Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-13
REQUESTS GOVERNMENT
TO FOUND LEPR0sOR|UM
State Hoard OF Health Adopts Reso-
Iutions as Result of Rich
mond Case.
CALLS ON PUBLIC SERVICES
Holds That States and Cities Should
Not BE Responsible When Disease
Happens to &c Diagnosed in Given
Community.

The state Board Of Health ycstor-
day sent TO the Public Health Service.
~ Washington. = resolution caitinE
upon the Federal government ia es-
tabiish general hospital for the
treatment of lcpcrs. who. the board
dcclI' should not Ice made Il chtv.,r
"n state or local governments m"""ly
hccausr their cases are diagnosed in =,
certain community.
/ The action Of the board follows TIN,
diagnosis in Richmond Of :, ease 1T
/ lcprosy in Il Greek immigrant. Who
had hren at work II ilopcwol ami re-
Gently applied 1T q local hospital Tor
/, treatment. The lcper was II once is0-
lated. and is now under observation III
:, special ward Of the Richmond small
poS Hospital
In Is resolutions the State H"ari II
Health takes the ground that this and
/, simild- cases OF lcrroSy are not .or-
+ tract.l in this country. hut are. III
\ every instance. found among imu'-
grants who come Ia America FROM
i countries where leprosy is more corn
4 mon. The board ARGUES that no .aS".s
\ would have to he cared for in Amer
lea il the Immigration authorities wcra
able in every instance TO diagnose lon
rosy among immigrants ANA tn "c-
turn to their native country those who
are suffering from ii. lnaSmclh as
I the failure Of the Immigration authnri &.
] ties 20 keep out lcpe:S permits some
of the victims OF this loathsome lis
ease to become charges on states and
cities that have no protection from
. them. except such rs is given by IN.
/ United states authorities. the board
&. believes that the Federal government.
| should establish lerrosorium. to
which all cases found in the State can
he sent without delay.
SHOULD NOT HE CHARGES
UPON STATES OK CITIES
The resolutions Of the board. after
reciting the general situation in u
| preamble, read as follows:
Whereas. The state BOARD of Health
-of the Commonwealth of Virginia has
learned. with regret, that immi-
grant icper has entered this State, has
had his maiady diagnosed in Rich
mond and is now i'm isolation, II char.c
OH that city. and.
Whereas. The only protection the
States Of the Union have against the
Immigration Of such diseased persons
IS that afforded Ivy the Federal quar-
antine and examination Of immigrants;
and,
Whereas The admission OF lepcr
into the United States is contrary II
tho immigration laws. and is only pos
Sible when the true condition of tn.
lcper is not discovered by the FEEDER
nj medical officers in charge Of The
immigration stations: and.
Whereas The failure of the immi-
grafton authorities to diagnose such
cases places upon the State and m'I-
nicipal governments OF the Union tine
expenses Of caring for lcpers who lid
not contract the disease in this coun
try. and arc not properly charge
upon these states or the municipal Ii
ties; and.
Whereas. y realization OF these
facts may incline municipalities less
mindful Of the public health than the
city OF Richmond To permit the as
cape OF such lcpcrS, in order 10 avoid
the expense Of caring for them: ard.
Whereas. This may result in the
migration Of lcpers from one city 10
another with the possibility Of spread
in. the disease. hc il
Resolved. by the State Board "f
Health OF the Commonwealth Of
Virginia. that. in the Judgment Of :ha
board, the care OF lcpcrs admitted into
this country through the carelessnesS
of the immigration authorities or their
inability 10 make a correct diagnosis
Of the carly stages of lcprosy is prop
erly :; charge on the Federal govern
ment and not on the governments of
the States or the localities
'RcsClVed t2D That. in the judy
mcnt of the board, the Federal gov
eminent can hest discharge it's duty
iu caring for such lcpcrs by the estah-
lishment OF one or more national lcp-
rosoria, under the direction Of the
United States Public Health Service
to which lepers discovered In the
states may ut once he sent for obscr-
walton and treatment.
"Resolved. 13) That tho Senators and
Representatives of the Commonwca I'LL
of Virginia. in the Congress OF the
United States. he requested to advr-
ra ,al, n IA ~
national lcprosoria with the least pos
sible delay.
Resolved. a. That copies OF these
resolutions he dispatched nj once L.
each cf the Senators and Representa-
tives rf the Commonwealth of Viz.
rinia IN the Congress of the United
states. and that u copy he likewise
sent the Surgcon-G General Of the
United States Public Health Service
Rupert Blue. NJ. H."
Fined for Watering oysters.