San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-07-31
DIR. WATTS COMES AGAIN.
And Talks More About the Neces-
sity of Sewers.

And Talks More About the Neces-
sity of Sewers.
To the San Antonio Express.
In your leading article appearing
in Saturdays issue headed "Doc-
tors and Sewers" you accused GER
tain physicians of showing a zeal
that is not especially called for;
personally / would tell Mr.. EX-
press that it Is to the physicians
that the people should and do look
for advice and opinions on all mat
tiers pertaining to the public health
and particularly at this time when
the Express is doing all in it's pow
er to misrepresent and mislead its
readers on the subject before them.
GAS to DIR. Watts statements the
Express would long hesitate to de-
relare itself in opposition to them,
as he starts out with the hypothesis
that any one not agreeing with
him is fool or an idiot. After
reading the comments of the Ex-
press in it's editorial column now
and comparing them with the ut
terances and opinions on the same
subject in 1885, when the city
endorsed the report of Mr..
Henry Pauly, the then chair
man of the sanitary committee
appointed by the city council,
the report upon the best means OF
getting plans and specifications
and placing the matter before the
voters. Then the Express urged
the council not to wait until plans
could be prepared, but to put the
matter at once before the people;
calling the attention of the council
to the fact of the danger Of pro-
crastination, citing the epidem-
les of Rugby and Roches-
teri as examples and telling
people by delaying they were flirt-
ing with death and coquetting
with disease, etc. Now taking the
definition of a fool as zone who
pursues a course contrary to wis
DOM | leave it to the readers of
the Express to judge how near to
being correct and after reading an
apology in it's editorial columns
today and taking the term idiot to
mean an unwise person, it certainly
would seem it has some of those
also.
In regard to getting up panic,
etc, no truthful statements setting
forth the actual condition and adj
VOcating measures best calculated
to change such condition, will not
change the opinions Of those east
ern physician who have hereto
fore sent or intend sending their
patients to winter among us, as
thew know more about our condi-
tions and surroundings in regard
to mortality, climate, humidity. etc,
than the average San Antonian;
the proprietor Of the Express not
excepted: The Express is puzzled,
so are Its readers, to know what
has so suddenly changed it's policy.
How comparatively short time
back it was willing to advocate
the purchase Of the waterworks
plant for 100000, while today it
bitterly opposes the bonding of
100000 for purpose, recognized
as absolutely necessary to the de-
velopment and growth of every
city all over the United States and
states Of Europe and which has
done more for prevention Of disease
than all other measures. How
was cholera kept from devastating
this continent, even after 1t mad
obtained a foothold in New York
city? Could this have been possible
without the most stringent SAM
tary precautions? l say emphatic
ally no. If you don't believe
me, ask the average Yankee;
also ask him why so many sick
eastern people that in former years
came or was sent here don't come,
and how will he answer you? he
won't tell you the scare is gotten
up by Gas you are pleased to put lt)
your local physicians; but first the
inducements offered today by so
many other points inferior l ad-
NIT in point of climate), but hav-
ing those sanitary improvements
and hotel accommodations that he
is accustomed to at home, and
which render them less liable to
danger should an epidemic at any
time occur, G, G, WATTS, NJ, D.