The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-17
SOME VALUABLE OFFICIALS.


SOME VALUABLE OFFICIALS.
Speaking Of the yellow fever epidemic and rs
pancs, the Mdioal dmdlri tchcago) calls aten'
tion To the good influence which a skilled santa
rlan can exert in a public panic, US "thown by
the npidity with which d. Rauch, the State
Health onicor, checked the yellow fever panic
which threatened 10 stud Illinois with the shotgun
quarantine with all is horrors" To this illustra.
ton might be added Others, as for example, that
Of Dr. Jerome Cochran. tho State Health officer OF
Alabama who writes 20 Mayor Roche-as pub
lished Ia yesterdays Morahg Ncios- correcting the
Misrepresentation OF those who would trade upon
the afiliction Of their fellows to Impose upon tho
charitable Dr. Cochran, against the interested
donials OF tho local physicians, pronounced
the disease IN Decatur To be yellow fever
and voluntarily shut himself up IN the
infected town, around which he established
a Gordon for tho safety Of the rest of the State. lie
has been there now for seven weeks In the midst
OF the pestllcncc, and his witnessed the death of
four out Of the SIX doctors who protested mgainst
his declaring the disease 10 be yellow luycr
Or Witt Johnson, Secretary OF the Mississippi
State nonrd OF Health Is another Of these heroes.
lie Inns remained immured In Jackson IN personal
change OF the plague smtten capital, and, like his
brother officer IN Alabama, he has Instituted md
enforced measures oi isolation and other sanitary
precautions which have insured the safety Of the
rest Of the state II Is largely to the efforts Of these
two officials that yellow fever has been prevented
irom spreading ~ an epidemic throughout Ala
bann and Mississippi.
Deserving Of mention with these Is the name OF
the president ~ the Memphis Board OF Health
Dr. G.. u. 1hornt on had the moral courage 10 keep
his comp ct with the other health authorities In
10 Al Vail n,I
the first appearance ola suspicious case" IN his
own city Fort he was met with storm OF
abuse from those who would conceal such knowl.
edge aud then 10 the first 10 flee from real danger
Dr. Thonton's conscientloumcss Is tower OF
strength for Memphis In that his statements as 10
the health Of that city arr received with implicit
crclonco by his brother officials
Tho value Of such services M these may not be
measured IN dollan aud cents alone, but even on
the financial scale they are coming to be hpprccl.
atcd. There "a a renewed demand for national
health Organization which may utilize the ability
Of all skilled Sanitarans for the future prevention
Of cpilcmics. with their horrur ~ the burbarous
shotgun quarantine and material losses Of colossal
proportions.
This. from the pen Of Dr. +. W. Riley,
in The Chicago Noes, is valuable testimony
10 personal courage and courage Of convic.
ton from one Of the foremost sanitahans
Of the country. No man better knows
than DIR. Riley tho influences, prejudiccs
and panic that faithful health officer aud
conscientious sanitarian has 10 confront in
the performance Of his duty Yet II Is
only fair 10 say that much oi this has been
duo TO the very lax and indifferent meth.
ods pursued everywhere in this country
up 10 1870. when tho people Of all
the States were for the first. time
brought 10 n realizing sense Of the value
Of honestly managed Health Boards aud
honorable aud truthful Sanitary Inspect.
os, Up TO that year II had been the
habit everywhere to deny the presence Of
yellow fever, In Difference to commerce,
until II forced itself upon general attention
In epidemic form. II was an established
law that 10 lie unlor such circumstances
was oxcusablc, the people who were to
become the poor victims Of such deceit
being utterly obliyious to the fact No
often made apparent that tho pres
cncc Of an epidemic disease can
only be concealed ~ long rs II il
in the incubating process, preparing or
gathering strength to buns: forth aud carry
defamation aud destruction perhaps 10
many communities lullcl TO a sense Of sc-
cui,y 10y the he Of suppression and In
consequence having daily and intimate
intercourse with the infected place.
Thiass 90 the courage Of the Thonions,
Cochuus and wiH Alamscs tie LAY for
that sort Of thing has passed. Human lie
l. more than commerce NJ trade. and must
be- saved at any cost 10 either Tnr Arrr,L
heartily indoRcs VIII t he Chicigj Nsia 10
kindly and iorciblysays, and feels qulicsurc
that the people Of this section who were
saved 10y the especially gca, courage of
Cochran and Adams will unite with "a.
Hal Il not boon iorthcirllmcly warning tho
dreaded disease nigh, have bcon spread
boy travellers cvcrywhcr round about and
In Memphis, destroy ing our iall anl winter
trade and setting NJ back by Eve foil ycars
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