The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1899-11-03
THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
HON. BEN H. WELLS, OF KINDS, At
TACKS BOARD OF HEALTH
METHODS.
TELLsOF THE PREVIOUS ExPEN-
DITuRES AND WORK.
COMPARES THESE WITH THOSE OF
THE LAST THREE YEARS.
He Also Had Something to Say About
The Amount of Protection
Afforded.

Afforded.
Hon. Ben. II. Wells, the present
State Senator from Kinds county, da-
ted Jackson. Oct. q, 1899, has the fol
lowing truthful exposition Of the do
ings of the State Board Of Health.
to which we direct particular atten.
tiOn:
Ten years ago the Mississippi State
Board OF Health was an organization
which looked after the health Of the
public, it's duty being then, as it Is
now, to provide reasonable rules and
regulations for the protection OF life
and health. and to prevent the spread
OF Contagious. infections epidemic dis
eases In the State Of Mississippi.
THE work of the State Board of
Health was then accomplished in the
office uf the physician who acted in
the capacity Ut its secretary, at ii
nominal expense for clerks hire, and
a large proportion OF the money which
had been Appropriated for the main
tenance of the Board OF Health, was
annually covered back into the treas
ury.
''To be more accurate, the amount
Of money expended by the State Board
OF Health during the years 1889 To
1895, inclusive. was $50. 4S9. 40. or an
average expenditure Of $5,067,W per
annum.
THE public health was as much
protected during that time as it is
now. But the State Board of Health,
while not increasing it's efficiency to
any perceptihle degree, has grown out
Of its ~Obscurity In the Office OF the
secretary. and now occupies offices on
the ground flour 0f one OF the princi-
pal buildings on Capital street, in the
city Of Jackson, with a corps of as
S~iStants.
. I'm 1896 the expenditures of this in
stitution began rapidly to increase.
and from 1895 tn 1899, inclusive. the
State Board OF Health has expended
1921 ,390.47 or an average of 1871. S47 ga
per annum. with every prospect that
the legislature will be called upon to
appropriate IA large sum in addition
to make up a deficit for the year 1899.
1.-THE attention az the Legislature is
respectfully called to the question,
what corresponding benefit has ac-
crued to the State Of Mississippi for
this lavish expenditure Of public
money?
Along with the vast increase in
the amount OF money necessary to
maintain this institution. it's powers
have been largely increased. So much
so. that on Sept. 10, 1897, there was
issued by this apparently Omnipotent
power it's famous order: Until fur
thcr ordered by this Board, no person
will be allowed to get off trains and
boats at any station or point in the
State Of mississippi
AT the time OF this order there
was yellow fever at feW'p0ints on the
coast and at Edwards. BY this order
the wheels OF commerce were absO-
lutely locked all over the State, on
railroads, where the inhabitants had
scarcely learned that there was any
yellow fever In the State, and where
the public was safe from any lnfec-
tlon. 1t caused Il stampede such as
had never been seen before.
"ln 1893, when the hill making an
appropriation Of 1913, 951 90 to cover a
deficit for 1897. and Of $50, 900 for the
year 1893 was under discussion. it was
urged in favor Of these measures by
the President Of the State Board OF
Health, who vas a member OF the
Legislature, and by others. that il
these funds were placed at the dispo.
sal or the executive committee of the
Board, upon the appearance Of yellow
fever the cases would be isolated and
put in quarantine, and the business
interests OF the State would be pro-
tected and not allowed to suffer as
they had suffered in the past.
These arguments prevailed and the
appropriations were made. In the
meantime the State Board of Health.
aided by other physicians in the State,
had been indnStriOusly engaged in Il
campaign OF education, and the PEG
pie were taught to believe that de-
population was the only avenue OF es-
cape from destruction upon the ap-
pearance Of yellow fever.
las the result, 10 1899, nOtwlth-
standing the enormous appropriation
OF $4,000. wherever yellow fever ap-
peared there was "A stampede Of the
people. rulnous to the individual and
most disastrous in its effects on com
merce. The $50, 900 appropriation dis.
appeared, like mist before the rising
sun. but the corresponding benefit to
tile State has never been made to ap-
pear.
ut may be claimed by some that
other sections Of the State were pro.
tected from infection; but, il so, it
was through no effort on the part Of
the State Board OF Health, for the
whole State was locked in the en-
brace OF a shotgun quarantine. which
again paralyzed commerce, and which
recognized no authority save that Of
brute force.
"The Legislature has made an an
preparation Of $40. 600 to paw the ex-
penSes Of the State Board of Health
FOR the year 1899. During the earlier
months OF the year, at various points
in the State, IA disease, very mild in
It's character. but which was PROMPTLY
declared to be small p0x, made it's al.
pearance. The frequent appearance
OF small pox did not cause any public
uneasinesss, because the people had
not been taught by experts to run
whenever a bulletin was issued an
nouncing is discovery. 1t is but rea-
sonable to suppose that a large pro-
portion Of the appropriation for the
year 1899 has been expended in discov.
ering and reporting small pox. But,
on Sept. 10. 1t was announced That
Ypll0W fever had muda TIC nnnonrnnno