The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-03-17
From the Newt Orleans Medical Review for March,
Health of the City.


Since our last issue but little has TRANSFERRED In
the medical world to interest either city coun
try readers. The winter thus far has been unllsl-
ally mild, and the changes have been so gradual as
TO induce but little serious disease. As usual
during the winter season, our city has been visited
by sporadic cases of Scaratna in some instances
it proved fatal in a few hours after the attack !;
again, it was so mild to attract but little aten
ton and required scarcely any medication Never
theess, in certain localities it proved to be quite I'M
manageable, and as period excited considerable
alarm among the timid.
Recently the disease seems in the decline, and
we hear but little said on the subject. few
of variola have been reported from time to
time during the winter, and learn that the cases
are increasing in different parts of the city. Vac
cination, that invaluable discovery, has, however,
robbed this disease Of more than half its terrors
This preventive is too much neglected by the poor
and we think it the duty of the city authorities to
look to this matter-to compel the careless and g-
norant to submit to vaccination, and thus limit the
extension of this loathsome disease Another dis
ease has been introduced into our city during the
fall and winter, which has excited considerable ap-
prehension in the public mind-we allude to the
Ship, Typhoid or Typhus Fever 1--WE give the reader
choice of names,) which deveopes itself among the
Irish immigrants during their voyage across the
Atlantic. Several British ships have recently ar
rived in the Mississippi River with hundreds of poor
mmi grants on board in deplorable condition
Those who escaped land there Were few the Ship
Fever, suffered for want of proper food and good
water and when they reached our Levee they
were much reduced and many OF them utterly
Frustrated
This disease-Ship Fever-s produced by crowd
ing two three hundred seerage passengers into
small space where filth and debris OF every kind
where the exhalations from these half-starved
lures allowed to accumulate, thus creating
focus of infection, from which the poison extends
to all who breathe an atmosphere thus conamlna-
ted hence, the disease often assas even the cabin
passengers, We recently witnessed, although less
crowded. better nourished and better provided with
all the comforts and cOnvenences for sea-voyage.
We regard want of personal cleanliness, together
with a short allowance of provisions, and OF 6ad
quality, two conditions highly favorable for the
generation of this disease. Hence removal into
pure atmosphere, cold additions, fresh provision,
and but little medication will suffice to restore the
great ma iority of these cases to health.
So great has been the influx of Immigrants this
winter afflicted with Ship Fever, that the Charity
Hospital now contains 1000 sick, about 800 of
whom are afflicted with Ship or Typhoid Fever. In
some instances the disease has been communicated
to the nurses students, physicians and other attend
ants; this has not been of very frequent occur
renee and it seems to affect those only who are
rather predisposed to low forms of fever, and who
are long and frequently exposed to the exciting
causes of the disease. The crowded state of the
Hospital, and the consequent deporable condition
OF DIT Ine
of both the Legislature now in session, and the
City authorities. BY the former body, a Committee
was recently appointed to examine into and report
upon the condition of the sick at the Hospital The
report was made to that body, in which it was ad-
vlsed to establish branch of the Hospital in the
suburbs of the city, where the sick immigrant, IN
reaching cur shores, should be received and treated
Acting upon this suggestion, Mayor Crossman
recommended the Councils of the three Munclpall-
ties, and the Board of Health, to appoint Com
mittees, who should confer together upon the sub
iect, and devise some measures for the disposal and
accommodation, out of the limits of the city, OF
those arriving here afflicted with Ship Fever or
other infectious diseases. The result of this con-
ference is not yet known.
We think the remedy for all these evils very SIM
pie. Let the City authorities lease or construct
cheap and commodious buildings in the lower part
OF the Third Municipality, nearly opposite Slangh-
ter house Point compel all vessels with SICK inmi-
grants on board anchor off this Point transport
the sick to this temporary Hospital, and detan the
vessel until she shall be ceansed, fumigated with
some dsinfectant and otherwise purified TO the
satisfaction of the boarding officer This building
could at the same time receive many from the Char
ity HOSPITAL. and thus diminish materially the
crowded state of that great institution. Charity to
those already in the Hospital as well as to those
who may be doomed to apply there for relief, de-
mands of the proper authorities some such plan to
amelorate this condition. The mode already sug-
gested will be an important step in this matter-and
if this something similar is adopted, no fear need