Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-19
The Quarantine Conference.

NNtM OAttdiS ia uilt.J
The convention of health officers
! itation. or even Of doing away with their
! cluded its deliberations in this city. will
accomplish a good work in the way of
! educating tho people In sanitary matters
| II is eminenty proper for officials in
| trusted with the care OF public health
/ by Federal and State governments TO get
/ together and discuss the various questions
I that come up for treatment and adjust
ment In the course of their highly-respon-
sible functions Of looking after the public
safety In this way conclusions are reach
ed and agreements are entered into that
may greatly assist in mitigating the Sc
verities Of the antiquated methods of san
itatiOn. or even OF doing away with their
useless and barbarous exactions.
Nevertheless it must be borne in mind
that IT is extremely difficult to put in
practice and enforce the conclusions Of
enlightened sanitary science. There are
two elements of obstruction In the way
are utterly blind and deaf 10 all informa-
ton and enlightenment One Of these
is the spirit Of panic born Of wild and un-
reasoning apprehensiOns. 1t is liable TO
attack persons in the highest as well as
in the lowest positions in human society.
The other is the offspring of sordid ava
rice. II is a determination 10 make
disease in one locality means of divert
ing commerce from that place 10 others
competing with 1t for trade and business.
This sort OF cOvetousness goes to the ex-
tent even Of trumping up false reports Of
the sanitary condition of one locality in
the interest OF business rivals.
The panicky people who flee headlOng
from a real or supposed pestilence can
in time be educated 10 take clam and
Ia of f,a clrpnagaH dancer
and at least save themselves from the
evil consequences Of a wild alarm. But
there is no relief from the yellow-fever
liars and those who use quarantine re-
strictions wholly for commercial purposes.
They are proof against all science and en-
lightenment; but they constantly expose
themselves 20 the same heartless and in
human treatment that they perpetrate
upon others.
But these quarantine conferences, such
as that which has just been had in this
city, are productive Of great good, be-
cause they are important steps in the
matter Of educating the people There
was q time when an epidemic Of disease
was believed to be the work OF evil
spirits, and on such occasions not only
was apprehension Of bodily harm most
actively aroused, but the supersttious
fears i'm addition drove the people TO a
il is generally understood that human |
diseases are the result Of purely physical !
causes. Education has brought the pOpu- |
lar mind to that point. Now let enighten- /
ment go farther and teach the people that /
the worst diseases are preyentable; that |
they can be cut off by proper isolation |
and other sanitary measures, and that |
medical science is now able successfully |
to cope with them.
Within the past few years much has |
been said about the growing lightness or
the type OF yellow-fever, cholera, and |
diphtheria Doubtless there is some such
modification Of the type, but not enough |
is given 10 the great pro-
gress in every department OF medical |
science and therefore, in the ability of
medical men to master diseases with
whose causes and nature they are better
acquainted, and which this knowledge
has robbed of their worst terrors. Then
let the grand work Of education go on.
Human society has suffered enormously
in the past from ignorance. Ignorance
means prejudice, and prejudice means
hatred and hostility to strangers. Many
savage tribes kill all strangers who fan
into their power, simply out OF the hatreu
and preiudice born Of ignorance.
Tbus n is that in all matters of health
and sanitation there can he no progress
and success except through the enllght-
eminent. first. Of the professional SANTA
aians and. next, of the people 1t Is be-
rause sanitary conferences are so impor-
Iant as popular educators on most vital
subject that the Picayune halls the pres
ance in this city of so many enlightened
sanitary scientists, and approves their
work