The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-06-18
THE PHYSICIANS PREACH
MAJOR DO0LEi's PROPOSED tA-
CHANGE OF PROPERTY DISCUSSED.
SENTIMENTS ABOUT SMALLPOX
SIFTED At LENGTH.
psSAGREtI.G OuCroHS CONCERN
ING CoUSCiLuES CALLED
TOGkruEE
was Decided 10 rake Away tie Small
Pox Dead and Wake the Trade WIN
major UooIey Grounds and
buildings Committee

The joint Committee on Grounds
and Buildings and Health met IN the
Chaucery Courtroom at $3.50 CLOCK L. /
NJ. yesterday. Present: Mr. {. D.
Phillips, chairman Of the Committee
on Grounds and Buildings, and Messrs.
Creushaw. Suead. Hunt, and Mr.. l.. L.
Christian. chairman Of the Committee
on Health, and Messrs, Carter Snead
and Grimes.
The meeting had been called for the
purpose OF hearing an expression Of
opinion from the medical profession "a
/ to the adysabilIty of removing the I
small pox dead from the Clark Spring
property. that being a Consideration IN :
sisted upon by Major Fl. Doofey who |
proposed to trade the city land near tire /
Reservoir Park for the property above |
named.
A number of physicians, in answer
to invitations. were present; among |
them. DR.. c. w. p. Brock. DIR. j. K. /
Wexford. DR.. Curd. DR.. W. IL. Taylor.
DIR. NJ. l.. James. DR.. Thomas j. Moore. |
DR.. II. Cabell Tabb. DR.. Ed. G. Smith, |
DIR. 4. J. Riddell. DR.. John y. Upshur.
DR.. &. 5. Mills. Dr. W. Augustus Lee, /
and Or. X. G.. Cabell.
The object Of the meeting was stated /
by Chairman Phillips. aud he called on |
Mr. Christian to make known his /
views.
Dir. Christian said the committee
knew the object of the meeting The /
physicians had been invited to attend, /
and he thought they ought 10 be heard. |
DR.. James said that the removal OF
the small pox dead was purely expert |
mental. lie never had been present at /
the disintcrmeni OF smallpox dead. au- /
thOuty on the subject was scarce. The /
ONLY way to settle the matter would be /
by practical test. Theory could not /
do il. Wheat that had remained ~ /
mummies of Egypt for 5000 years had /
sprung forth germs. Possibly this +.
might be the case with smallpox germs. +
DR.. Oppouhoimcr reiterated what he /
had said before. lie would not Ike 60 /
theorize upon such subject. Tie /
would not like 90 makea test Of the mat |
ter by digging zap one OF the smallpox !
dead and causing thereby a number of /
people 10 die. lie read q letter from !
the health commissioner of St. LOUIS. !
the surge0n-general of the United I
States marine service. from the Phiia- /
dolphia board of health. giving the
opinion that The exhumatiOn would be I
wrong.
The New Orleans board OF health /
thought extraordinary precautions /
should be taken IL tho bodies were re- /
moved. Ii expressed the belief that If /
the ground was turned up lt would not /
be innocuous. Other letters were read f
decidedly expressing the opinion that /
it would be wrong to remove the re-
mains. az burial did not remove the
germ Of the disease. One letter said
that the bodies could be removed with
out danger
DR.. G. W. 2. Brock said that he be-
lieyed practically bat little could be
stated. But if the bodies were to be re-
moved they certainly should be- removed
in the summer. lie thought il safe
in the absence of practical experience
TO let the bodies remain where they
were.
Dr. Wexford said that be had some
experience in removing the dead bodies.
He had. after the end Of twelve months
burial. given permission as chairman
If the Committee on Health TO have
some of the bodies removed. 1t would
be found that some % the graves were
now empty. DR.. Wexford thought the
remains could be- removed ithout dan
ger to the public health.
DR.. X G.. Cabeil said ne was en-
phatically opposed TO the removal Of
the bodies. He did not recOllect even
to have given n permit 10 remove the
1 ga. 4 l...I 4
thought it decidedly dangerous to take
up the bodies Any citizen could tell
as much about il as doctor, practi-
cally.
Or. Taylor said he was sorry there
was no more facts. Ii was a question
that we could not be dogmatic about.
There was "A scarcity of facts on both
sides. So far as he was personally con
cerned. he would not hesitate to remove
the bodies but this was too important
a subject for bin To- express any posi-
tive opinion upon As about that
three thousand grain of wheat business.
be said that is "A story. and has been
vigorously denied theoretically he
thought there was no danger. II
anybody has any practical opinions,
why trOt them out. / know nothing
about che matter myself.
DR.. &. 5. Mills spoke at some length,
and very learnelly. lie went on to show
what a micrObe was. The word meant
long life. not short lie The micr0be
was almost immortal No one knows
how long they would last. A 10 the
removal of the bodies, there was, in his
opinion, danger. and If there was any.
- N4. D
There was risk in IT, One life would
not compensate for The removal.
DR.. Upshur said-ii tho bodies were
removed negigently there might be
danger. If proper disiniectants were
used there would be. I'M his opinion, no
risk IN removing them.
Dr. Tabb said be had no experience
in tine matter. He thought il best to let
the bodies alone.
DR.. Lee thought there was no danger
in taking up the bodies If proper disn-
feciants were used.
Or. Lumpkin was called upon. He
thought the opinion Of the Board of
Health ought 10 be respected and they !.
have spoken. said he.
DR.. Moore did not believe in the germ q
theory. He thought it all nonsense,
and had though. 30 for some time. lie .
did not think there was any danger in ;
removing the bodies
DR.. Smith thought It dangerous to !
remove the bodies. lie thought that
the absence of more facts was due TO 9
this: that most cities were 100 smart :
10 do anything of the kind.
Or. Curd. OF the Board OF Health. OPP
posed the disinterment.
Mr.. higgins offered a vote Of thanks I;
TO the doctors. andst was agreed TO. J.
Colonel Cutshaw advocated the re-
moyal on practical grounds.
No Christian moved that il be the :
sense Of the Joint committee that il
was inexpedient TO remove the bodies.
Mr. Christian VERT vigorously adVO-