The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-16
THE DOCTOR is THE MAN.
HEALTH OFFICER BRUNNER IN
SISTs ON FEST HOUSE CONTROL.

Attend Cases Therc-C ommissiOn-
erS Want Council to Permit This 10
BE Done-Terms offered by the
City for Care and Maintenance of
County Patients-Dr. Brunner Of
fers to Treat Them at the Rate OF
So Per Visit or 800 Per Case.
Chairman Dale Thinks Skilled At
tention TO BE Obtained for Less.
There is some proba bility that the coun-
ty viii establish a pest house of its own
in the near future for the care and treat
ment of patients from the county districts
suffering with smallpox and other con-
tagious or infectious diseases.
The establishment of such place is,
of course, conditional upon the necessity
of such an institution arising and upon
the failure of the County Commissioners
10 make suitable arrangements with the
city for the care of patients. 1t is further
conditional upon the increase in the num-
Der of smallpox cases in the country dis
tricts from the few that now exist in iso-
lated communities.
Some correspondence on the subject of
the care of county patients in the city
pest house passed yesterday and the day
before between Chairman Dale, of the
Board of County Commissioners, and
Mayor Myers. on behalf of the city Mayor
Myers has offered to receive county pa
TENTS at the pest house. who may be sent
there for treatment and care for them,
at the rate of 81 per day. This offer in
Guides moving the patient from the coun-
try to the rest house and all medicines,
nursing and food supplies 1t is esteemed
fair and generous by Chairman Dale and
the County Commissioners and they would
accept it gladly and at once We're it not
sadded with a condition that the health
officer of the city shall be the only physi-
clan permitted to attend these county pa
tents, upon terms, fixed by himself,
In letter to Chairman Dale the May
or says: 'Dr. Drummer will treat them
0he patients) at IS each visit, or 500 for
each patient for full length of time cared
for at the pest house. Patients suffering
from this disease require daily visits"
Chairman Dale stated last night that In
this dilemma he could not say what course
would be taken by the commissioners. If
there should be only a few cases in the
county outside the city requiring removal
to the pest house, il would probably be
better for the county to pay the price
charged by DR.. Drummer and turn these
patients over to him. If other conditions
should arise ii might possibly be wiser
and more economical for the county TO
prepare a pest house of its own and have
its patients treated by its own physician.
Al the direction of the chairman, Capt.
Dillon clerk of the Board of County Com
missioners, has addressed a letter to the
Mayor in which he expresses perfect
satisfaction with the city's offer to care
f1.- 3 ut tla.a
rate of 81 each per day. Capt, Dillon APP
Ponds to the letter an inquiry as to wheth-
er or not the city will permit the county
physician to attend the county patients
who are undergoing treatment at the pest
house. An answer to this letter is eX-
pected shortly.
Chairman Dale stated that there is a
cottage in Estill Park that might be used
as a county pest house and that would in
all probability be used in case the county
saw fit to establish such an institution.
He stated further, however, that the es-
tablishment of a pest house was in con-
temptation merely and was entirely de-
pendant upon future contingencies.
The chairman of the Board of County
Commissioners would express no opinion
whatever upon the offer of The health
officer of the city, other than to say that
il the city would permit he thought it
quite probable that the county could make
upon county patients at considera bic
saving to the taxpayers. He expressed a
hope that the city would permit the com
missioners to take this action, but did not
seem to be any too confident that il would.
Though Chairman Dale was thus reti-
cent, others who were spoken 10
on the subject did not feel constrained to
keep their opinions so entirely to them
selves When told of the health officers
offer to treat county patients at the rate
of S. for each visit, or each case for
lump sum of 800 together with his talk
of resigning, should another physician en-
ter the pest house, some of these gentle
men contented themselves with drawing
a laughing contrast between DR.. Brun-
ner's present position and the one he oc-
cuped when the question of the admit
lance of a larger number of physicians to
the privileges of the savannah Hospital
was under consideration.
The county's request was considered at
a meeting of the Committee Of the Whole
of Council yesterday afternoon. Health
officer Drummer appeared before the COM
inittee by request of the Mayor, and
stated very strongly his objections 10
granting the county request. His obJec-
tions were so strong, in fact, that he stat
ed that should any other physician be
permitted to practice at the pest house
he would Immediately give up his position
as health officer.
When seen about the matter by a Morn
ing News reporter DR.. Drummer said his
objections were not to DR.. T. b. CHS
holm, the county physician, with whom
he is on very pleasant terms, personally
and professionally, but TO the principle of
allowing any outside physician the liberty
of visiting patients at the pest house or
taking part in their treatment there in
any way. THE pest house is entirely I'M
der the control of the health officer said
DR.. Drummer. Gle is responsible for its
management. This being the case, the
responsibility is such that i do not feel
that / can afford to share it in any way.
The danger of permitting the pest house
TO become a center of contagion for the
county is too serious to permit of any
risk"
Or. Drummer said that he already had
one patient from the county a the pest
house a white man taken from Pooler
this week. but as he had taken charge Of
this case at the request of the county au-
thorities, he had no doubt he would be
paid for it at the usual rates.