis report with the special
committee on house drainage.
Dr. Duncan was asked what recommen-
dations, if any, Col. Vim had made, and
he replied that as he understood it, it was a
recommendation of the Waring system,
with suggestions of changes made in it at
Memphis. Dr. Duncan was not prepared
the council, or the formal action of the
council Col. Warlng claims a royalty of
$40 on the flush tanks in his system. A
possible 100 flush tanks would mean a
royalty of $1,000, which will be small sum,
DIR. Duncan says, compared with the amount
to be expended, if they are found to be
the best, and it NAV be that it may not be
necessary to adopt them if any other sys-
tenn Of flush tanks are found to be as good,
or better Col Warning also claims royalty
of 10 cents per running foot for his system of
pipes, which for the probable twenty miles
of piping would amount to a royalty of
SIC, 900 or upward. Whether this expense
can be obviated, OF whether he can claim a
royalty for the same are questions, DR..
DuEcan SAYS, that are to be considered.
When the grades aud levels are obtained,
and a system is agreed upon, DIR. Duncan's
opinion is that it will not be long until the
work can be completed. He is inclined to
the belief that some practical and thorough
system of house drainage is desirable, and
that one will be adopted.