The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-10
is DOING ALL THAT 1T CAN.
County Says It's Not Sinking sani-
tary Responsibilities.


The county authorities say they haven
any time at all to devote to the asser-
tions. that proceed from the health de
partment of the city, that the county has
been dereiict in its duty in looking after
sanitary conditions within it's jurisdic-
ton.
SO far as the two-mile limit is con-
cerncd. the County Commissioners ad-
nit theX haven't been looking after cases
Of infectious disease within it, and they
say they have no intention of doing So
According to their construction of the
| law the city which is given jurisdiction
| for purposes of preserving sanitary con-
ditions within two miles of the corporate
| limits. is compelled to care for all cases
| of infectious or contagious disease that
occur within this limit. The county at
! any rate, in the view of the commission
| ers' Is not required legally to assume this
| burden, and it does not intend to.
For several months the city has been
talking about bringing an amicable suit
against the county to decide this question
and the county seems to be perfectly sat
isfted that the suit should be brought.
Chairman Dale of the Board of County
Commissioners said yesterday that the
assertion that the county is not doing it's
full duty in maintaining sanitary condi-
tions in the county is all stuff and non
sense.
DR.. T. B. Chisholm, the county ply
sician," said Mr.. Dale, has been given
fun authority and carte blanche in in
curing expense in searching out. convey
ing to the county pest house and treat
ing every person found within the limits
of the county and outside the jursdc-
tiondl limits of the city who is suffering
from an infectious or contag ious disease.
He has employed a number of assistants
in this work, and l am perfectly confident
That he is doing everything that is nee
cssary or proper. At the Log Cabin Re-
treat, the county has every needed appl-
ance for looking after the comfort and
the wants of patients of this character,
and We are in a position to receive and
care for very many more than our best
efforts have ever been able to find. If
the city health officer or anybody else
will show MS where these patients are to
he found. we shall be glad to have them
transported to the retreat and properly
treated
Commissioner Dale said it is absurd for
the city authorities to talk of unsanitary
conditions in the county being response
bic for the existence of unsanitary condi-
tons in the city. The boot is on the other
foot, he said. At any rate the county is
not Sinking any responsibility. nor seek
ing to do so, but is quite prepared and
quite willing to look after every case that
the law or its duty requires it should
look after.
DR.. Chisholm said last night that. I'M
der the direction of the County Commits
sioners, he is doing everything possible
to stamp out disease and he thought he
was meeting with very fair success.
"Of course" he said, lit is difficult to
find a negro who is suffering from these
diseases the county desires to isolate
His friends conceal him, as they would
if he were charged with the commission
of crime, and there are many other
difficulties that stand in the way of hav-
ing all of those suffering from these dis
ceases conveyed to the county pest-house.
But we are doing everything that can
possibly be done"
Under the instructions of the chairman
the clerk of the Board of County Com
missioners has addressed a letter to May
or Myers. chairman of the Sanitary Board
of the city, in which the county's plans
and campaign for stamping out disease
within its jurisdiction are described This
is about all the attention the county will
pay to the city's letter. as it does not
feel il deserves either ceusure or criti-
eism in this matter