Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1825-04-26

a9IASMA.
The most superficial and the most pro-
found inquirers have alike agreed that
vegetable, ard occasionally animal de-
composition, Under certain circumstan-
ccS, do produce an invisible delelerlous
agent, which is the immediate or excit
ing cause OF Intermittent and remiuent
levers. TO this agent has been given the
name of miasma; and shall use the
term in a collective sense, as the words
smoke and dust are applied, to signify
an aggregate ofpariicles.
hlasna then is admitted to be product
principally Of vegetably decomposition; but
there are many modes by which that decompo-
sitlon is effected.
Combustion is one mode by which immense
quantities of vegetable matter are daily de-
stroyed; but combustion has never been
changed with the production Of miasma
Gratiuai decay the most natural and most
general process, is another; but this kind
OF decomposition is constantly going on in eve
~ section OF the world, its deleterous effects,
If any, should be universal. Our mountains
are covered with forests, and their foliage an
nuaily furnishes vast amount for gradual de-
injurious effects to the animal system. We are
moreover told by our most observing plliloso-
piers, that the natural decomposition of one
generation Of organized beings, is necessary
step III the economy of nature, to furnish stls-
tehance and growth to another; and it seems
irrational TO beiieve that nature would make
an agent for the premature destruction of lite
by The very process which she employ TO pre-
serve 1t. A slight examination is therefore s,lf-
hclent TO show that this natural process OF de-
&c imposition has no agency in the production Of
niasIna.
Culture is third general mode of occasion.
ing vegetable decomposition; and it is plausi-
bly, urged that as the life of The vegetable is
thus suddenly destroyed, different order of
attractions from that existing during natural
and gradual decay, must occur; aud that this
nnaafsnM kind Of decomposition, resulting
from the " innovations of the axe and The
plough" generates miasma. Hence, it is said,
new countries are always observed to be sicll,
during the clearing of the woods and primary
cultivation OF the soil aud Consequent, that
IN pi proportion to the amount and rapidity OF
both, must be the int nsity and quantity 81 sick
ness. This is indeed an alarming view Of he
subject. and highly discouraging to the pro-
grss5 OF improvement. Let IT therefore be ex-
ahmed. / ms theory Is founded ON the assrnp-
ton that previous TO cultivation no nliaslnatic
levers exist, and conso qucntly t1ae the savagcs
CT the forest and OF the prairie are exempt
from such diseases. But it is awell established
fact, that the aborisnas Of 4 ma. Shy country
do frequently suffer; indeed many OF GU, DO.
puiar remedies for intermittents are derived
from Indians With tie destruction Of the ba
sis, therefore, the superstructure must fall
n mn 9th. =. L
objections The spring and early uart OF sum
nler should, according to these principles, be
the most slckly. Our pest cultivated countries
arc those IN which this very process constitutes
the principal means of fertllizing the soil, and
they should therefore be the most unhealthy.
But both these differences are entirely on
posed by the fact. Millions of acres OF sod are
ANNUALLY turned up By the plough to manure
The land o. those COUNTRIES, yet no unhealthy
results have been observed. II is, however,
sad that lhIs kind of obstruction III soil Of
great naive Ierdlty, NAV produce eft CTS dii-
IefinS Irou those which would result in one
rendered ifrt'ie by culture: but III Chill, whose
Soii Is extremely productive, an lnielunt,rut Is
rot known Ii is also urg ed that the u5ti.l I'M
povcrishnent OF a rich surface by MANY years'
ulage, Is the cause of a country's becoming
healthy at an advanced stage OF ITS settlement
but there are many districts originally sterile
Md sckly, when have become fertile and
healthy III the SAME proportion, unoer long
course ct Improvement. Forty years since,
the banks OF some small streams in Newt I sey
were so much infested with fever and ague.
that removals to avoid it were not Uncommon
The native sell was not rich, and at that time
was nearly exhausted by the usual Improvi-
dence OF first settlers. Under ludic,ous ma
has i,a,
productive; and miasmatic tcvers have dlsap-
peared. The same observations have been
llade III many other countries
Fermentation Is fourth mode of lecomposi-
ton, and to some stage OF this process we are
generally taught to look for the formation of
masma; but The unrestricted term is too &c
neral and too vague to admit Of satisfactory ap-
pllcatlon. The Conditions for every species OF
fermentation are, sufficient qualtlty OF vese-
table matter, CERTAIN portion Of water, Ger
tam temperature, and the contact of atmosphe-
nc air. The process consists III an intestine
motion OF the particles OF O substance. result
ing IN a new arrangement or distribution of It's
clements, exhibiting new properties, from
the most striking OF which the species obtain
their names. Hence the cbilnets OF sacciarine,
vinous, and acetous Lamentations; but neither
OF these have ever been charged with the pro-
duction OF mlaslna, as our breweries and dis
tilleries woNii have afforded immediate and
ample refutation. But the putrefactlye stage
that final destructive change SO offensive to the
senses-carres in its very name passport TO
the belief that it is the grand source Of delete
iious exhaaton. From the disgusting assocl,-
tons connected with this process, the prelu-
dice that it is the parent OF many diseases, is
nearly universal. But is it the Cause. Of cur in
d,ginons .tevers? Our IDEAS OF putreiactlon are
principally derived from the phenomena pre-