The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-30
NATIONAL QUARANTINE.

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If the Marine Hospital Service Is competent and
authorized TO mentain and control national quar-
nntine why did It not prevent Intercourse between
Cuba and Florida during the past two years, and
why did It not see to the isolation OF the rst cases,
and prevent all the confusion and excitement wit
messed In the South during the past two weeks
The Marine Hospital Service at Washington owes
an explanation 10 the country why II did not con-
troll this matter, while Il claimed and sought TO
have charge OF II.
The United States has a standing army OF 5000
men, which for the year 1887 cost the country SS,-
j6l 026, and thatto keep out an enemy that may
never come. In addition To this the navy cost the
Government last year sl5,lll ,l27-a total of over
100000 for the army and navy, and yet Congress
with surplus OF over sl00,0)O,OOO in the Treasury
would not in tho past few years grant so snail an
amount MS s30o,O 900 to keep up the Nation Blarl
OF Health, that would have maintained an per
fccted national quarantine as inaugu 70 niue
years ago. 70 attach national quart lin the
Marine Hospital Service is to makeIt rel sidc
issue, MS II II were not worthy muchn nti The
Memphis Catholic Journal Of he SOgh.
Our esteemed contempora y is right.
As TIE APPEAL has repeated many times
it is one thing to be a hospital physician
and another to be a sanitarian and quaran-
tinist Surgeon General Hamilton, il he
does his duty as a prompt and proper
Supervisor OF the Marine Hospital Service,
which extends all over the country, cannot
devote the time necessary to the establish
ment of quarantine such as the National
Board OF Health enforced in 1879 with the
best results. The fact that he failed utterly
at Jacksonville is proof Of this and
should be sufficient TO silence those
who cautiously and unreasonably oppose
the establishment OF Bureau Of Public
Health, with power TO enforce interstate
or international quarantine. This is the
only way TO prevent the unreasonng
panic and confusion that have prevailed
the past four weeks throughout the South.
II the people had the national authority
vested in a well-organized Bureau OF
Health TO rely upon they would not have
recourse 10 shotgun quanntines. They
have no faith in some OF the local Boards
Of Health. The city Of Vicksburg does moi
hesitate 20 tell New Orleans that IL would
not believe any statement its Board o.
Health might make relative TO the alb
sense Of yellow fever, and every town and
city in tao South will hereafter discrediI
Decatur. This want Of confidence ant
the ease with which refugees from infected
places transferred themselves at will from
one point to another induced the unreaon
ing panic and the still more unreasonable
terror that suggested shotgun guarantees
The dreadful havoc OF the yellow ieye
in 1873 is still fresh memory TO the peopl,
Of the whole Mississippi Valley and the!
prefer health with shotgun quarantine
TO the risk or ruin Of an epidemic a
the result Of a lax system Of qnaran
tho enforced by their neighbor. 10
the National Government establish
Bureau Of Health, empowered TO pro
tect them all by strictly quarandnin
the infected point. and the shotgun quar-
antine and panic will be thing Of tn
past. To secure the establishment Of sucl
bureau should be the particular aim an
end Of the Southern States who cannot al
ford 20 be made the prey and sport Of vel
low fever or other scarcs, discrediting tn
good sense Of their people and reIardin
and injuring their trade.