The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-16
THE RETURN OF THE NURSES.
surgeon-General Hamilton's Methods
Described as Utterly Brutal.

| are now out OF employment anu destitute,
are anxious TO return 10 their homes in
New Orleans They arc at present in de.
tention at Camp Perry.
DIR. Wilkinson, president Of the Louisi-
ana State board OF health, in telegram
on Tuesday TO Surgeon-Gencral Hamilton,
refused TO admit them by rail into the
State, and pointed out that ii they were
TO return here they would have to be con.
vcy cd to Tampa, whence they could come
by water 10 the Mississippi and be there
subject TO such quarantine as the board OF
health would think fit to impose.
To this message Of DR.. Wilkinson, the
surgeon general replied that the party OF
nurses in question had been held in Camp
Perry for ten days, during which period
they had not been exposed TO infection;
they were acclimated and not likely there
fore to become sick, and their baggage
had been fumigatcd. "Thcy are not
forced upon you" continued Or. Hamilton,
THE official at Camp Perry allows them
10 depart under the regulations in force all
summer, as they are destitute. / under
stand Inc has furnished them tickets. You
can keep them out OF New Orleans II you
desire. ! suggest that you notify them
through Hutton whore they must stop.
The government has no regulation detain-
ing them beyond the quarantine period Of
ten days"
Then, yesterday, DIR. Hutton, who we
presume is the government surgeon in
charge OF Camp Perry, and who had been
advised from Pensacola not TO send the
nurses by rail as the States of Mississippi
and Louisiana would refuse 10 admit them,
wired the surgeon-general for advice DIR.
Hutton said
"Dr. Marsh, Of Pensacola, tclegraphed
today that the authorities Of Mississippi
and Louisiana will not allow nurses from
Camp Perry 10 enter those States. These
nurses have been in camp seventeen TO
nineteen days each. There is no infection
in camp, nor has there been any. The
question which now confronts MS Is
whether Mississippi and Louisiana or the
United States are supreme in the matter.
Please advise me. In tho meantime /
shall hold the nurses"
To this application DIR. Hamilton babe
DR. Hutton forward the nurses by rail and
let them 90 M Tar IA they were allowed
lie diapprovcd, he said, OF the regua-
tions excluding them from New Orleans
under the circumstances, but confessed
that the government could not override
local regulations under the existing laws.
Dr. liutton's Ignorance Of the law, il
will be observed, is on u par with DIR.
llamilton's brutality. DIR. Hutton ex-
presses the opinion that "tho question
which now conironts US is whether Mis-
sissippi and Louisiana or the United States
are supreme In the matter" There Is no
such question. Mississippi and Louisiana,
though DR.. Hutton from his lofty federal
standpoint may not like 10 be informed
OF it, are supreme in the matter IL
has been decided In several cases
10y the supreme court of the United
states that the power vested in
Congress To regulate commerce with for
cign nations aud among the several States,
while II In complete In itself aud may be
exercised To It's utmost extent, ncknowl-
cdging no limitations other than are pre-
scribcd in the constitution; "yet IL does
not interfere with the right Of the several
states 10 enact inspection, quarantine, and
health laws Of every description, IA well as
laws Tor regulating their internal com.
mcrcc.' Gibbons Va. Ogden, y VIII 2Og.
New York Va Min, II Pet. lUs; Conway
W. Taylor, ] llaCk, hb3.
surgcon-Gcncml Hamilton knows the
law touching the matter better than his
subordinate; but lac is bumptious in his
manner towards the chief health officer of
this state; h. Is inconsidcrato toward the
feelings Of Mississippi and Louisiana, and
hc X brutal Ia his proposed treatment Of
the nurses.
In the first place, when DR.. Wilkinson
declined Ia have the nurses return her, by
rail. ~ he WIS thoroughly justified and
vel advised IN doing, aud submitted that
they should not hc forced on us in thi.
way, hut be conveyed 10 Tampa and
Thence by Nntor, the surgeon general not
only replied with rude contradiction that
they were mot being forced on Us" but
he never even condrsccndcd to notice the |
alternative mode and route oi travel pro-
pulrd by d. Wilkinson. The irlcgr'ims |
viii speak for themselves II Dr. Hamilton |
D. not trying tu iurcr the returning nun,cs |
upon u7, We would ike Ia know tic name |
he would like Ia apply 10 his action In the |
premises. To most people IL will iouk not |
only like an attempt, but decidedly |
dnullnyrring attempt a. force them upun |
is, 10 the way IL plrnscs him. pr. VIII
sins"nH proposal, though treated with |
cnni"mplunns silence hy ~. Hamilton, Ia |
both sale uud easy, aud d is the one tlnt |
should hv u.l means bc adopted.
d. Hamilton hl- ls little rrr1pl for the |
i,''ins' or ns Doc would cllI u, the "pwig. |
.hcr, 81 the people 1T Mississippi aud 1
Louisiana, when they object to the pn- |
liHn'o wiInin their boundaries OF persons
WHO Dave rg,uuiIy hycn iu yellow Tower .
region, w hr h1s iur the opinion of ur /
WILKINSON. u matters not io the surp,Un.
general iIui ihyfe BE- o. uuluimuu. and ONT.
I"Nrn objection uu ihc p1ri of every conn
'unniN along the line oi travel iu the two
-.'i'' mentioned, aH we'll nT the rui.rr pop.
INii"u u' New Orleans. rVlluN tIu piufn
Joe ihr way proposed OF thee yr..sw fp,.t
luf , iln su-#Uu-auywl hls said ih.y
.h1'l return .' Uil. and iho people 1T Mis-.
. Ipp WuI Louisiana aud their woman.
no 'iN about infection aul the Ike, may
De- Hamilton il brutal IN ha propsaeI
Nliiu.ni u. 'up NURSES It, 1vs prIrf.
i'Iy in Do liultuu "-uI Thorn on. and
20 l.UW rui H iIr ls Ihry can. thpy'rp
destitute lHf newer mind tb1t b. a III,
lu. moss of Nuun ur mine. let lhrm a
iuu. uHt iu ihH uuH.iH. without DnI .rI
uUNtr ur iuu ruuu ul obtaining nuy.
d N.nytr tHuN strike q community tUJt .
900 u.' H..uu tlrm 60 pIas BOO arI
'r. un. 1ui leo them take their chances.
Hu HHI ] ,n"H hy HWp ud with tLrm
1853 iuHi "IUy uu without means and vp
.HNr goo .uuH.r uas lrih.m. trttiIui
H.u.'
THE r',,wmuut and thc charitable NJ
'r 'u'.Uu -,tirf have contributed 10 very
t NWHUI. u' mooney Zoo iu. relief ui yr'.
'. tt"r .U..uu 100 IIr uY.IUf.g ti,
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