The Sun.
London, England, 1869-12-08 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 8, 1859.

The fears which were entertained as to the spread
of the relapsing fever have been only too fully justi
fled. At the meeting of the Metropolitan Asylum
managers on Saturday the Chairman informed them
that a few weeks ago the relapsing fever was con-
fined to three London parishes, but now it had been
found in 32 out of the 37 metropolitan parishes and
unions of parishes. It was before arranged that a
temporary hospital should be erected on the grounds
of the London Fever Hospital, and this will be opened
in a few days. The Poor-law Board was communi-
cated with in order to ascertain if they were

prepared with the necessary accommodation for
the anticipated increase of patients. It appeared
from the answer received that the guardians of the
parish of Camberwell bad agreed to obtain an iron
building for the purpose of receiving those suffering
from relapsing and other fevers. In that parish the
greater number of these cases had come from the
vagrant ward, and therefore it was deemed expedient
to construct a small hospital for vagrants in connec-
tion with the vagrant wards. It would be well if
other parishes would follow the example of Camber-

well, but such has not been the case as yet. At pre- of the " lone-star" State untenable, Georgia
sent St. Giles-in-the-Fields, Whitechapel, and Cam- is not likely to find it tenable now. Probably,
berwell, contribute one half of the number of cases re- before General GRANT delivers his next message, the
ceived into the London Fever Hospital, and surely those whole of the eleven seceded states will have rejoined
similarly afflicted should make the same provision, the Union on the Union's terms. It is still more
The Poor-Law Board have assented to a proposal .
probable that before then the United States' debt,
which has been already diminished with marvellous
made by the Guardians of the Poplar Union, that
rapidity, will be reduced with even greater speed.
they should reopen an infirmary formerly used for
Some exception may be taken to certain of the PRE-
the reception of fever patients. Dr. BUCHANAN, from SIDENT'S proposals. He is, as the Times remarks, a
the Privy Council Office, and Dr. BRIDGES, of the soldier, not a financier, and he may therefore be
Poor Law Board, attended, and submitted to the excused for thinking that ho can reduce the interest
Special Committee the latest information with respect of the Six per Cent. Bonds when they are at a dis-
to the progress of the disease. They showed that count. Nevertheless, we have seen such miracles
the epidemic had increased most rapidly, and ex- effected in the way of reduction that we may well
pressed their opinion that it would be necessary to look for even greater marvels now that trade is reviving,
provide all the additional accommodation the and time has healed most of the wounds wrought
bye
President GRANT'S remarks respecting the
the war. Even more interesting to Englishmen
llampstead site would allow. It is evident that
no time should be lost in making the necessary ,ere
REVERDY JOHNSON Convention. They are more
preparations to arrest the course of this insidious
interesting, but less satisfactory. They show that
disease. While propositions are being made the speaker has not yet advanced any
and proposals rejected the fever keeps hard at work, nearer to understanding the question at issue.
and it is difficult to resist the progress it makes in a Claiming, in his remarks upon Cuba that the
very short space of time. It is to be regretted United States "is its own judge when, to accord the
that the Lords of the .Admiralty should have re- right of belligerency, either to a people struggling to
turned an unfavourable reply to the request of the
mniittee that they would free themselves from a Government they believe to
Co
[lace at the disposal of be oppressive, or to nations at war with each other,"
the managt:rs any buildint, under their care in the he will not admit that we had the same right when
we decided if we should accord the rights of belli-
neighbourhood south of the Thame3 to be fitted into
gerency to the Confederate States. If pressed with
a temporary hospital. So far as eau be Judaea at :
1118 a own words General GRANT will no doubt say it
present the Metropolitan Asylum Managers have
was impossible for anyone to believe that the United
taken wise and precautionary meast.res, but they States Government was oppressive to the revolted
sould be assisted in their work, and meet with ready States, and that therefore the argument does not
acquiescence, in order that the fever may not take apply. We answer that we were the judges 1
' too firm a stand among us. Those shortsighted per- on that point. Our judgment mayhave been wrong,
sons who begrudge expense may mit assured that yet we are not amenable to the United States on that
account. But after all, the best answer is that we
they are not effecting any real saving iu carrying out
to adopt
their parsimonious views and neglectingdid only what the United States themselves did, and
that by so doing we gave the North a clear advan-
wise precautions. Had half been done in the poorer
tat,o-e. It is wearisome to have to repeat these well-
neighbourhoods of the metropolis that the sanitary
known facts again ; but it is necessary to do so, for
requirements enacted the relapsing fever might never i president GRANT has not yet received them into his
have made its appearance, or if it had it would have mind. This is the more to be regretted because
been speedily cmphed ; but as it is, we may be con- until he and the other statesmen at Washing-