The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-01

umnS because they are pertinent 10 inc
subject uppermost in the public mind
the re.estabishment Of the national board
OF health or bureau OF public health,
charged with the duties appertaining to
international and interstate quarantine, so
that the southern states may be protected
from shotgun guarantees and unrcasonlng
panics like those that still prevail in some
quarters
History ofthe National Board of Health.
The first decisive step taken in national
health legislation was the passage OF an act
by Congess-approved April 20, 1873
which conferred upon the marine hospital
service, of the treasury department GER
tain duties relating to the prevention Of
the introduction OF contagious and lnlec-
tous diseases into the country. This leg
isIation was secured chiefly through the
efforts OF DR.. John II. Woodwork, sur
geon-gcneral OF the marine hospital SER
vice, an eminent sanitarian, who was
fully impressed with the necessity Of u
central national health authority. In his
effort TO secure to his service the public
health functions OF the general govern
ment, he had the aid OF prominent officers
of the treasury and the support OF SANTA
rians who sympathiZcd with his views.
THE GREAT EPIDEMIC OF YELLOW FEVER
OF 1873
brought the subject of national health
organization prominently forward, both
before the public and before Congress.
The Amelic IN Public Health o a ion,
Ill TOD tho gantturiuEA unI thta
boards of health in the country, became
tho special medium OF the public health
interests in securing legislation. A great
variety of bills were introduced into Con.
gress, organizing health bureau, and the
whole subject was most thoroughly dis.
cussed in that body and throughout The
country. This was especially true OF the
question, early raised aud persistenty
urged, as TO the proprieiy OF comforting
upon the Marine hosIS service the nee
essafy sanitary powers and duties. THIS
scheme WAS rejected by the Public Health
association, by all sanitnrians, with one or
two exceptions, and finally by Congress.
The bill which passed created n board Of
health composed OF seven members APP
pointed by the President and Senate, aud
| four members, OK oiiicio, one from each OF
the following departments, viz, medical
| department Of the army, medical depart.
ment OF the navy, the Marine hospital
| service, and the department OF justice. The
act was approved March 3, 1879.
The members appointed by the Presl'
| dent were all well known in the sections
| OF the United States which they rcpre'
sented, for practical personal knowledge Of
! the administration OF health laws aud IT,
miliarity with epidemic and peshlential
diseases, and the members. ex oiiclo
brought TO the councils Of the board thu
varied knowledge and experience OF tho
army, navy, Marine hospital service and
department OF justice. The law was sC
drawn as TO enable the surgeOn-genernl o.
the army, the surgcon-gencral OF the navy
and the surgcon-ge OF the Marine hos
pital service To be detailed as members o.
the board. The inst important act OF the
board was the appointment OF commits
sion TO visit Cuba and investigate th'
sources OF yellow fever. That commission
Of which DIR. Stanford T.. Chaile, OF New
Orleans. was chairman, and DIR. GeOrg
NJ. Stornborg, L. ;. A., was secretary
made an exhaustive report upon all mat
tcrs relating to the etiology and eXporta
ton Of yellow fever from the island. Sub
jccts relating 20 the public health were 10
lcrrcd 10 the board by Congress and TN
departments aud were duly considered
Experts were also appointed 10 make inqui
rics ~ 10 the origin OF certain contagiou
diseases which prevailed in diilorcn
sections Of the country. Special invest
cations were subsequently ordered by th,
board, ~ follows: The collection OF inlor
nation with regard TO the sanitary condi
tion of some OF the principal cities ant
towns Of the United States; on the hes
methods OF determining the amount ant
character OF organic matter In the air, b,
Prof Rcmsen, Of Johns Hopkins uniyer
sty; on the effects Of disinicctants, b,
Dn. Bigulow and BowditCh, Of Boston
ON the composition and merits Of the yari.
Gus patent disinicctanis, by Prof Chan
dlcr, Of New York; on the authorizations 81
food and drugs on tho diseases OF foo,
producing animals, on the How Of seven
Ia relation 10 their size and gradients, By
Col. waring, sanitary survey Of Mem
pills, Tenn; on the hygiene OF mercantile
marine. on the influence Ot various soil
upon sanitation, by Prof. Pumpelly
Meantime an extra session Of CongrcS
had convened. AZ the law Of March 3
1879, gave but limited powers and dutic
10 the boaru, anu rs thcrc was
WIDE SPREAD APPREHENSION,
especially In tho southern States, tina
there would be q revival Of the cpidcm
70 oi yellow fever In the local.
ties where Il hal prevailed In 1873, Con
grc-s passed another act cnlargin
tie powers and duties OF the board. Thi
act was approved June 2, 1879, and wa
limited In It's operations 10 four ycars
Tho appropriation 20 carry this act Int
effect wis $4,000. This act conicrrc,
upon the national board Of health all tn
duiIci given the Marine hospital service
by the act Of April ~. 1879, aud containo,
also repeating section. Section pro
vidcd ~ follows "And 10 much OF saii
act M requires the surgcon-gcncral Of th'
Marine hospital service 10 frame rules an,
regulations, and 10 execute said net, m,
90 give notice ~ Federal aud state otiiccr
oi the approach OF infected vessels, an,
furnish taid officers With weekly abstract
Of consular sanitary reports, and all othe
acts and parts Of acts inconsistent with thu
provisions Of this act be. aud the sam,
are hereby, repealed SCarucly had thii
act become a law, when yellow fever mad,
ils appearance in foycml places, nj Mem
phis, Ia ils mos. yirnlont form. The
board was at once called upon 10 perform
the new and uniricd functions Of naiiona
corporation with state and municipal au
thoriiics, IN warfare upon q common
oc. The duties growing out OF these rc
lations wcrc Of the most delicate charac
ter The public funds were 10 be judic
iously administered, tho most ofectiv,
measures we're 10 be adopted and Gu
iorrcd, and local pfcjudices were 10 b'
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