The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-12
THEIR REWARD COMING.
WORDS OF PRAISE FOR DR.. THORN
TON AND OTHER sANITARIANs.
After the Smoke OF Battle Has Cleared,
the Faithful Services OF Those Who
Guarded the Mississippi Valley From
Yellow Fever Finds Acknowledgment


Yellow Fever Finds Acknowledgment.
So far rs the health OF Memphis and
freedom Of the Mississippi Valley from
yellow fever, the experiences OF last sum
mer are ancient history, and their recur'
renee, il is hoped and believed, will never
again be known here.
But when il comes TO the question oil ac-
cording deserved praise TO those who stood
the brunt OF the battle, erecting safeguards
behind which the people could take refuge
from attack by the scourgc, II is decidedly
modern history.
On October 25-o6 the Illinois State
Board of Health held It's quarterly meeting
ut Chicago. Being the first session since
the yellow fever scare, considerable a,ten-
ton was given "the yellow fever epidemic
OF 1883 unnecessary, ruinous and In
human quarantines-the danger line in
yellow feyer," etc. Dr. John H. Rauch,
secretary, in his report treated these top
les exhaustvcly, in tho course OF which
he said.
Unfortunately, ut this juncturc there
was received the report Of u suspicious
case at Memphis, and although IL was soon
proved 10 he uniounded, IL served TO re-
new the alarm and prolong the rcstric-
tons. Referring TO this case, think II
proper 10 call attention 10 the courageous
and conscientious discharge OF his duty by
DR.. q. B. Thornton, president Of the Mem
phs Board of Health, and member OF the
State Board OF Health Of Tennessee. The
circumstances OF the Binford case were
such as TO warrant IL being designated a
suspicious case, aud, in accordance with
his obligation 20 the members Of the San
itary Council Of the Mississippi Valley and
the health authorities Of othor States,
he promptly notified them 10 that
effect Tho necessary precautions were
taken in the locality, the case was isolated
and put under observation, and when,
within twenty-iour hours after the iirst re-
port, il was announced not 90 be yellow
lever, implicit credcncc was given 10 thC
statement. SO long rs DR.. Thornton shall
continue In his present official capacity the
people of the Mississippi Valley will feel
assured that they have nothing 10 dread
iiom concealment Ms 10 the sanitary status
Of Memphis. With such sanitarians IN
general control, public confidence during
an epidemic would not DO ~ readily dis
turbed, panics would be prevented, and
unnecessary guarantees avoided. Dis
trust and dread that the facts are bcinl
concealed add greatly TO the complications
OF every epidemic"
Under tho heading, "Some Valuable
Onicials," tho Chicago Morning Nous, OF
last Wednesday. has the following cdito.
rial Speaking Of the yellow fever cpl.
doinic and liz panics, tho Medical Standard
(ChicarOl calls attention 10 the good inilu-
ence which q skilled saniiarian can exert
In public panic, rs shown by the IA
pidty with which DR.. Ranch, the State
Health Officer, checked tho yellow fever
panic which threatened TO stud Illinois
with the shotgun quarantine with all ia
horrors. To this illustration might be
added others, as, for example, that Ji Dr.
Jerome Cochran. the state Health officer
OF Alabama, who writes Ia Mayor liocho-
"a published In yesterdays Morning Nors-
correcting the misrepresentation ui those
who would trade upon the allllcuon Of
their fellows 10 impose upon tho chair
table
"Dr Cochran, against the Interested lie.
lNlNN" ~ NNNN ANA .ANNHH NN'lN'NNNN W.
the diatir1 in Decatur tu be- yellow fever.
and voluntarily shut himself up in ths In.
fccted Town, around which be- established
a Gordon tot the safety oi the rest Of tie
State Ito has boun there now Tor seven
weeks In the midst oi the pDgtilcncc, and
has witnessed the dul il OF four out ol the
six doctors who protested against his de-
clnrng tho disease IN be- yellow lover.
UrN N.N.F..H.s. ia. Nj.
sissipli State Board OF Health, h another
Of these heroes. hchas rmninod immurrd
w jackson In personal change Ut th,
plague swition capital; aud, Ike hi
brother officer In Alabama. ho has inHii
tuirl and enforced measures Ol Isolation
nni other sanitary precautions which hlyD
insured the ssiciy OF the rest Of the State
IL u largely 60 the ciluiB Ut ihcsc two Of
ficinls thar yellow fever has been pWycntc,
frun spreading as M Cpilcmi. Throughout
Alabama and Mississippi
deserving ul mention With these Is Oh,
name of ihr President Of the Memphis
Board ui Health. Dr. q. A. Thornton hl.
the moral courage 90 krcp his complc
with the other health authorities iu thO
Mississippi Valley aud promptly an
nouncoi the iim' appearance oi n Huspi
AlNNn NiHf az lA'H own CIV lNI NllH llN VIZ
mot vlth a storm u abuse from those win
would conceal such knowledge and thcl
d. thr irt 10 lice from real danger nr
Ihoniun'H consciousness h o. tower ,
strength lot Memphis, Boa that bis s.n,,
mcutH ls 90 thc health Of that cts ar
rccciyrl With implicit evidence 10y Dbl
brother uihr lls.
"lhr value of such services Hg these ma
not Do measured u dollars and cen.
alone nut even uu 'hy financial scale thu
uc gradually coming t1 hu appreciate.
Them b. o renewed demand iuf . uliiuu
health organization which may utilize M
ability ui a.l skilled HlUauuus iur o,
iuil BE- prevention HI HUIDmU. with o..
hUun ui thr bari rHus .huNHn Iurua
tine and material lossgt OF colossal pwIa
tons
YARN Notes.
Bhufrfh plants lguh d. cUy,rb ui
manury lna ihr covering lClt until HuH
Tho result viii Do Huug ul lrv su.
Nhtn lIr Growing FslHuu uruKrs.