The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-17

PRESIDENT, j. II. Estill; second vice presi-
dent, John Screven; medical director, j. c.
Lehardy consulting engineer, David Doug
lass; attorney, George A. Mercer; secretary,
Denis Murphy; treasurer, Henry Blum !;
inspecting engineer, Percy Lugden.
SAVANNAH. GA, Feb. 10, 1891.
Another year OF general good health and Of
| freedom from epidemics in the city bears wit
ness 70 the value of our association In stimuat
ing the authorities to carry out improved
| methods OF sanitation which they were induced
| TO lnaugurate two or three years ago.
Inc improvement in the surface drainage in
ana around the city, the greater quantity and
better quality OF the water supply. the greater
| regularity In the removal Of garbage, the re-
ductlon OF privy vaults and cesspools in the
central part OF the city, the cleaner market and
better quality of food offered for sale in IL, have
| all had beneficial influence on the health Of
our people. Our Inspector has watched
the city market carefully and fer
retted out nuisances. Your health committee
| have held their weekly sessions regularly, and
| without fear or favor have called public atten-
tion 70 such matters as were considered by
them prejudicial to public health. The recent
improvement In the quarantine, and the cree
| ton by the city of an efficient crematory, are
the results OF the constant agitation of these
subjects by the Citizens Sanitary Association
| With crematory In the possession of the city
capable OF destroying all of its garbage and
! night soil, there is now no excuse for deposit
| ing putrefactive material where ID can do mis-
Chief and when kitchen refuse shall be taken
| away after dinner our people will be spared the
| disgusting odors which fill the streets every
| morning during the summer wherever the
| garbage wagons pass, and from the unhealthy
| influence of its putrefactve fermentation going
| on during the night.
From official data just received it appears
that the improvem snts in our quarantine con-
SYST mostly in etfording better facilities. for
| boarding vessels and discharging ballast,
| thereby shortening the period OF detention to
| which they are subjected.
| While this is Of great value to the interest of
our port, the method OF disinfecting at the
| station is not such as to give our citizens Sc
| curitY from imported contagion.
vessels are fumigated by burning sulphur in
| pots as in olden times and they are washed
/ with a mercurial solution. But there are no
means of testing the strength and efficiency of
| the sulphur vapors, no machinery for forcing
steam or gas into the cracks and crannies of
vessels or for applying the mercurial solution
| thoroughly.
| Heat, both dry and moist has been found by
| experience to be one of the best agents for de-
stroying disease germs, yet it is not used at all
at our stations. There appears to be no APP
| pliance for dtsinfecting bedding and clothing,
| tae most dangerous of all fomites. In short,
| our quarantine establishment Is still ''anti-
| quated, though we have been led to believe
| That its methods were thorough and efficient
The truth is that our citizens not sufficiently
| protected. because no scientific appliances for
maritime sanitation have yet been put up at the
quarantine station.
/
| played public spirit far more progressive than
| ours. Although the commercial interests
| which they have to protect are less valuable
THAR those OF Savannah, they have made study
| OF the best systems OF quarantine now in use,
| and have spent money in establishing one fer
themselves equal, If not superior, to any in the
| country.
They sent q commission to New Orleans To
| examine the Holt system, in use there and for a
| year past they have had in operation on James
Island an establishment which is an improve
ment upon that of New Orleans
have now in hand pamphlet published bv
\ the Charleston board of health showing the
plan. in use at their quarantine station and its
MODE OF operation. It is evident that no ships
| infected with smallpox or other contagious dis
ease could possibly bring the infection into the
city after bsing faithfully subjected to the pro-
| cesses or marine sanitation in use there, Pity
1t is that the same cannot be said of the Savan-
nah quarantine.
| Except for the strenuous efforts of our CITY
ofncias, smallpox, recently imported, it is be-
lieved, by the Spanish steamer Miguel PiniIos,
| would have decimated our population
| AT Charleston, after sweetenng biige water
| sulphur gas containing IS per cent dioxide of
sulphur is drawn by a powerful fan from pans
| In which the sulphur is brought to the tempera-
| ture OF 1909 fahr. and driven into the vessel
| under pressure which forces it into every
chink and crevice. The whole surface l.
thoroughly washed with mercurial solution of
one 10 1000 driven through hose, with pres
sure derived from q tank thirty-five feet above
| the wharf. The bedding aud clothing are all put
| upon rack and carried into tight iron cyiin-
| der, where they are subjected to the action of
| superheated steam and to dry heat of 1900 to
s4oS fahr., coming out uninjured. perfectly dry
| and aseptic. This is a brief description of the
| sanitary measures taken at the Charles
ton quarantine, and SO far as science
| knows at present they insure
the destruction Of all germs detrimental to man.
| Our people have a right TO except and should
| demand that the quarantine station of this port
! be put on footing equal at least to that Of a
| commercial a g
There, is something else to which think l
| ought TO refer en- PEASANT, viz, the exhorbi-
tance Of the charges which vessels are com
PEELED to pay for disinfection, and the inordi-
nate period of detention during the greater part
| OF the year. No man will contend that quaran-
tine is intended TO benefit shipping; its use is to
protect the people It's method the forcible de-
tention of vessels, their cargoes and passengers
| IL is high handed measure, justiflable only on
the plea of self preservation, and common JUS
tice dictates that it should be made as CHEAP
| and as uninconvenient to shipping as is CON
1 Sistent with the attainment of its object
broad and statesmanlike policy of CONNER
cial cities would be to conciliate shipowners by
making the stay OF their vessels in port as short
| ances now in use in Charleston, New Orleans
aud northern ports the cleansing aud thorough
disilfection of ship, her bedding and clothing,
| need not take more than RI to 80 hours.
| The detention at quarantine beyond the time
necessary fer disinfection, and the collection of
| charges beyond the actual cost of the work
| Hono loT sanitary purposes, are not necessary
for public safety, are certain drive shipping
| away to other ports, and are always detrimen.
| tai to the interests of commerce.
During the greater part OF last year the
| meteorological conditions were very favorable
fer the healthfulness of this section, for though
solar heat was greater than the average of pre-.
| vious years. the rainfall was less by
several inches. which, together with the
improved drainage, caused the gen.
eral surface Of the lands around Savan.
nah to be dry for a long period. During
this period our people enjoyed robust health,
AMI but little sickness occurred. But when the
| heavy rains came and saturated the ground In
| the last part of 1890 our population suffered
from colds. catarrhs, influenza, the grip, pneu-
MONA and fevers.
AS a general rule the drier the soil the
healthier the population, and for this reason
| the digging of canals, under the supervision of
our county commissioner. for drainage DUR
poses Is or immense value; but some law should
be made to protect these works: cattle and
hogs should ha rararantad from, 20 r,,,i..r- u