Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-12

to putting the city in good sanitary con.
dltion. Now" he said, 1--WE must 90 a
step further. We must provide against
having the disease carried to us by rail-
roads and steamboats,. We have found the
railroads all willing to cooperate But
there are two questions pressing upon us:
First, what power of quarantine rests In the
city-that is, where can it draw its ouaran-
tine line? Second, where is il wise To es
tablish hospitals for cholera patients?''
DR.. Lee replied that it would be imnos.
sible for the city to establish Quarantine
farther away than the city line. The second
question gave rise to general discussion.
1t was agreed that it would be wise to es-
tsblish a cholera ward in a separate build-
ing at the location of the present municinal
hospital, but that this would not be suffi-
cient for the needs of the city. There must
be some place where persons attacked down.
town or brought in by the rail-
roads or steamboats, could be taken
A floating hospital on one or
both of the rivers was proposed
but was strongly opposed by DR. Baker, DR..
Lee and DR.. Probst, on the grounds that
floating hospital might be best for Pitts
burg, but Ohio and West Virginia would
feel there was greater chance for the dis
ease to be sent along to them through the
Ohio river from such a floating hospital
Mayor Gourley fully coincided with this
view. A full discussion changed the senti-
ments OF nearly all in favor of a hos
pital on shore, with the additional pre-
caution that the discharges from cholera
patients should, under no circumstances
even though thoroughly disinfected, be put
into the sewers but should be burned in a
crematOry provided BY the city for the pur-
pose.
Arraigned the Pennsylvania Legislature.
Crosby Gray made a stirring speech, ar
ralgnlng the Pennsylvania Legislature for
what he termed its criminal inactivity in
not having provided for meeting emergen-
cies like the present one.
This inaction," said he, 'is not because
the Legislature has not been frequently and
urgently asked to give more attention to the
public health. The State and local Boards
OF Health have many times called
attention to this important matter The
State Board should have charge of the
whole subject of quarantine and the man.
agement OF the cholera in the State, if per-
chance, it should get a foothold Many i'm
portant questions of conflicting powers be-
tween local authorities would be set en-
trely at rest if the State managed the mat
ter"
, There was considerable discussion on
number of other questions raised, but no
definite action was taken on any except
one relating to the sewage from railroad
trains Instead of allowing this matter to
be distributed along the rails, as is now
the custom, the railroads will be asked to
provide jisinfected receptacles to receive |
1t, the vessels to be emptied at the end of |
each division and the contents burned
An Appeal for State Aid.
Chief Brown offered the following resolu-
ton, which was unanimously adopted, Sec
retary Lee being directed to transmit a COPY
OF 1t to Governor Pattison:
At conference OF representatives of the
State Boards OF Health of Ohio, West Vir-
ginia and Pennsylvania and the executive
officers of the city of Pittsburg held at the
Hotel Anderson, Pittsburg, September IL |
1852, the following resolutions were adopted: |
Resolved, That his Excellency, the Gov
ernOU of Pennsylvania, be and is hereby re-
Quested and earnestly urged to immediately
place at the disposal of the State Board of |
Health the sum OF not less than $50, co., OF
en- emergency fund for use if necessary in |,
preventing the Introduction and spread of u
Asiatic cholera in said Commonwealth said
fund to be Obtained by temporary loan
otherwise
Resolved, That the Mayors Of Pitt
and Allegheny be requested to joip' sburo
appeal 70 the Governor respectfully in a5
upon him s compliance with the y urqino
resolution. = ,5oro-66;n6