The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-15
A MEDICAL BOSS.

the Marine Hospital Service, ought TO DO
squelched and sat down upon by Congress,
and that us soon as possible. He is boss
OF the bossiest order. He was not satisfied
to be at the head Of the hospital service,
which ought to give the ablcst medical
man as much as can safely be in
trusted TO one pair OF hands, but
he must needs have the quarantine
service under his control, and so he set to
work, his residence at Washington afford
ing him peculiar facilities for daily inter-
course with Congressman, undermined the
National Board Of Health and succeeded
in destroying II at the moment Of its great
est usefulness. For its vigilance in pre-
venting the introduction and spread Of dis
eases and its readiness for dealing with
epidemics originating within our own
borders he substituted merely the alton
ton Of physician at the points assailed.
The services OF skilled body was thus
lost to the country, and the effective serv-
ices Of men trained in the work OF pre-
vcntive medicine. No greater misfortune
has occurred 10 the cause OF sanitation than
this, which originated in the petty jeal-
ously that Is too often permitted to obtrudo
itself In medical and sanitary progress.
Having thus triumphed over an or
ganization that during It's too brief
life gave satisfactory evidence Of its
efficiency one would suppose that this
Surgeon.General would be satisfied. But
he is not. Ho is as busy now in opposing
tho establishment OF Bureau OF Public
Health as he was few years ago in OPP
posing the National Board Of Health and
for the same reason that he thinks II will
in teriero with his Bureau. That is the
anmus Of his opposition. Heis the medi-
cal boss Ct the country and as such sets
himself up in oppositison to the American
Public Health Association, the only or
gained body that Is competent 10 instruct
Congress in relation TO questions OF quar-
antine and sanitation. He, who all his
life has been devoted TO a merely hospital
practice, sets himself up in opposition to a
body Of experts. many Of whom are among
the highest living authorities on the spe-
cialdes to which they devote themselves.
DIR. Hamilton, Notwithstanding his Of
flee, occupies no position such rs
would Justify his conduct; nor is there
any affinity between his duties and those
that devolyc upon quarantine and inspec
ton service. Preventive medicine doe
no, come within his purvicw, and his as
sertion that the flaws now in force NEE
all the requirements Of the bill d
provide for the Health Bureau" Is |
wholly gratuitous assumption and I
specimen Of tho obtrusivencss tina
has characterized this medical Dos
wherever and whenever a National inspcc
ton service has been suggested. Their
Is but ono way 10 deal with such man
and that IL the summary way. The Ma
tional Public Health Association az bod!
should petition Congress for his rcmova
M too meddlesomo person, meddlesom'
because evidently he has not enough 10 do
IIisoiIlccs should beinquircd into with a yie'
TO la greater efficiency and the placing o
II ultimately under the control Of the med
ical department Of the Navy. That
where II ought to be anyhow, and that
where Il may easily be placed II only III
Health officers and saniiarians Of IN
country win combine TO suppress thi
pestiicrous boss with the high -soundin
title.