The San Francisco call., 1897-10-26
/, MEDICAL MEN
IN CONFERENCE
Important Meeting Of Cali
fornia County Boards
of Health.
Much Interest Shown in the
Discovery Made by Dr..
Hirsohfelder.
Various Subjects Pertaining to the
Public Health Under Oonsid-
GRAFTON by Experts.


various county Boards ot Health OF the
State Of California was held at Golden
Gate Hall yesterday Delegates from
twenty health organizations were in at
tendance at IL o'clock, when Il e meeting
was called to order. DR.. H. n. Rucker of
Oakland presided.
Among the physicians present were DR..
,Haun of Napa, DR.. Marquette OF Clover
fale DR.. H. A. L. Ryfkogel and DR.. J. P.
HDunn of Oakland, DR.. a. NJ. Henderson of
Sacramento DR.. D. D. Crowley of Oak
land, DR.. Williamson and DR.. J. P.
O'Brien of San Francisco DR.. Z. W
Charles of Palo Alto, D.. H. P. Gates of
San Jose and Dr.. C. A. Ruggles, DR.. J. w.
ChesleY and DIR. h. n. Rucke- OF Oakland
After prayer bv Rev. W. L. CASTOR Of
Vallejo DR.. c. a. Ruggles, president OF the
State Board of Health, delivered brief but
pointed remarks In which he outlined the
purpose OF the conference. 1t was 10 dis
cuss various subjects OF profound public
interest that the medicos had been called
ther-sublects that affected not only
the health of every citizen OF California.
but his physical as well as moral we'll
being.
Mayor James D. Phelan delivered the
address OF welcome. He remarked that
II had been said that civilization began
man, "bGt you gentlemen he resumed,
have nobier and more philanthropic
mission. You have taken up the ques-
ton Of sanitation in systematic way. 1t
IS you who give. US rules OF health. Peo-
pie do not want prisons, but they desire
10 know how to get along without them.
Just so, they do not want hospitals, but
health. If disease turks in the air we
breathe, III the water we drink, in the
meat and fruit we eat, we cannot even by
the exercise OF judgment and intelligence
avoid ii without your assistance. By rea-
son OF bad sanitary conditions, men,
women and children are dying every
here. 1t Is your mission 10 save them
from premature death, and as our preser-
7ers l welcome you heartily, in the hupe
that your conference will be productive OF
gooI 10 the com mmunity."
The opening paper OF the afternoon ses-
sion was on "Leprosy, by DIR. L. o. Jei-
linek OF this city. The speaker traced the
history Of leprosy and gave accounts of
many cases OF the disease in the Hawaiian
Islands. The theory advanced by emf
nent physlc ans tha, ieprosy was not con-
taglous was not shared In by DR.. Jellinek.
Ihe only way to prevent the spread of
lepsosy, he went on, us the isolation OF
the leper. The state owes this duty 10
every citizen, for 1t must protect both the
masses and the individua. II is the duty
OF he state TO isolate every leper in q hu-
name manner"
The speaker then drew a strong picture
OF the Pesthous- Of San Francisco, which,
he dec aTed was no credit TO this COM
munIty. He called attention to the fact
that patients aft Cted with other diseases
han Ieprosy we're frequently con fined
there, thus exposing them to the dread
disease. He expressed the hope that the
city authorities would soon remedy the
affairs as they exist to-day and treat the
SICK In a less inhuman manner.
~ & i
ments expressed in Dr.. Jellinek's paper.
He said ne knew of the case OF woman,
now at MOlokai, who contracted the dis
ease IN the Pesthouse in this city She
mad been taken i'll some years ago with
smallpox and removed to the Pesthouse,
and short time alter her recovery symp-
toms OF leprosy developed themselves
This woman IS now dying in Molokai,"
remarked DR.. Ruggles, land had it not
been Tor the inhumanlty that exposed her
to tue contagion, she would be well and
happy to-day. Something should be
done in the direction of providing a suit
able place IN this city for the care and
treatment of lepers as well as victims of
other contagious diseases"
Dr. J. NJ. Williamson of the Board OF
Health OF San Francisco read a paper on
State Quarantine, in which he referred
to the friction that exists be :ween the To-
cal Board of Health and the United States
Marine Hospital service. II was foun
necessary to adopt plan OF CO. operation
between the Federal and local health Of
ticials, relative to the boarding OF vessels
from inlec ed points, which agreement
. was first broken by the Federal officers
\ Or. Williamson contended that the
Stale quarantine service was not ineffi-
cient, but he admitted that it was not
what it should be. He said that an ap-
preparation was required TO construct a
complete disinfecting plant, whose need
becomes more apparent every day. He
suggested that the State quarantine laws
be so amended as 10 place the State Board
In full control OF all quarantine matters
On motion Of DR.. D. d. Crowley a COM
mittee OF four is 10 be appointed 10 inves-
tgate affairs relative 10 the Stale quaran.
tine and report 10 the State Board OF
, Health,
DR.. D. D. Crowley of Oakland read an
interesting paper on Tuberculosis:
Means OF Prevention" 1t is generally
conceded, he said, that consumption Is
contracted largely through the respi-
ratory or digestive tracts. Experiments
have shown that few cases of tubefcu-
losls are hereditary. The danger of In
lection lies in the dried spulum of tu-
bercular patients, which contains the
bscIlh Of The disease. DR.. Crowley de-
voted considerable time TO giving dlrec-
tlons for the treatment of patients and