The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-21

ed, and under sanction of state authorities
the management of epidemics were also
placed in their hands, their powers being
almost absolute. The mana cement of the
epidemics of Brownsville, Tex, in 1882
was the first to be placed under the con-
troll of that branch of the treasury depart
ment. Since then they have had the OPP
portunity of exercising their authority and
skill several times, but have utterly failed
in their attempts to stamp out the disease
or to check its spread. as it has done for
the past 300 years, yellow fever still con-
tinues to appear at the same season of
the year wherever the conditions favorable
to it's growth and spread exist Evidently
quarantine has had no influence as a pre-
ventitive or protective measures. Yet this
marine hospital service, like it's predecessor,
the national board of health, has spent
all its energies upon quarantine, neglect
ing to apply measures, which had proved
successful in many cities, formerly la
BILE to the visitation of that disease, to rid
the United States of yellow
fever, and at the same time
remove restrictions on commerce, on
travel and personal liberty. Congress will
have eventually to place all matters per-
tanning to or affecting the health of the
people under the management of a special
department a part of the government ma
chinery, whose secretary shall have
charge of all sanitary laws and reSula-
tons. His jurisdiction should extend into
every department of life, on land and on
the water, provided with laboratories and
all the appliances necessary for chemical,
biological, microscopical and bacteriologi-
cal Investigation he should place the study
of the causes, prevention of
and remedies for diseases into
the hands of experts. These ex-
perts should study the influence of eli
mate Typographical peculiarities, meteor
illogical conditions on currents, heat,
moisture, soil fifth, etc, upon the health
and the production of disease. They
should collect accurate vital statistics, as
certain the mode of life and the localities
most suitable for the prevention and Grad
ication of tuberculous, scrofulous and
other inherited diseases. He should cause
SURVEYS to be made of water courses and
swamps too, for sanitary purposes, ascer-
tain the best systems or methods for the
drainage and sewerage of cities dispose
of waste construction and ventilation or
public and private buildings, etc, for the
benefit of cities, corporations or indivd-
uals now at the mercy of ignorant officials
or INSCRIPTIONS spectators. Under his
direction, rigid and accurate tests of pre-
ven tive and protective measures against
cholera. typhus-yellow fever, smallpox,
pleura pneumonia, distemper, diseases OF
man and animals, should be scientifically
and impartially carried out, on land and
water, in houses as well as on board ship;
quarantine, isolation, detention, cleanl-
ness, ventilation, disinfection, incubation,
should all be tried.
This will enable the secretary of public
health to instruct the people and to guide
them in the prosecution of sanitary works,
in the prevention of contagious and infec-
tious diseases to give them helping hand
in case an epidemic occurs, insututing
such guarantees or other measures which
will check the progress of the disease, and
thus prevent those heart-brealling scenes,
the cruelty, the losses, which we have wit
messed throughout the south in late years,
during the prevalence of a yellow fever
panic"