The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-25
REGARD 1T An ATTACK on THE
CITY.
Mayor Myers and the Health Omeer
Discuss DIR. LeHardy's Article.

Discuss DIR. LeHnrdy's Article.
The attention OF Mayor Myers and
I Health Oficer Drummer was called yes
Serday 70 the article Of Dr.. J. c. LeHardy
in the Sanitarian for this month. IN
which he severely critcises the policy OF
the city and the conduct Of the health
officer as regards quarantine and santa
ton.
Mayor Myers was very Indignant. He
said that while the article might appear
as merely discussion Of sanitary condi-
tons in magazine devoted TO such pur-
poses. it Is in effect an attack on the city
and one that is liable TO DO much injury
should the article. be generally COPIED and
commented upon.
1T Is all the more UNJUST" the
mayor said, because many OF the state
ments upon which Dr. LeHardy bases
his conclusions are incorrect. The matter
VIII be considered by the sanitary board.
and Dr. Drummer may be requested to re-
ply to it,
DR.. Drummer was equally as indignant
as Mayor Myers and TO a Morning News
reporter he pointed out many statements
which he said are incorrect.
A feature OF the article. to which both
DR.. Drummer and Mayor Myers took es-
pecial exception, Is a table published by
DR.. LeHardy, purporting 70 give the
death rate per 1909 in Savannah for va
rfous years from 1904 20 1895
This table is simply damnable." said
DR.. Drummer. "Dr LeHardy not only does
not give the deaths OF whites and colored
separately but in some years he gives the
deaths Of whites only, with the purported
rnf In of her h.
the deaths Of whites and coiored together
and gives the total death rate only and
this in the same table without any expla-
nation whatever. Any table OF mortuary
statistics to deal fairly with Savannah or
any other southern city, should give the
deaths OF whites and colored separately.
The table is absolutely worthless, because
from 1904 up to 1870 DR.. LeHardy gives the
number OF deaths Of whites only and yet
calculates his death rate on the total pop
ulation. while beginning with 1870 he COM
bines the two. This makes an unfair show
ing both ways for the reason that before
the war the death rate Of the negroes was
much less than that OF the whites, while
since the war, II has become much great
er. For instance, DR.. LeHardy states a
death rate of 50 4 per 1000 I'm 1865, and only
q 2 in 1866 which is manifestly ridiculous.
The large death rate OF 1866 was
due to an epidemic of smallpox but in
here, and there we're 295 deaths from chol-
era alone. In 1857. 1868 and 1869 he gives
the deaths OF whites alone. but calculates
the rate on the total population, getting
thereby a very low death rate when as
a matter Of fact, the death rate for those
years was more than twice the figures
given by him. 1t looks as
II this was done purposely
with view to proving that the death rate
In Savannah had increased since 1852
whereas, as every we'll informed person
knows, there has been a very great de-
crease since 1876 as the records will show
The death rate OF the white population Of
Savannah will compare favorably with
that Of any city in the country"
Another thing" said DR.. Drummer
that DR.. LeHardy made no allowance
for is that 1t is only within comparatively
recent years that exact mortuary statis-
tics have been kept here, and that pre-
vious to $50 the records are very unrelia-
Bile"
As to DR.. LeHardy's structures on the
quarantine system, DIR. Drummer said that
II is difficult to argue this question with
man who does not believe in quarantine
at all. The best argument, he thought,
was that the citys policy had kept out
yellow fever and that, too, when IL was
close by at Jacksonville and Brunswick
The statement of DR.. LeHardy, DR..
Drummer said, that vessel from Rio de
Janeiro laden with coffee had been de-
tanned at quarantine for 30 days is ridic-
ulous.
no vessel has been detained at quaran-
tine for ninety days" said he, lin the last
eight or ten years, and / doubt II there
were one detained so long in the last
forty years. The time of detention of
vessel seldom exceeds fourteen days, and
is usually less"
DR.. Drummer said that there are numer-
Gus other errors in DR.. LeHardys paper.
to which he would probably reply in
some form at an early date.