Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-05
LAST OF THE STRAWS
That Falls Just Like a Ton of Coal
on DR.. Wyman's Official Back.
HIS JEALOUSY OF DR.. HAMILTON
Caused by Secretary Charles Foster
Choosing the Chicagoan
TO HANDLE MAIN QUARANTINE MATTERS
rFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT. !

| the Health Officer of New York, is mad on
account of a seeming intimation that there
is higher authority than himself to take a
hand in the business of quarantining the
country against the cholera, he has his
| counterpart in Washington in DR.. Wyman,
the Supervising Surgeon General of the
Marine. Hospital service. Dr. Wyman
took matters in hand at the first report that
the cholera might make its debut in the
United States from some of the infected
ports of Europe, and apparently convinced
himself that he was the one person able and
authorized to thwart the plague in its dark
designs on the lite, health and business of
the country.
While it is not denied that DR.. Wyman
exhibited great energy and that he almost
excited feeling of awe in all who beheld
him, so profoundly did he impress his WIS.,
itors with his Importance, in some way
there grew up a lack of confidence
in the executive ability of the
| great surgeon. AS it is his belief that ex-
ecutive ability is his strong point the doc
tor has been much humiliated by the fail
ure of the Treasury authorities to put ab
solute faith in him.
An action of the Secretary of the Treasury
to-day will have something of the same
effect on DR.. Wyman as the tabled straw
had upon the back of the tabled camel and
the more especially as it is the elimination
of a series of incidents that have
led up to what is pretty row
among the officials who have
charge of the construction of coast defenses
against the cholera. Last Thurs lay morn
ing Secretary Foster had conference with
DR.. Wyman. One result Of it was
request from the Secretary, some
what imperative in its tone, that
Wyman telegraph Dr. John B. Hamilton,
his predecessor, now stationed at Chicago,
asking him to come on to Washington at
once Tor consultation in regard to the quar-
antine against the cholera. DR.. Wyman
promised to do so, but for some reason for
got to send until the following morning.
Meantime, the Secretary had taken the
precaution to telegraph Dr. Hamilton on
his own account, and when the message of
DR.. Wyman was put on the wires DR..
Hamilton had been four hours on the road
from Chicago to Washington. Since DR..
Hamilton's arrival recognition of Dr.
Wyman has been somewhat formal and
ultra-ofhcial in its nature, and DR.. Hamilton
has been called for protracted conferences.
Hamilton and Foster in Partnership.
As the last straw for Wyman's back,
Secretary Foster and DR.. Hamilton de-
parted together this afternoon at o'clock
for New York, for an inspection of the
quarantine arrangements, for consultation
with DR.. jenkins, and, in brief, for the
purpose of gaining thorough understand
ing of the whole situation, the dangers and
the possibilities, the hopes and the fears
OF couIse DIR. Wynan feels that it is a
most extraordinary performance on the
part of the Secretary to choose for his COM
panion and adviser in this matter one of his
(Wyman's) subordinates 1t is virtually
taking the whole business out of the hands
of Wyman and passing it over to Hamilton,
leaving Wyman merely the automatic
promulgator eof orders that origi-
nate with Hamilton. Though Wyman
continues in his position of supervising
Surgeon General of the Marine Hospital
service, and though Hamilton be ordered
to take special charge of quarantine on the
Canadian border, it will be understood from
this time on that though the voice is that of
Wyman, the hand is that of Hamilton.
Hamilton Might Succeed Crounse.
A report has been put in circulation that
Dr. Hamilton is booked for the position of
Assistant Secretary OF the Treasury, to sue
ceed Judge Crounse, who has resigned, but
1 nave IL lrOm the pest authority tnaI tueTe
is no truth in the rumor. In that posi-
tion, it is asserted by the ru-
NOR, DR.. Hamilton would be given
sole charge of the entire sanitary regulations
for the prevention of the cholera. DR..
Hamilton himself SAYS he would not like to
accept the position, as he has not only his
college professofship in hand, but has also !
built up fine practice in Chicago, which
he would not desire to abandon.
One result that is expected from the visit |
of Secretary Foster and Dr. Hamilton to |
New York is that any lingering feeling of
pique or jealousy that may still be harbored |
by DR.. jenkins will be efaced by personal |
contact with such high official and sanitary
authority, and that the most rigid quaran- |
tine that could be desired will be strictly |
maintained without further action on the |
part of the Federal Government
No Cause for Anv Panic.
Before leaving for New York Dr.. Hamil- |
ton assured the correspondent of THE DIS |
PATCH that there was emphatically no |
cause for panic on account of the presence |
of the cholera at the marine gates |
would earnestly advise every city |
and town in the country to
take the best possible measures for the pre-
vention of the spread of the contagion |
if it should intrude into their midst
While there is no cholera on our shores, and |
while no panic will be created by the pre-
cautions, it is the proper time to provide
thorough machinery for dealing with it if
should come.
DR.. Hamilton would advise not only
thorough cleansing of towns and cities,
rigid inspection of private and public drains
by health officers, and remedy applied
wherever needed, a frequent and eopious
flushing of the sewers when there is lack
of rains, but also a reasonable prepara-
tion for the care of persons at
tackled with the disease, if there
be any, by the construction at
once of comfortable hospitals of cheap and
temporary character, that any chance victim
of the eontagion may be promptly isolated
from all others not so afflicted.
As to individuals, his only advice would
be to be cleanly, to live upon light,
well-cooked, wholesome diet, being
careful to take nothing into the
mouth that by any possibility
could convey cholera germs into the
stomach. He asserts that cholera is not
nearly as contagious as most people think
nor as several other contagious diseases.
How the Germs Get in Their Work.
II is pretty we'll established that the
cholera germs must enter the system
through the mouth, and therefore by the
medium of the food or by unciean hands or un-
clean articles placed between the lips. Every
utensil employed in cooking or eating
should be placed in boiling water immedi-
ately before using. Food of all kinds
should be thoroughly cooked, but if raw
vegetables or fruit be taken, it should be
/ 10 hou nd |