Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-24


president of Health Board Conference
delegates were overwhelmingly of the
opinion that members Of State boards Of
health should be specially trained for
their work instead Of being simply ply
sicians, who are skilled in the art or
curing, rather than preventing, disease.
SEVERAL ADDRESSES.
The conference was called to order In
the assembly-room at the jefferson at 10
o'clock yesterday morning by DR. Felix
Formento. of New Orleans. the presi-
dent. Dr. Paulus A. Irving. secretary Of
the State Board of Health of Virginia, in
few words introduced Governor Tyler
who delivered a brief address Of welcome
Three pertinent anecdotes, told by his
Excellency, evoked hearty applause.
The address Of DR.. Formento, the presi-
dent. was appropriate and eloquent. In
the course of his remarks, he said:
at is hardly proper TO speak Of ones
self yet ! cannot control the sentiments
of grateful memory that fill my heart
at this moment for this city of Rich
mond was the scene of my earliest pro-
fessional achievements and of some Of
the happiest days of py life. 1t was here
that at the age OF "a. ana only three
months after my marriage, / was placed
AT the head of the Louisiana Hospital
established I'm the buildings of your old
Baptist College. on Broad street. This
institution. which at times accommodated
three and four hundred soldiers. sick
and wounded was not only hospital,
but a home for those far away from
their family ties; a place Of rest. depot
for necessities and deicacies furnished
our soldiers by their generous fellow-cltl-
Zens.
"Innumerable memories OF those event.
full and terrible years rush 10 my nina
and oyerWhelm my heart on this day,
when. after so many years, once more
find myself in Richmond, among a people
endeared TO Louisiana by so many tles'
How many events have taken place since
them How different the conditions OF to-
day! Thank God, the war of the Confede-
racy is now TO most OF us but dream OF
the past Our new generation haruly
knows il ever existed! our country is now
forever united; new baptism OF Dlood
and fire has cemented this reunion! Re
cent glorious victories achieved by the
blue and the gray, fighting shoulder TO
shoulder under the grand old nag, fOr
the cause of humanity ana civilization
have made this ration truly one ana
indssoluble!
DANGER OF YELLOW FEVER.
Discussing the varied character of the
proSramme of discussion adopted by the
conference, DR.. FOrmento dwelt especially
upon the importance of the topic re-
lating TO the necessity Of extra precau-
lions TO prevent the Importation of in
fictitious diseases from the new posses
sions OF the United States. He said that
OF all foreign infections which threaten
this country, yellow-fever is the one to
be most dreaded. The plague has not
always limited itself 10 the South. and
the danger Of more northCrly sections
becoming infected is greater now than
ever before. owing to all parts of the
country being 80 closely connected by
means OF rail and steamship lines. Con-
tinuing. the speaker said:
ain the mean time, to guard against
this Importation, TO protect as Tar as
practicable our extended shores. there
seems to be one system which, while Sc
curing protection 10 the whole country,
offers Justice and impartiality 10 all sec
tions North and South, WIN no uhuue
discriminating commercial advantages TO
one port over another. This system can
only be enforced by the United States
Government. 1t consists In the disinfec-
tion of all ships. with their crews. passen-
GERS and merchandise, sailing from an IN
fected port for any port OF the United
States. at the very point OF departure,
and not at the home port or arrival,
where VARYING State and local laws ana
INTERESTS are often in conflict and quaran-
tine practices often entirely ineihclent.
The same rigid regulations should apply
10 Ali points of destination. North az Wen
a. south, for nowadays with our un-
limited railroad facilities the disease. once
Introduced through any OF our ports may
soon be carried all over the country ue-
yclopins and Spreading natvraiiy III 'noie