The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-12-04
THE pUBLIAEALTH, ETC.

| IauSC W every CitFli III CNCiy O"""i"
nifty. In connecti, with the terrible
epidemic now happy near its end, the
subject demands nconly local but gen
eral consideration. t is not merely
local or State mattemor is it Southern
problem 1t has beone q national ques-
ton, to be dealt VIII by the nations
Congress and government.
1t is certainly the .ty Of the general
government to establh and enforce such
quarantine regulations will most likely
prevent the introductn into our country
of infectious and c.tagious diseases.
While Florida may bable to look after
her ports, she is not ppared-she is not
financially able-to grrd her coast line
of about 400 miles, an the government
should protect it by segular patrol of
small cutters on the wash for smugglers,
&c. This strikes US abeing national
necessity, not alone as regards the well
fare Of Florida, but as a,rotection to the
whole country. There sould be at every
port adequate quarantin to prevent the
introduction of Infection or contagious
diseases. At this pointthe interests of
commerce will present elections. If the
channels of commerce ae kept open at
all seasons of the year, without proper
restrictions as regards tn public health,
infectious and c6ntagiou diseases will
be brought to our shores,and desolatlng
epidemics are sure to follow, in which
every interest must of necessity suffer-
The interests Of commerce we're, as mat
ter of course, seriously Affected during
the present epidemic, and what interest
in Florida did not suffer? In fact, the
baleful effectsbf the epidemic were felt
by many interests in other Safes. What
is the commerce of the countries south of
us compared to the public health of the
United States-or even of single State?
Under proper restrictions for certain
months these channels of commerce might
possibly be kept open, but when from
this cause, or any other, pestientlal dis
eases are imported, and an epidemic fol-
lows, commercial relations must necessa-
rily become irregular. Commerce must
bear its share of every disaster
that visits our land in proportion as
that disaster affects the public welfare.
A few persons-from personal considera-
ton, of cOurse-cnntend tlIaL the channels
of commerce must be kept open at all
times and under all circumstances, and,
for this and other obvious reasons, they
call for State Board of Health. They
have not been kept open during this cpl
demic, and they cannot be kept open
when yellow fever prevails. The local
boards of healtl INSTRUCTED the channels
of commerce in this epidemic. There
was no power to remove these obstruc-
tons. The chief Of the United States
Marine Hospital Service impo sed and en-
forced restrictions upon the I. 5. mails,
upon general traffic and travel, and
State Board of Health, if it did anything,
would do likewise 1t could mott
would not-dare to do less, for the simple
reason that nothing less would protect the
people-and nothing less would satisfy
them
If the people of Florida desire State
Board of Health, let them have tiff the
Legislature can he prevailed upon to en-
act law providing for one, as the Con-
stitution directs. If nothing but State
Board will meet the exigencies of the stu
alton, the sooner that board is organized
and prepared for work the better. The
advocates for State Board might prevail
upon Governor-elect Fleming to call an
extra session of the new Legislature, fresh
from the people, after his inauguration,
but we very seriously doubt it. But this
question Of State Board is still debat-
able matter, the journals of the State are
discussing it pro and con, and here we
again take occasion to warn the people Of
Florida to weigh this matter well-!o con-
slider it in all it's bearings upon the flu
ture--especially as regards epidemics-
if we should be so unfortunate as to
have others. We do not want-we
cannOt afford 10 hava-a Stata Roo ri