The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-07-06
HEALTH BOARD
DEMANDS help
Public Health Service Says Rat
PrOofing Ordinance Must
Be Passed. ..
(AN EDlTORIAL.)

(AN EDIToRIAL.)
Elsewhere in The Journal will be
found a communication from Ralph n.
Greene, state health officer, in which
he places before the people of Pen
sacola, in plain and unequivocal Ian
guage, the situation in relation to bu-
bonic plague which has broken out
in the city.
DR.. Greene calls attention to the fact
that when the first case was discov-
cred in Pensacola, the state authori-
ties Immediately requested the United
States public health service to assume
charge of the situation, and that upon
granting this request, Surgeon Cen
eral Cumming, of the United States
public health service requested the
passage of an ordinance providing for
the rat proofing of houses.
After coming to Pensacola and
making a thorough study of the stu
alton here, Surgeon General Cumming,
and Assistant Surgeon General Creel
held a conference with the city COM
missioners for the purpose of urging
the passage of a rat proofing ordi-
nance
Following this conference, a COM
mittee of representative citizens was
appointed by the chairman of the city
commissioners to confer with the
health authorities and to make recon-
mendations about different elements
of the ordinance. In some instances,
a disposition seems to have been
manifested to secure modification of
the methods recommended by the
public health service. Several con-
cessions and m d i fl C i on S were
agreed on but DR.. Creel did not seem
inclined to recede from the position
Of requiring concrete flooring material
in certain types of buildings.
AT this point in the conference Sur
geon General Cumming stated:
Gentlemen, 1 do not wish to be
brutal in this. matter, but if you do
not meet my requirements, will
quarantine your city" ..s. ,
The people of Pensacola are face
to face with a fact, not a theory. We
may comply with the requirements of
the public health service, go about our
local business as usual, and transact
business with other communities and
other states. Or we may set ourselves
blindly against the recommendations
Of the public health service and have
a system of quarantine to face.
In that event, no ship, foreign or
coastwise may land at any dock in
Pensacola; all vessels must remain in
the open bay. Freight inspection will
be withdrawn, and it would be neces-
sary for every car leaving Pensacola |
to be loaded, fumigated and sealed |
under hte inspection of the state |
board of health. This would mean in
state quarantine.
When the wires flashed the news of !
he first case of bubonic plague in |
Pensacola, Tampa Immediately quar-
intined against all through freight |
passing Pensacola and all local freight |
here.
S. w. Welch, state health officer !
If Alabama came to Pensacola per
'onally to investigate the situation,
md had it not been for the assurances
given him by the national and state
health officials, quarantine would
lave been instituted by Alabama
But with assuranc from the
United States public health service in
Pensacola has meant that the other
owns of Florida, the neighboring
states and the ports of the country
lave so relied on their assurances
hat they have foreborne to establish
my quarantine against this port. Such
quarantine would injure Pensacola
It is not necessary, as
ong as the precautions are taken |
which the public health service has
ound, through experience, to offer
protection to a community. 1t will
,e necessary, in the event that the
,eople of Pensacola refuse to accede
o what the public health service con-
iders best for the public's protec-
ion.
1t must be remembered that the Of
iciaIs in charge of the situation here
ave notE only the health of Pensacola
o consider. They have that of a ma
ion to safeguard. The physicians OF
he public health service have con-
rolled the disease in San Francisco
nd again in New Orleans; it is well
nder control in Pensacola. 1t will
ontinue under control as long as the
eople of Pensacola cooperate. If I
hey refuse to do this, and this city
quarantined, business will be killed
1t is up to Pensacola to decide what
D do. The evidence is in, and no
ne who is loyal to the interests of the
ity and who desires the safety of
his community and of other COM 5
iunities, can doubt but that the ordi-
anee will be passed according to the I
of the United States I
ublic health service and that after I
s passage it will be rigidly enforced. I
This must be done, not only to as {
ure the control of the disease, but
} prevent jeopardy of every COM Y
lerciaI advantage which this city and I
sction enjoys. =