The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1898-06-25
70 tho Editor Of rno soa Coast Elho.

Having read with interest your
editorial comments upon the nc
tion Of the physicians in quaratin.
ing the gulf const, am constrain.
ed tc call your attention to the
fact /, ut such action il inseparable
from the present system Of saul
tary superintendcncy. So long
as this control Of the medical pro-
fession, so long will there be cause
Efor complaint.
Last seasons experiences should
be enough to convince any one thnt
the best good of all the people,
called forthe appointment of non
medical men TO superintend the
enforcement Of sanitary rcguIa-
tlons. First Of all, health officers
should be chosen from among
business men, and the selection
made because Of known executive
ability and extreme good udg-
mcnt. 1t is not necessary that they
know anything specially about
medicine, or practice Of medicine.
The most effective and useful du-
ties that can be performed by n
health officer are those relating TO
the prevention of diseases, more
especially those due to bad sani-
tary conditions Of cities and towns.
For the performance Of such du-
ties no medical knowledge is re-
quired.
The duties Of health officer
really conflict with the best SER
vices of u praticing physician, and
no successful physician could well
afford to burden himself with the
calls Of such an office. Any ply
sician not being able to obtain "a
practice for himself, or looking
for position rs one likely to pay
him better than any practice he
has, or can work up, might use
the Office with reference to his adj
vantage and seek to perpctuate
himself in power, while all the
time extending his power and au-
thority. Again, physicians are
quite likely to use the Office to adj
vance the interests of their own
particular school Of medicine, or
theory of practice, and so far as
possible exclude all methods Of
procedure that did not accord
with their school and seek to OBJ
tain medical legislation lookingto
tins end. ~'-s @ -
On this point there is no doubt,
as legislation already secured in
the special intent Of certain mcdi-
cal schools, in various states, tcs-
titles as to the truth Of this asscr-
ton. Such special legislation in
the interest Of certain schools of
practice, result in the final injury
of those in whose behalf such lcgis-
lation is had, and the real friends
of the medical fraternity will op-
pose such legislation, as they
will oppose all calls upon the time
and attention of the physicians
which prevent their giving them
selves entirely to the legitimate
callings of their profession.
1t is. certainly not one Of the
functions of the physician to go
about the streets, allies and back
yards of cities and towns, peering
into sewers, and smelling around
vaults and cess pools, duties that
should dcvolvc upon a health Of
ficer. Sanitation for all; isolation
for the sick, arc the two great de-
mands Of modern civilization, and
these two requirements can be best
carried out through the superyi-
sion of practical laynan Of ex-
ecutivc ability, leaving the physI-
clan free to devote his entire time
and attention to the more imme-
date calls Of individual patients.
The more immediate duty Of
such health officer would be to
clean up the cities and towns, and
heep them clean at all times thus
removing largely the cause Of
many of our present cpidemics,
and in addition to this, keeping a
constant and strict supervision Of
the water supply, whether fur
nished by water mains, by muni-
cipalities or private corporations,
or that obtained from individual
wells, springs or other sources.
These things rightly done, and
there would be few outbreaks of
infections or contagious diseases.
Under conditions such as indi-
Gated, there would need be few
quarantines laws, and those sell
dom enforced, but when enforced
it would be with an eye solely to
the general good Of all, and not to
aid one city or section, to the in
jury of the business of another
city or section. Let it be under
stood also that neither small pox
nor yellow fever are difficult di-
seases to handle in a warm eli
mate, and properly handled are
the least fatal Of any Of the conta-
gious diseases; that fear of them
lit a predisposing cause, and that
cheerfulness and determination
are, alone, almost sufficient To
ward off an attack, or to sustain
one If already sick.
Realizing this, and admitting
the fact that yellow fever is ende.
mic, under existing conditions