The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-29

dsembarked from a steamer at Tampa on the
night or the 18th, and returned to Plant City to
supervise some sort of cleaning up of the town.
Many acres of dead brush and rubbish were
cleared off and burned; thorough fumigation of
every house in the place was begun lime and cop
peras were generally scattered about, and BIZ
chloTldlng of all houses and beddngs where sick
dess had occurred was arranged for. Three days
OF hard work, and inhalation Of sulphur and
pine smoke gave me bronchitis, from which l
still suffer.
Mcanopy, on the Florida Railway and Navi-
CATION railroad, north Of Plant City, and Bar
tow, south of Lakeland, are presumably danger
points at present. 1t is evident to me, painful
as the idea is, that the lines of railroad from
Tampa TO Jacksonville are at various points in
tested by fomites, which will, at the proper
time, give all the trouble prophesied by DR..
Caldwell
FAVORED REGION.
The region south of the south Florida railroad
seems to be more secure, except Manatee, but
Is by no means safe cannot think spasmodic
and imperfect cleaning of towns will serve to
obviate recurrence of the fever for there is
no power or panic to enforce or even advise,
general and symtematic riddance of all sup
posable fomites, retained air and nduSes Two
weeks prompt work now would minimize
or avert the danger, but there is no
tidence to& advise sanitation or to subdue
the bitterness of last seasons quarantine's
follies and failures. The Governor will not it is
SAID, call meeting of the Legislature, and the
Medical Association will not meet till May. The
helpless State Health Protective Association is
exploded and bankrupt l wished for the
privilege to visit more towns to beg for prompt
action, but not caring to ask for it, or to take
1t, Will try by private letters to arouse the
town authorities to work while some
chance offers to avert a summer of terror
the publication of my opinions Savannah is
already warned, and all the chief cities are on
the lookout.
ADvICES FROM JACKSONVILLE
Under date of April 16 Dr. Neal Mitchell,
President of the Duval County Board of Health
wrote from Jacksonville to Surgeon General
Hamilton as follows:
JACKSONVILLE FLA, April IS, 1888.
SIR-Of course you have known of the ex-
istence of yellow fever at Plant City this winter;
there have been cases throughout the winter, but
1t has been only recently that there has been
any alarm. and that occasioned, l presume, by
the advent of warm weather. | cannot say as
to what may be the status of affairs there now,
but sent the Secretary of my board, Dr.
Knight, down to-day, and shall be thoroughly
posted by the latter part of the week. |
am in somewhat of quandary as to
just what shall be done, providing DR.. Knight
reports the prevalence of the disease, as have
no doubt he will do not think it advisable
and shall not q arantne at present.
LAST YEARS LESSON.
The lesson of last year taught the many diff
cultieS of quarantining at such distance. It
is my opinion that each infected locality should.
by an efficient GORDON be isolated This
the counties of Florida cannot do,
hence if such a plan is to be adopted,
some one with authority and means for carry
ing out such requirements as may be deemed
best-yourSelf-must take the matter in hand l
will make few general statements: Last fall
yellow fever probably existed at many points
along the lines of the South Florida railroad and
the Florida Railway and Navigation Company S
railroad, and may be developed at any
of these points later in the season. The State,
as you know, has no State Board of
health and hence every county acts for itself.
which fail to meet the requirements for various
reasons, and destroy commerce.
ASKED FOR ADVICE.
''You are familiar with cases Of this kind.
and wish your advice as to what should be
done. have made but few statements as to
the conditions here, because | know you
are already acquainted with them
ANY suggestions you may make
l shall be happy to receive. Our board repre-
sents the most powerful county in the State
and carries great weight. l am anxious that
everything possible to avert a spread of the
disease shall be done, and if you can suggest
some plan our board will try to carry it into
effect. shall write Gov. Perry tonight. Par
don this hastily written letter"
The weekly abstract also publishes the
following extract from a letter to Surgeon
General Hamilton, written by the State
Health Officer of Texas, dated Houston.
April s:
have learned from private sources that vel.
low fever still exists in Tampa. No mention
being made in your weekly abstracts upon
which | greatly rely, l have decided that a
direct question to YOU whether or not such is
the case, would relieve me of all doubts upon
the subject. R. RUTHERFORD NJ. D.,
State Health Officer