The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-03-23
DIR. sHEDDAN's CARD.

we 40 not reproduce IN Iull Dr. (
w. X. Sneddan'- card which APP
peared In Mon lays Banner, be
cause of its length, and because
much of it has appeared in substance
heretofore in the HERALD We
never complain with any man who
has an honest opinion and dares
maintain it. The HERALD does not
agree with DR.. Sheddan'5 conclus
ion, however, that the disease un-
der discussion Is not smallpox. He
may have evidence dLiunde. bat the
laity must be governed by the pre-.
ponderance of proof. and that Is
against the D)cto' on this point.
That being established, then vacci-
nation should follow as a matter of
course; no doctor will deny that
proposition.
A part of DR.. Eheddan's card reads
as follows:
Now, with the pest houses that
have been built, with the amount Of
money they have expended, with no
opposition more than that mention
ed, what has been the result? /
have no hesiLancy in saying that
for every single case that was here
on January there are ten now in
the county. Ii this is true, then it
is suspicious that their methods
have been faulty. Let's look into
them for a moment. When a case IL
found, in a ma jOrity of instances, he
is not taken to the pest house, but Is
left in his own home, the other mem
bers of the family vaccinated. He,
AS we'll rs they, are told to stay In. y
yellow rag is hung up, and the Off
cials go home; and it frequently
happens that the negroes are IN the
business part of town before the OF
ficials get home. No guard is left to
enforce these orders, unless the vic
tim be a young doctor, and then he
must live in the house of another
doctor. both of whom have express
ed themselves as not believing IN
the existence of smallpox here.
Then, a guard with mis- good six
shooter must keep the young fool in
the house and the old fool out of his
wv II tlOuSb. vi COnTSts bIlIS 10 lOI
the public good, and protection, and
has none of the odor of persecution
or malice.
"These negroes write letters, put
, them in the letter boxes-and meet
the mail carrier as he delivers mail.
Yet | am informed that no orders
nave ever been given to fumigate or
disinfect mail Other negro families
have never had SO much as a flag put
up at their house as warning. 30
in some white cases. Negroes at the
pest house tell me that while there
} they came to town every night they
wanted to and stayed as long as they
wanted to, minglIng with other ne
a groes just as If they bad never been
to the pest house. If there has ever
been any fumigation of houses, or
t disinfection of bedding or clothing
used by patients KEEP, at home, |
mean in any systematic and sci
} entific way, lam not aware of 1t. 1t
is this that is Responsible for the pre-
Sent condition Of affairs, and not
, that some oth4r doctor percbance
called a case chicken-pOX. If moral
support is lacking, it is from lack
, of iaith in the health officers. a be-
lief in a great many people that the
health authorize have given in the
, wrong name. A failure TO see any
practical results from this eXpendi-
ture of public money that causes it. V
2 The HERALD does not know as to
/ the truth or falsity of these state
ments. We have heard them re-
peated over end over again, but
could never get them from a direct
source which we thought would
9 Justify their publication. But now
that DIR. Sbeddan has made the
3 charge will the Health Board rest
under it, or willthey deny it and call
upon the Doctor for his witnesses
S However it may be considered by
t some, the HERALD does not consid-
er this as a personal matter between
the Health B BARD and DR.. Sheddan,
and shall not so treat it. 1t has a
broader and wider and a deeper
: significance.
3 If the peoples money is being
wasted in so farcIcal manner as is
above alleged, that waste ought t.
be stopped; and Judge Looney was
right in his recent ruling attempting
to stop it, and should have stuck to
it, the State Board of Health to
the contrary Notwithstanding. The
HERALD is Informed privately, that
the Board denies these allegations
They should do so publicly. 1t is a
t mistake to attempt to ignore such
r serious charges. The public has &
right to know how the public bust
ness is being conducted, and the way
y to keep down opposition, is for the
Health officials to take the public
e into their full confidence.
THERE are two sides to the Porto