The Washington times., 1901-10-28
HEALTH SERVICE PLANNED.
The Subject to De Considered by the
Pan-.merican Congress-

| To promote commerce and to facilitate
simpler quarantine inspection among the
| Pan-Anerican Republics the question of
| creating an international sanitation COM
mission has often been agitated. The
| adoption of some international health ser
| vice has been advocated at almost every
I, meeting OF i:orth. South. and Central
American medical associations held In the
| last decade. The subject is to be dis
cussed ~ the Pan-American Congress in
session at the City Of Mexico. and the
members Of the United States delega-
| ton have been instructed to press the mat
ter for final disposition. Henry G. Davis.
| Chairman OF the United States deiega-
| ton, requested DIR. Walter Wyman sy-
pervising Surgeon General Of the Marine
! Hospital Service, 70 prepare n letter in
! English and Spanish containing his views
| for the organization of an international
sanitation system to be distributed among
the various delegates This mas been
done. and although Dr. wyman's tenta-
tive plan has been substantially approved
by the American representatives. some
modification will probably be offered be-
fore its adoption
In his letter to Mr.. Davis. Dr. Wynan
| treats of the great mortality and finan-
cial distress resulting from yellow fever
and other contagious diseases which are
bred in cities where sanitary precautions
are not taken. Then he speaks Of the
efficiency to be attained by a concentrate
ed effort against these diseases which di-
rect!y concern 2500o.fo0 people Of the two
American continents. He also calls at
tention to the practical value of the re-
cent discoveries In regard to the convey
ance Of yellow fever He suggests as
measures te eliminate yellow fever from
seaport cities or towns which have been
epidemic habitats Of yeil/v fever. or
which are liable to become such by rea-
son of their geographical locations or bad
sanitary conditions. that harbors receive
sanitary improvements that sewerage
systems be laid. that the soil be d.ained
the streets saved and infection eliminated
from buildings
In connection with the enforcement OF
these measures. he proposes the election
OF an International sanitary commits
sion, TO consist Of five members. no two
OF whom shall be residents or citizens of
the same Republic. They shall be an
pointed by the Bureau Of American Re
publlcs' ana serve one year. when they
may be reappointed or new members ap-
pointed TO succeed them OF these five
members one shall be a doplomat. one
shall be learned in the law. one shah be a
physician and sanitarian, one shall be a
sanitary engineer. and one shall be a
commercial Representatives To these five
members there shall be temporarily added
two to represent the National Govern
ment In whose domain is the seaport city
or town to be investigated or to be SUBJ
1ect TO sanitary requirements. These two
members shall be appointed by the Pres-
dent of their Republic. and shall serve
only in their own Republics. The salaries
and travelling expenses of the seven com
missioners shall be determined by and
paid through the Bureau of American Re
publics. which shall also audit alI-ae-
counts, and said expenses shall be di-
vided equally among the Governments en-
tering into this agreement.
The suggested duties of the internatiOn-
al sanitary commission are:
f1rSt-By an enquiry of a commercial
ana statistical character, to determine
upon and prepare a list of the seaport
cities or towns necessary to be visited,
with view TO sanitary Improvements. as
heretofore stated. This will be done by
the commission of five.
Second-To visit said cities or towns
in the order of greatest commercial ne
cessity, and with the two additional
commissioners, to make thorough san
town. and make a formal report upon the
sanitary measures deemed necessary.
keeping within the limits of this conven-
tion.
Thrd-This report shall be in duplicate.
signed by seven members of the commits
sion. One copy shall without delay be
to the President of the Re
public within whose domain the town or
copy sent for file to the Bureau Of Amer
lean Republics -