San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-08-06
SHORT STOPS
From a Medical Standpoint.

the majority of the physicians in
San Antonio are opposed to sewers,
is willful misstatement as proved
by the published list; Express
balderdash, nothing more.
DR.. Berrey promises that it would
be nonsense for a physician TO OPP
pose sewerage, which he forthwith
turns round and does to the full
extent Of his ability; he explains
the recent mortality as being due
to measles and not to typhoid fe-
yer, ignoring the fact that measles
is also a Zymotic disease, which,
like all such, is much aggravated
by filthy conditions and lack of
sewerage. He further says that it
cannot be substantiated that the
| construction of sewers has i'm
proved the death rate Of any city.
The experience of hundreds of COM
munities contradicts this rash and
groundless assertion; that of Men,
phis and Waco would alone suffice
to contradict this absurd assertion.
| II it is nonsense to oppose sewerage,
we are sorry to see friend Berrey
| advocating a nOnsensical PROPOSE
ton.
His whole communication is in
| consistent and self contradictory.
DIR. Withers, county physician,
after signing the petition in favor
of sewerage, turns around and in
nocently declares that the county
judge is his relative, and opposed
to sewerage, and that he, DR.. W.,
must follow suit. Logical and in
dependent.
DIR. Oldham, eX-assistant city
physician and eX-member Of the
board of health, announces himself
as opposed to the Issuance of the
bonds" strong argument without
reason assigned.
DIR. J. NJ. Hays: This gentleman
signed the petition in favor of sew
ers and now opposes it tooth and
nail he asserts that the death rate
of San Antonio is better than that
of any other city. Study the sub
ject, doctor, and you will correct
your statement.
DR.. Dukes seems to think that
the Inauguration of system of
sewers in San Antonio would be
detrimental to the health of the
| taxpayers. We are sure the doctor
may set his mind at ease on this
point, as a modern system of sew
ers has never created an epidemic
yet. The lie is given to the doc
tors statement by the health re-
ports of April, May and June. The
| doctor says it is distressingly
healthy. We congratulate his
patients on his experience. Doctors
| Clavin and Bennett have not made
up their minds as to the propriety
of system of sewerage and throw
the weight of their influence
against it. This is unfortunate as
| the long experience of the latter
gentleman on the board of health
would give his opinion immense
| weight. A little more cogita-
ton, gentlemen, and you will come
out all right.
Doctor G. f. r. King: "You can
quote me as not opposed to sewer
age, but decidedly opposed to issu-
ing those bonds"
The doctor is decidedly a case of
| will and | won't and don't know
why.
DR.. Trollinger: I am decidedly
against this proposition and | will
do all | can to defeat it,"
| ;e, nrirr
inal anti-sewer man from away up
the creek. 1t is hoped that the
benefiCient light of sanitation will
dawn upon him.
| Upon an examination OF the
opinions and the reason therefor, it
would appear that there is really
no opposition to system of sew
ers, amongst the medical profession
| in San Antonio, and that the oppO-
sition to the proposed method of
accomplishing this end, is due
either to political or personal feel
ing, either of which incapacitates a
man from calmly discussing the
import of a grave hygienic question
Therefore it may be said that the
opposition of a small number of
pessimists should have no practi-
cal weight.
The opinion of DR.. F. Hertf, who
has written a letter giving his ad-
hesion to system of sewerage, will,
in the minds of the people of San
Antonio, outweigh that of the
| mal-contents.
A letter from DIR. F. Herff was
read. The veteran physician ex-
pressed his regrets that he would
be unable to attend the meeting.