The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-29
WORK FOR MEDICAL SOCIETY,".
DIR. BRUNNER THINKS 1T SOURCE
For STATE BOARD AGITATION.

He Thinks There viii BE No Sc
riOUs Objection to State Organ
izatiOn to Control Dfsease-Be-
lieves This the Best Time to Sound
Public OpiniOn-Physicians Under
stood to Be Friendly to a Health
Board With Jurisdiction over En-
tire State.
Health officer Brunner's suggestion that
a state board of health be created in Geor-
gia seems to meet with general favor
among physicians. who think this the
proper time to bring the matter to the at
tention of the people. Just how it may
be presented has not been decided, but 1t
is thought there will not be any trouble in
securing general approval of any steps that
may be taken in that direction.
My opinion is if the agitation for
state board of health is taken
up properly" said Health officer Brun-
ner, that it viii meet with unqualified sue
cess. All that is needed to convince the
legislature of the advisabity of establish
ing the board is a look over the state, and
the conditions which have prevailed owing
to lack of systematic action in the
stamping out of disease. The prevalence
of smallpox furnishes an example that =.
sure 10 convince the unbiased of the ne
cessity for a state board. If the board is
not made up of too many members, which
is about the only mistake the legislature
can make in connection with it, the chances
for its success are undoubted. Its influence
and management will be a power in re-
ducng to a system the suppression of all
contagious diseases. This cannot be done
under the present confused arrangement
as is evidenced by the prevalence of small
pox in the Southwest up to a short time
ago
Il think the proper organiza ton to take
| up the question of a state board will be
the state medic al society" said DR.. Brun-
| ner It's large membership in all parts
of The state Will enable i to get at the con-
sensus of opinion without great deal of
trouble This win be the opinion of those
supposed 10 be best posted on the subject,
and win therefore have more weight than
the opinions of those not acquainted with
it. These men have made a study
| of conditions in the state and will be
! able 10 tell possibly by reply to a circu-
| lar, what they think will be the best way
| TO bring about concerted action among
! I
| As l sax some time ago the suggestion
| for state board of health was not gen
| orally supper ed by citizens of Savannah.
| for the reason that quarantine was then
! under FOCAL control. and il was feared it
would not be properly administered If I'M
| der the direction of a board not well ac-
| quanted with the city and its commercial
| interests" DR.. Drummer said. Not know
! ing what influence, either good or bad,
| would be brought to bear in controlling
| the station, 1 can well see why the people
! were reserved in their Endorsements of a
| slate board. As the situation is now chang
ed, l think a movement in this direction
! would be opposed by few, if any, of the
| citizens of Savannah.
"One of the mistakes the legislature
may make, in case it takes up the ques-
! ton, is in not allowing the board a suf-
| fcient amount to carry on its work" he
said. Unless it is well endowed with at
| least $4,000, its usefulness will be greatly
| impaired My personal experience with
! smallpox troubles in the out counties
| has convinced me that ii will require
! something to properly curb disease when
| ii starts. As these outbreaks would have
| 10 be taken in hand in all parts of the
| state, it will be seen quite a sum would
| be required in the course of a year The
recent smallpox trouble in this and ad-
| joining counties could have been handled
the rankings of the disease by a few
well directed strokes by a state board"
1t Is understood the physicians of Sa-
! vannah are in accord with Dr. Brunner's
views on the subject of a state board.
! They think 1t would give to the state
| facilities in the suppression of a general
! spread of disease which could not be had
| in any other way. During the past three
months the physicians have seen some
| thing of the smallpox trouble Knowing
! 1t TO be strong argument in favor of
! a state board they do not think there
! could be- any better time than the present
! for agitating the matter. The State Med
! zeal Society is strongly represented in Sa-
| Nannah, and move by the local mem
| bers would so far in commanding atten-
| ton from all over the state.
| DR.. st. J. B. Graham, member of the
| medical society, favors the creation of A
! state board, and believes if the move is ag
itated that it will lead to earnest consider
alton by the legislature 1t is not under
stood that there Will be a meeting of the
society prior to the assembling of the leg
islature in October, but information as to
how the leading members stand could prob
ably be obtained through means of circu-
| lar letters. 1t is not improbable that a
| general expression from medical men NAV
soon be had on the subject.
/