The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-13
The Conference of the Doctors.

the conference OF the OOCtOrs
A number OF prominent physicians. ct the
request OF the mayor, had . conference wish
that official yesterday relative to the health
Of the city. II was q question whether the
mayor had acted wisely In calling the oon-
ference, because IL was not Thoughts that IL
would be productive Of any good, and the
fact that a conference had been called
would lead many to suppose that there was
much more sickness in the city than was
generally believed and thus cause uunecss-
sary alarm.
Those. however, who will take the trouble
to read the report of the conference, pub
lished In another column Of this issue, will
agree that the mayor acted wisely.
The whole tenor OF the talk Of the physi-
clans was that there has been no more sick
ness here this season than In some other
seasons during the past ten years. In fact,
judged by the death rate. to which attention
was called by the health officer, there has
been no more deaths from tevers OF all
kinds this year up to Dec. 10, than there
was last year, and not near so many as there
was in 1890. or In 1886. 1887. or 1884.
There have been few more deaths from
typhoid fever this year than for any
previous year for the last ten years, but
some of the physicians are inclined 10 doubt
that many of the cases classed as typhoid
fever are really that disease. There have
been twenty-nine deaths from typhoid fever
during the year. That number cannot be
considered ns alarming, even II all the cases
placed to the credit of that fever were genu-
inc typhoid fever. The health officer called
attention to the fact that there were 1l9
deaths from that fever in Atlanta last year
about four times as many a. there has
been here this year-and there was no I'M
essinoss in that city about the matter.
Most Of the fever that has been in this
city this season Is of a kind that yields to
treatment, and the main reason it has at
tracted especial attention is that among
those that have died there have been several
well known people.
The physicians at the conference agreed
that there is an exaggerated idea with re-
spect to the extent of the malarial and
typhoid fevers. and that they know of no
local cause for them. One thought one
thing was the cause and another another
thing, but In view OF the admitted fact that
fever is prevailing to a greater or less OK
tent in all parts of the country this season
it is pretty safe to conclude that there Is no
especial local cause
We give pretty full report Of the views
expressed by the physicians because OF the
danger Of an erroneous impression getting
abroad in respect to the health Of the city.
1t is safe to say there is no more sickness
here. proportionally, than there is in some
other parts Of the state. and not az much as
there is in come Of the cities of other states.
1t is a question if in any other city having
the same amount of sickness in proportion
to its inhabitants the matter would be given
the prominence it has been given here.
However, it is gratifying TO know, on the
testimony of the leading physicians, that
the condition of affairs has been greatly
and that there is no reason
for anxiety.