Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1890-11-28
Rockville and the Doctors.

NJ. Editor 1t is TO be regretted that th,
medical fraternity should have deemed |
the proper way to redress what they, with
out proper Investigation, think are man,
sources of unhealthiness in the town O
Rockville by publication in the news
papers. Doubtless, the outside public will
conclude that if Rockville is such cess
pool of uncleanliness as is depicted by the
address of DR.. Maddox, it is no longer O
place OF attraction for those who are con
templating locating in our midst
Whilst not setting my opinion up against
scientists as to the causes of sickness, yet
unhesitatingly take issue with them as to
the facts upon which they base their con.
illusions.
In the first place, it is not true that Rock
vile has been or is unhealthy, but to the
contrary our people have for time immemo.
rial enjoyed health, long life and vivacity
to a marked degree,
Secondly, whilst Cleanliness is next to
goodness" and there is no small town so
clean that there should not be continuing
effort to make it cleaner, as is certainly the
aim and effort of our townspeople, yet it is
not true that Rockville is unclean. On the
contrary, its streets and dwellings and sur
roundings are far cleaner and more attrac-
tive than any town within 100 miles. There
are no pig styes here, whereas such nu-
sances abound in nearly every other town,
even in places five times as large as Rock
vile. 1t is true there are some stables and
COW yards ON some of our back streets that
should be abolished for the sake of cleanl-
ness.
Thirdly, it is not true that our waters are
polluted, but on the other hand they are
pure and crystal like and the subject OF OBJ
servation on the part of all close observers.
Fourthly, our drainage is reasonably good,
but could be made better if the medical fra
ternity and the other talking progressiveiets
would talk less, work more and pay more
taxes.
Filthy, there has not been an epidemic
of serious nature or pestilence of any
kind in our midst for forty years-perhaps
never.
Sixthly, whilst it is true we have some
cases of typhoid and malarial fevers, there
are but few and SELDOM more than one or
two deaths year out of a population of at
least 1,198.
Seventhly, one of the learned members of
this medical fraternity residing in this town
has openly and persstently stated that
typhoid fevers arise from the exposure OF the
bare surface of the ground to the rain and
sun, and that the only preventive is to sur
round the dwellings with 30 or 40 feet of
turf, and then to concrete the streets Ii
this be so why attribute this class of sick
ness to other causes?
Eighthly, as 10 the graveyard. Yes, the
graveyards. Dr. Chancellor was brought
here to inspect them, and this willing in
spector was unable to find any causes ex-
listing therein upon which he could dare to
predicate the opinion that they, as they now
exist, are deleterious to health. Then what
is the use OF this medical fraternity, without
any examination Or proper consideration,
besmirching the fair name of our town to
the chagrin of its inhabitants and the de.
light OF its rival competitors by "a unani-
nous publication" of Dr. Maddox's address
TO them?
For one, am Of the opinion that the
town is not the place for interments and
that they should cease by the voluntary
and public spirited action of its citizens.
But for one | am opposed to running rough
shod over the opinions Of any one until it
can be shown that life and death are in
volved.
There has been a disposition manifested
by some, who are not specially noted for
their enterprise on general principles, To
rough it on the graveyard. To the extent
of trying to interfere with the other opera
tons Of the town and slurring at our three
councilmen who, unlike the Mayor and
Counclmen Heagy, deem it their duty to
serve out the terms Oh once Tor which they
agreed to serve the public and for which
the public elected them. 1t is not exactly
the proper thing for a legislative, judicial
or executive body to resign, resign, resign,
whenever the majority OF their associates
do not determine as they. The people en-.
trusted their affairs to the majority Of the
five-notto the minority-they knew in .he
determination Of questions there lse
differences, honest differences, but they had
the right To expect the minority to submit
to the majority And thus it is when the
graveyard agitators" fail To adducc suffi
cient reasons to induce Il majority OF our
Town Council 10 perceive that they should
resort to compulsory or prohibtive measures
to prevent future burals, nothing having
been shown them except a numerously
signed petition, which made known to them
that large majority of the people preferred
that there should not be any more burials in
town, they have resorted to side issues.
What would be thought OF II judge Or any
judicial or legislative body, who would vote
TO take away the ancient rights and proper
ty of a mnOrity-iye, even OF one man, and
that man Judge Buuic, whom some OF these
agitators have libeled with miserable dog
gerel-smply because "the majority" petl.
TONED for it, Such would be the quintes
sence Of the most diaboiical communism.
CITIZEN.