The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-02
Az OPEN LETTER TO DIR. DUNCAN.
Health officer LeHIardy's Reasons for
state Board of Health.

a state Board of Health.
savannah, Oct. 80. 1S9L-Dr. William
D,rc,n Representative From Chatham
co,,r,y Atlanta, Ga: Dear Sir-On the
I've If YOUR departure you gave me to
..,ders.and that the bill to create a COM
,rtssiopsr of health and drainage approved
last April by the state medical associa-
ton which I placed IN your hands to
hiring bsfore the legislature, did not meet
with your entire approval one of your
objections being the selection Of the COM
missioner by the medical associations; an
other that the residence of the commits
sioner and that the salary attached to
the office being larger than the governors
would meet with opposition.
As Won advised me TO remodel IAN act
70 create a board of health" etc, which
Wa passed by legislative action in 1875
and was enforced until the end of 1876,
stating that il would receive your hearty
eunport and it being my earnest desire
10 see the sanitary interests of our state
properlv administered as soon as possible,
knowing also that you had given much
time and thought 'to, the forming of that
hill l have read it with care, and after
weighing all of its provisions 1 have come
TO the conclusion that it is inlpracticable
in the state of Georgia. In Massachu-
eetts, New York, Illinois, Michigan, where
The people have been gradually taught the
value of sanitary laws and regulations
and have learned to submit willingly;
where the physicians and midwiVes have
been drilled into making prompt and COM
peta returns of berths and deaths and
of contagious diseases, such a bill might
answer but in Georgia, where no prepar-
alton to that effect have yet been made,
neither the people nor the doctors would
be willing to submit to the endorsements
of its provisions.
Here we must begin at the first round
of the ladder; we must have some one
who by actual practice, will show our
people the advantage of draining lands,
sWamps, ponds, yards and gardens upon
the health and upon the necessity of per-
sonal, rural and municipal cleanliness for
the preservation of health; one who can
show them how to control the spread of
contagious Diseases who by controlling
the quarantine regulations all over the
state, in case of the outbreak of small
poX. cholera, yellow fever or other cpl
demic diseases, will prevent all the con-
fusion and conflict of authority now ex-
listing between states, cities and towns,
thus avoiding complications, commercial
losses and annoyance to the travelling pub
lie.
In this communication where little at
tention has been paid to state medicine;
where the science of hygiene is almost I'M
known, a board of health composed of
ten members from different sections the
climate and surrounding condition of each
are a variance, as also their commercial
or political interests; whose chairman is
to be changed every year and whose sec
rotary is the executive officer, can do but
little good.
Such board would encounter the same
difficulties which have always paralyzed
the efforts of our municipal or local health
board. The secretary has no power what
ever; he simply executes the wishes of
the majority. If some sanitary measure
is to be discussed, some work to be done,
some measure to be carried out or nui-
eance to be abatcd the subject is talked
over ad nauseam, but nothing is accom-
plished.
In the homogeneous elements composing
her sanitary boards Ga creation of every
succeeding mayor without regard to adap-
liability and their inactivity, Savannah
owes her existence of her thousands of
privy vaults; to the same cause may be
laid her present disgusting and dangerous
sewerage system, and also the continuance
of that senseless fear of yellow fever here.
Had all matters pertaining to hygiene
been placed in the hands of a competent
sanitarian, with power to act the vaults
would have been replaced by the pail
system long, long ago. The cultivation
of rice and indigo around the city would
not have been tolerated. The Inaugural
tion of the drainage of our low lands
would have started and quickly carried
TO completion, as soon as the discovery
was made that our autumnal fevers
(Which frequently terminate in black
vomiD were due to the exposure of wet
soil and stagnant water, to- the action of
our boiling sun. The separate system of
house drainage would have been accom-
plished in the early eighties, and the city
would rank among the healthiest in this
or any other state or county.
This bill, which 1 asked you to bring be-
fore the Georgia legislature is not local
bill, framed for the benefit of the county
of Chatham only, but it is one calculated
to benefit every county in this state there
fore it ought to find a champion in every
county.
The commissioner of health and drain
age being alone responsible for the faith
full performance of his work, any neglect
on his part will fall upon his head. Such
may, if selected by the state medical So
ciety will deserve the confidence of the
people, because their choice will fall up
on one known to have the required knowl-
edge, the required experience and aptitude.
Such man should have no special abiding
place, since his time is to be divided be-
tween all the counties, cities, towns and
villages of the state. His secretary and
executive officer, however, should always
be found at the office of the commissioner
of health and drainage, at or near the
capital in Atlanta. The time of such a
man certainly deserves to be well paid,
and $500 would hardly defray his ex-
penses and that of his family. although
the sum may be larger than the one al
dotted to the governor of this great state.
j. C. LeHardy, Health Officer.