1878

National Yellow Fever Commission (three Southern physicians and an architect; chaired by Dr. Bemis) report to special meeting of APHA in Richmond in November  “a firestorm of controversy” (loc 1405). The report, siding with contagionists and advocates of germ theory, determined that only rigorous quarantine “to the extent of total nonintercourse” had proven effective (1433). Debate at APHA meeting carried over to Congress, with Southern senators and allies calling for national sanitation and quarantine regulations through Bureau of Public Health (and abolition of U.S. Marine Hospital Service), with strong Director General, pitted against AMA, APHA, and congressional allies supporting states’ rights/local control, etc. Bill establishing the Bureau (albeit with four-year term) passed Senate in Feb 1879, but not House, which passed only APHA-sponsored bill that formalized Commission with only advisory role. However, a separate quarantine law was passed and signed into law by Hayes.