The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-08-30

tho MlEsiSsippi. tnueI tne dumihistt"
| ton OF DR.. Swearingcn epidemic diseases
have been stamped out and 1t would be
folly TO invite their return by turning the
quarantine over to people whose incaPac-
ity to cope with disease has been repeat
edlv demonstrated. even though to main
tain tho States health 1t be necessary to
deprive few Of remunerative appoint
men,s on an ornamented State board OF
health
In this connection the following paper
on the relation OF Federal to State quar-
antine read at the conference OF State
boards OF health at Nashville a few days
ago by DR.. Swearingen will prove interest
ing.
In 1892 when cholera started out on It's
pilgrimage OF devastation, the govern
ments of all civilized countries inaugural
ed vigorous measures OF protection against
Its Invasion.
AS a rule, when men. individually and
collectively, do thugs under the inspira-
ton OF panic, they do very unwlse
things. and vixen .he danger has passed
the folly Of their acfs becomes apparent.
The National cholera fright Of 1892 and
1888 painfully illustrates this general
proposition. The congress Of the United
states at that time enacted laws that
would not, ! verify believe, under orli-
nary circumstances. receive moments
consideration. The quarantine act of Feb
ruaIy ID 1898 conscrs upon the treasurer
OF the United States government the power
10 set aside at his option the health laws
and the health officers OF any State, and
authorizes the preslelt OF the United
States TO formulate rules and regulations
In lieu OF said laws, and TO substitute Fed
oral for State quarantine officers to en-
force them It furChcr imposes upon the
treasurer Of the United States the duty of
making rules for the guidance of state
health officers.
Article 8 Of the act referred to, directs
that the supervising surgeon general OF
the Marine Hospital service SHALL imme-
diatcly after this act takes effect exam
Inc the quarantine regulations OF all the
State and municipal boards Of henlth and
shall, under the direction Of the secretary
OF the treasury, Cooperate with and aid
state and municipal boards OF health in
the execution and enforcement of the rules
and regulations OF such boards, and in
the execution and enforcement of the rules
and regulations made by tho secretary of
the treasury to proven, the introduction
of contagious or Infectious diseases into
the United States from foreign countries
and from one stare or Territory into
another etc: and when said rules and
regulations have been made they "shall
DO promulgated by the secretary of the
treasury and enforced by the sanitary au-
thorities of the States AMI municipalities
where the State or municipal health at
thorities VIII undertake to execute and
enforce them" nut If the State or Inu-
nlcipal authorities shall fail or refuse 10
enforce the said rules and regulations the
president shall execute and enforce the
ghnn D1.
in hla judgment may be necessary to pre-
vent the introduction and spread of such
diseases, and may detail or appoint officers
for that purpose"
When this remarkable enactment Is
stripped OF its technical verbiege, In plain
English IL means that sovereign States
can not be entrusted with the police reg
ulatlons necessary 10 protect the public
health, and that tho Federal government,
with vastly superior knowledge. must
stretch forth its mighty arms for our de-
Tense.
In this law there is no provision made
for testing the merits OF any controversy
that might arise boeWeen State and Fed
eral authority. nor OF deciding questions
OF competency of any officer, nor lor court
martial In case of charge OF incompe-
tencc OF neglect of duty; no civil service
examination; no tribunal before which
shail he determined the grave question OF
setting aside the laws of state. II de-
ponds solely upon the opinion OF the chief,
aud his opinion upon the report OF some
inspector of the marine hospital service, To
the effect that the State rules are not
satisfactory. What n parody on constitu-
tional government When one man, with
out e2cn tho form Of trial. can set aside
the laws OF State It Is despotism
subversive OF every principle of freedom
ana unworthy of the American people
In order to have unmlstakahle evidence
that the state health Officials are comply
ing with oil the rules ana regulations that
have emanated from this great central
source of sanitary knowledge INSPECTORS
are sent all along the lines OF coast quar-
antlne at stated intervals. and many
questions are asked and the most minute
Investigation is made into everything per-
tanning 10 the administration of State
quarantine,
Such surveillance will necessarily lead
to complications and embarrassment, no
matter how wisely The rules may have
been formulated, nor how ,dlscreetly they
may be executed. An illustration recently
occurred In my State. l received the fol-
lowing telegram.
Or, X. NJ. swearingen, State Health Of
ficer, Austin, Texas.
Washington, d. O., July 10 1897 DR.
Magruder. Inspector OF the Marine hos
pitai service FOR Texas, reports location al
sabine Pass station dangerous In the ex~
IRENE. FIFTY men working on wharf thirty
yards from station; vessels from infected
Port OF Vera Cruz Mexico. ar
rivlng, Can you place inspectors lower
down? Immediate action necessary. Please
wire Wyman. SURGE, Car.ro, =,
That telegram had an ominous mean
ing, Kind OF portentous significance
Wen calculated TO disturb the repose of
even an old Quarantine officer. Fortunate.
" l mad, but a few days before the re.
.elpt OF this startling Information, visited
the station at Sabine Pass and was In a
position TO know, and did know as much
ahout the situation as did DR.. Magruder
and ! can assure this conference that
had not felt single ripple of apprehen-
SION, nr, A. n, Perkins. the State quar-
anime officer In charge of the station, has
served there fifteen years, and is thor
oughly familiar with the duties Of The
position. He is strictly competent fear-
TESS aud yigilant. When ships arrive from
interdioted places they are carefully IN
speeted. and II any real danger exists the
most complete isolation is enforced. When
10 danger Ia nnprehapdal ~