The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-11-14
SEVERE ARRkIGNMENT
or THE NEW ORLEANS
HEALTH OFFICIALS.
Mobile Register.


~ az - ~ q 2. 3 q ss 2 ssss Z
DR.. Joseph Hall. of New Orleans,
issues a circular charging the recent
yellow fever epidemic and loss Of life
to Health officer Quitman Kohnke
A. d., ana President Edmond
souehon. NJ. D.. Of the Louisiana STATE
Board Of Health. IN that they con
cealed the presence of yellow fever
IN New Orleans and prevented the
taking Of scientific precauaons
against the spread Of the disease. Ee
charges, specifically. that when a
physician asked the health officer his
opinion OF the probability Of a vista
ton Of fever under existing clrcum-
stances, the health officer said omin-
.ously, Fever? Fever? The first
doctor who says yellow fever will
get shot" In view Of the fact thar
safety Is obtained by discovering and
isolatiug the first case Of fever. DR..
Holt declares his statement an as
founding evidence of DR.. Kohnkes
incompetency DIT. Holt charges, al
so, that Dr. Kohnke said to another
physician: 4 have determined upon
this line of action, if it costs me my
life, not to acknowledge that yellow
fever exists in New Orleans. In
obedience to his policy. DR..
kohnke stated in the public press.
July 10. that runners current Of fever
we're false, and that it was pity
that those who spread such rumors
could not be found and punished, for
such do more harm than the poor ne
gro who is strung up. in a word thcy
should be lynched. July "a however.
the same doctor was found warning
doctors to report your cases prompt
~ 10 permit US to check any further
toci of infections. July 81, DR.
kOhnke admitted that he had known
OF the existence Of suspicious cases
since July 49, Also, of evidence
pointing to prior cases in the same
neighDOrhOOd and, "in a few DAYS.
a. Hfe-a ANrA nNNl. NNHL HENEAaA squares
were infected apparently to a degree
Justifying the fumigation Of every
house for the possibly existing Ia
tected mosquito, and, finally, the ma
ture Of the disease was demonstrated
"a disease" which must have begun
at some time during the second half
OF May" said Dr. Kohnke in a pub
lished interview
It looks like a pretty clear case of
cOncealment. Ten days of investiea-
ton, fumigation and desperate effort
to suppress the disease and avoid &C
knowledging that yellow fever OK
listed in New Orleans" People VINO
should have been warned and nut on
their guard were not warned: sick
persons, who SHOULD have been COW
cred with mosquito nets to prevent.
mosquitoes getting the infection from
them, were not covered because the
character Of their sickness was not
made known or was concealed; and
the disease spread. July 21, is was
beyond cOncealment any longer and
actually beyond control. and then Or.
kohnke and Dr. Souchon admitted de-
feat AS Or. Holt says; The pentup
calamity, fully developed, burst upon
ms July p, Ike an explosion from
Mont Pelee"
The doctor appeals to the people
against the continuance Of such men
in Office.
When We see what was done in
Montgomery and in Tampa to ssaa2
out successfully the first case. when
We note the record of the great fght
in New Orleans to stop the food oil
disease after it had been let loose
upon the city we understand how
great was the dereliction of these
guardians Of the public health oil
New Orleans; and our conclusion is
the same as that of DR.. Holt that
taese men must give way to others
of higher standard of qualification
for the conduct of these important
Cfices-not for LOuisiana's sake alone
but for the sake Of the 4I.000OOO /
PEOPLE whose health and business are
by an outbreak of yellow I
fever.