The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-25
DOWN ON DR.. BRUNNER.
MerShOl BlameS Him for BTulS.
WiCk'S Epidemic.

the Report.
Atlanta, Ga, Nov q. Judge Mershon,
of Glynn county, made a speech in the
House to-day in support of his bill for the
establishment of a state board Of health,
that contained some sharp criticisms of
the marine hospital service and Of the
health officer of Savannah Referring to
the health officer of Savannah he de-
clared that that officer had notified the
surgeon general of the existence OF yellow
fever at Brunswick whenuthe now desc
lated City by the Sea had as clear a bill of
health as any city in the state. The Sa-
vannah Official, he said, had busted him
self with other peoples business instead
of attending to his own and as a result of
the interference Brunswick had suffered
the horrors Of scourge which perhaps
they might have escaped otherwise. Sur
geon Branham, who was sent to Bruins
wick on the the first notification by the
marine hospital service, he declared, had
brought the yellow death to that COM
munity.
Representative Guerrard of Chatham,
interrupted Mr. Mershon on this state
ment to deny its truth. He claimed that
there was dispute over it and that vel
low fever didnot spread unless the sani-
tary conditions were bad.
THE QUARANTINE CRITICISED.
Judge Mershon also criticised Savan-
nah's quarantine regulations and spent
some time in roasting the marine hospital
service. He said the officials had no sym
pathy with our people and cited a case in
Brunswick where they had reported per-
sons as new cases and dismissed them the
same day as cured. This he said, they
did to glorify themselves by magnifying
the number of cases and decreasing the
ratio of mortality. 1t was a money MAX
ing business with the officials. Judge
Mershon spoke over an hour, and when
interrupted by the regular order of bust
ness was roasting the detention camps
and the hardships and indignities in
hiCted upon women and children there
by the United States officials, who
'made them uncover their heads while
the stars and stripes was unfurled in the
morning, and again stand uncovered when
the flag was furled at night. forced them
to fail in by twos at the tap OF drums to
report for rations. ana put out lights at
night when the drum tapped, or so into
the sweat-bOx." Judge Mershnn will
conclude his speech tomorrow His
speech was listened to with closer atten-
tion than any speech of the session.
THE JUDGES BILL.
Judge Mershon's bill provides for the
appointment by the governor of five dis
Greet citizens, three of them experts in
sanitary science. They shall meet in At
lanta within ten days after their appoint
ment, and employ a qualified physician as
a state health officer The bill directs
that every practlcing or licensed physi-
clan in Georgia report Immediately every
case of yellow fever, smallpox or cholera
that comes to his attention. The state
health officer must then Immediately in
vestigate the case. .andif genuine institute
the necessary quarantine measures. The
board can condemn and burn any build
ings likely to produce or cause the spread
of an epidemic, the state to pay for the
destroyed property. 1t shall be the duty
of the state health officer between Nov. 1
and May l of each and every year, and
oftener,if deemed necessary by the board,
to visit all the cities and towns in the
state of Georgia, which in the Judgment
Of the board or his own Judgment in an
emergency, it may be necessary for him
TO inspect and to thoroughly investigate
the sanitary condition Of said cities or
towns. The state health officer is to re-
ceive a salary of $1,000. He is given
power and authority almost equal to a
young car There is also to be an as
sistant state health officer
After the reading of this bill Mr. Os-
borne, of Chatham offered a substitute.
Its provisions are similar to those Of
Judge Mershon's bill, except that it
authorizes the governor to convene
board whenever an epidemic or some such
emergency requires it, instead of having
a standing board. This board is to be
paid per diem for its services only. and TO
have for two of its members the health
officers of Savannah and Brunswick
Judge Mershon's bill, with amendments,
will probably be the one that will pass.
THE STATES DEPOSITS.
The House so-day concurred in the Joint
resolution from the Senate to appoint u
Joint committee to investigate the office of
the treasurer and the state repositories
Both the Senate and House finance
committees to-day received a telegram
from President Jordan Of the Co
lumbus state depository, requesting an
opportunity of appearing before the Joint
finance committee. to make a statement
regarding his books, The telegram con
talns this reference to the states 1850, 600
deposited there: 1.-The states funds are
legally in its charge, and are subject to
the draft of the treasurer. From the
tenor of the public kilograms, | presume
either the legality Of the deposit, or the
safety of the funds are questioned. |
deny both, and desire to appear before
the finance committee of the House and
Senate to furnish any information desired
and put beyond question all suspicion as
to the safety or regularity of the deposit"
The matter is in the hands of the Joint
and the finance committee
could not grant President Jordans re-
quest. The joint committee will proba-
bly, give him chance to talk tomorrow
SAVANNAH RIVER sHAD.
Mr.. Smith, of Gwinnett, opened the ex-
ercises i'll the house this morning with
another report on the shad industry in
the Savannah river, between the city of
and the canal dam. His resolu-
tion provides that the governor shall ap-
point two citizens TO act with the shad
and that they shall constituted
to hear evidence and deter
mine how shad shall get over the dam,
and if necessary, order the dam repaired
or removed, or fish ways put in The
governor is to pay the expenses Of the
and a per diem to the men,
bers and if they decide that shad can't /
get over the dam, then the governor must
lend them Attorney General Terrell TO as
sist in enforcing the rights of the alleged !
shad.
The resolution of Mr. Calvin. appropri- .
ating 5000 to publish a hand book of
Georgia, passed to-day. The book will
set forth the advantages of Georgia, her /
climate resources, etc. The governor /