The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-23

With a far more efficient army at his
command.
You remember how the nation
blanched upon that September morning
in 1892 when It read OF the arrival at
New York OF the Moravia from Ham
burg, with cholera raging between
decks, and with twenty-five corpses
same terrible Infection. And you re-
collect that while this cholera ship
heaved to and fro within the harbor OF
the metropolis. and while wise doctors
disagreed over the best means to save
the nation. there was made at Wash
ington a sudden stroke which shut the
demon out and nailed down the latch.
8 General of the Health Guards.
This stroke was the PRONUNCIATION OF
an ediot by Benjamin Harrison, Presi-
dent OF the United States. proclaiming
a quarantine OF twenty days for all
immigrant vessels from cholera infect
the proclamation for the chief magis-
trate's signature was Walter Wyman,
an interchangeable young Western sur
geon. who only a year before had been
commissioned by that same President
and confirmed by the Senate as sur.
g~eon-general OF the marine hospital
service. Young Wyman. after taking
his A. B.. at Amherst. his NJ. D. at the
ST. Louis Medical College and a post
graduate course Of study at Vienna.
had been in charge of various marine
hospitals throughout the country since
the centennial year, 1876. and what
had called him to the attention Of the
powers hat sit upon the seats of the
mighty in Washington were certain
crusades which he had waged for the
betterment Of our seafaring men. Thus
he had had laws passed for the benefit
OF our seamen Of the merchant marine,
and had exposed cruelttes imposed
upon deck hands on U Western
rivers; also upon crews OF the Chesa-
peake oyster fleets, for whom ne had
had a hospital established Rather In
Significant was the authority vested In
him when first he. was brought to
Washington to command the army OF
disease lighters, which he had entered
as a subaltern, but quickly It was.en-
larged into a vast power, IN which
functionaries OF American Common
wealths and of foreign nations stand
In awe.
His n object in life, since he was
made guardian Of the nations health.
years age. has been to Keep
foreign infections outside the Federal
boundaries and local infections with
State boundaries. And he has made
good. Some attribute his success to a
determined jaw an other features OF
his &physiogonomy which bear him in
striking resemblance to Theodore
Roosevelt, for whom he is often mis-
taken In public places, especially when
in company with his friend, William
Loeb.
Commenting upon the fact that he
is still a bachelor, they recently opin-
ed up at his Office that he is so thor
oughly welded to his work that he
would consider any other alliance as
merely morganatic In comparison.
The Terrible Year '02.
That was a terrible cholera year
t1892-when he Arst saved US from
I'll e, sec ssSur 5oo ooa R1 1 : eonntr 1v were
their white ghosts In Russia alone as
a result Of It; 10000 in Persia; 1900
india, n the same number In
Mecca 1t swept also through Syria.
Roumania. Hungary, Galicia. Spain,
Hamburg. Belgium and France, whence
1t crossed the channel to Britain. And
again in 1893, when 1t reappeared in
most OF these countries, Dr. Wyman
.redoubled his energies n kept 1t out,
and 1t was Immediately altar this
that he framed the legislatton-passed
! n 4eu4-Wnlchp put the Federal gov
ernment securely In control OF sea-
board guarantees and the detention
OF infected passengers on interstate
railways and water craft.
When 1t First Left india.
What we have escaped since these
tight bars We're put up you can see
q glance at the record OF ante
quarantine ttnS,s. Although known
IN India since centuries before Christ,
cholera did moi overflow that vast en-
pire until the terrible epidemic OF 1917,
which. after moving down Thousands
q British soldiers in India, was car