The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1898-02-25
IhsDrmnrraf-S Star
TIE STATE BoARDOFllEALTH

IInUlcuidtc uptidtiNh, " J"'i""
same and explanation Of it's working
from DR.. John +. Hunter, secretary
OF the State Board Of Health, Is OF in
terest at this time. lie says:
"Thc law amending section No.
221g of the Annutatcd Code OF MiSSis-
sippj. Is calculated tn do mere good
for the general public than any quar-
antine law that has ever been enacted.
AS amended it reads: When yellow
fever, cholera, dcnYic, smallpox or
other virulent epidemic, contagious
disease shall makes il appearance IN
the State, the State Board OF Health
shall take charge Of the infected dis
trict or locality and enforce such rules
and prescribe such measures as II may
be nccessaryN' prevent the spread OF
the disease or to suppress ".
"lt makes the presence OF any two
members OF the executive committee
OF the State Board OF Health aquarium
for the transaction uf business. This
is very wise provision, because when
ever any epidemic or contagious DIS
case, like yellow fever, IS reported at
any point in the State, it throws the
entire population into Il panic, and
there is hardly Il town or village IN
The State that would allow the mem
bcrs OF the State Board Of Health to
hold a meeting in same. Two mem
hers of the executive committee can
always be gotten together and imme-
diatcly prescribe such rules and regli-
lati0ns as will best protect all the
people.
sit requires every practicing m
licensed physician in Mississippi to
report immediately to the secretary
Of the State Board OF Health every
case Of yellow fever, cholera, denguc,
smallpox or other virulent epidemic,
contagious disease that occurs within
his practice.
"Undcr the old law physicians were
not required to report any disease u
the secretary Of the board unless IN
their discretion they saw MT To 90 SO
Formerly these diseases were reperteC
10 county health officers, who c0ulf
take charge OF them or report then
to the secretary of the State Board D
Health.
''rhis. OF course, necessarily caused
delay, and it was usually some tim'
before the State Board Of Health wert
informed on these matters and coult
take charge OF same. A good effect o
this law has already been seen. tOl
instance, case Of smallpox occurred
% about three days days ago in The towl
OF Ocean Springs, and the physician
in charge Immediately reported to tn
State Board and requested the boar
to take charge Of slme The Sccretar
Immediately, as prescribed by la"
sent DR.. W. II. Kell, county hea!t
officer OF Jackson county, to the scene
with instructions to Isolate and guar
the case and to adopt general vaccine
ton among the people. On ycstcl
day three eases OF smallpox were Il
ported in Harrison county, at llendeI
sons Point, a railroad camp.
THE secretary instructed DR.. /
II. HARRISON, supervising coast II
spector, to immediately adopt all me-
eSsary measures to prevent the sprea
of the disease. The State Board {
Health has ordered vaccine virus
be sent to both points, AMI gener;
vaccination OF all the people will
resorted to.
"Section 4 of the bill attaches
heavy penalty to every physician
the State of Mississippi who shall wi
fully fail tn report Immediately 10 tt
secretary OF the State Board Of Heal,
any case o! yellow fever, cholera, dc
que, smallpox or other virulcnt CO
tayious epidemi diseases that 0cc'
within his practice. This is a goo
feature Of the bill. While WI belle
that most physician would lie honu
able enough to make the report, Il
penalty attached will cause them
be more on the alert, and action W
be taken more promptly.
"One OF the best features OF the b
4 Is contained in section 5, which stat
that any person OF persons who Sli;
falsely and malici0usly disseminate
spread rumOrs or reports cOncerniI
the existence Of yellow fever, ch0ler
dengue, smallpox or other cOntagih
epidemic diseases, shall be guilty Of
misdcmeanor, and upon convict,
thereof, Shall be punished as now pl
scribcd by law. This is as it shou
be, as Il yellow fever liar Is greatly
be deploFed, and the false rumors TIL
are sometimes circulated about IA CO
munity having the contagious d
eases above named To incalulal
harm to the business interest OF Su
places, and it sometimes takes the
years to recover from the effects"
Secretary Hunter lndorscs section
OF the bill, which makes it his duty
order to the county health 0tfic
to take immediate charge Of all su
epidemic diseases and report result
Il personal inspection, as this enabl
the State Board OF Health to get
work on the case at once, putting
quarantine and restricting the pcOl
Of the infected community to the
own confines, and thus preventing
spread Of the disease. The secretaI
mentions these features Of the b
which provide for the Governor ca
ing on the national government 4
financial and medical aid, and the
says:
"One OF the best features OF tl
bill is contained in section 8, whic
specifies that the State Board {
Health shall formulate and enact a
quarantine regulations that pertai
10 the passenger and freight traffic {
all railroads and common carriers tina
enter into or operate within tn
limits OF Mississippi, and the juri.
dlction OF the State Board " Hea4t
shall lie Exclusive. 1t is to be hone,
that Nth these provisions the Stat
b3ard OF Health can enact a uniforu
system OF rules and regulations tina
will protect the health interests {
the population and not interfere wit
commerce any more than Is necessar,
The health interest should NATURAL
nc Tue nrst consideration, but II shOul
De remembered II the railroad ~
common carrier service entirely sh'
Oh IN any community II would eau
great suffering and hardship"