The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1848-07-05

T. Instances oI the KIND must have failcn un
e der the observation Of every one who ba
It ever inhabited non. maarious soil.
c From what has been said we think ih
y following positions are clearly deducible.
Il list. That certain soils possess the prop
a eriy, when acted on by the rays Of tn
G summer sun, after having been thorough,
~e'led, OF producing a certain poisouou
o emahation, which-being mixed with thu
c atmosphere and thus brought in immediate
s proximity 10 human beings, produces thu
). diseases usually considered malarious. r.
J. such soil, the epiihet maidrious may will
: much propriety he applied.
. 2. That certain other soils, from certain
: unknown peculiarities-lhoueh acted on
by the same atmospheric condItions-pos
e sess no such property, and that therefore
T such soils should be considered non. mola
D rious.
| 1t has been observed in the prevalence
Of fnalarious diseases that certain soils
which have never been known ~ emit the
poison Of malaria, have become essential.
~ malarlous, and rice rersd. Examples
OF this kind are found in many parts Of our
Country, as we'll as in Italy and Spain. No
satisfactory explanation Of the fac, has
ever been.uliered. Ii is probable that il
depends upon some geological change 10
the surface or subsiraia, Of the nature Of
which we shall probably remain forever
ignorant.
We now proceed to inquire little more
carefully what are the precise conditions
most favorable TO the eXtIication Of The
poisonous principle from malarous soil.
Di.cardlng every Thing like visionary
speculation and relying only upon well as.
certsined and carefully observed fact,
we are led to adop, the opinion which we
now express. viz, that but TWO conditions are
essentially necessary, first that the soil he
thoroughly saturated with water by the
rains Of winter and spring, and consequent
overlooking Of the streams and secondly,
tha, /, be exposed TO high atmospheric i
temperature until The drying process shall
he far advanced. Under these circum.
stances malarIous soils always give out
the poisonous emanailon, and they are the
only conditions ~hl:h can be affirmed TO
DC essential.
In proof of these positions we shall
bring forward few only Of larger NUN.
Der Of facts which our limits will no, per.
MT us to notice.
The seasons most remarkable for the
prevalence of malarious diseases, are those
10 which wet winter or spring, is sue.
ccedcd by warm. dry summer. In such
seasons a large extent Of soil becomes
thoroughly wc,ted, and IS then subjected
o the drying process, and il is precisely :
1t the period at which the earth becomes
thoroughly cxsiccated, that malarious dis. !,
Eases prevail with greatest intensity. This /,
Usually happens 10 August and September,
md should the earth even al this season
De visited by heavy and continued rains, !
sc find the malarious fesets immediately
begin TO abale, to be again renewed as the
Trying process advances.
Again, multiplied observation has shown 7
hat those localities are most prolific Of
malaria, which are alternately covered
With water and submitted to The drying :,
Process. Such are marshes, mill ponds, :,
ice grounds, and the pools for sleeping
lemp. So notorious are these localities
or producing the poison IN question, that
I has received the name of marsh mia sm,
marsh poison, &c, and IN many places a
ever may be contracted with uniailing
certainty, by sleeping bu, single night
n tho immediate vicinity Of pond or
marsh during The ma'arious season.
The conditions under which, in Spain,
diseases are fund TO prevail f,
~ b greatest intensity and those under /,
y hlch the country again becomes healthy !,
In our second number is another
strong proof Of The position ne have taken.
The following is from DR.. Fercuson's /,
paper before referred TO, The British
army IN its advance to Talsfera SPAIN
had to march through very dry country, ,
and during the hottest weather Tough, that
celebrated battle which was followed by
retrea, into the plans of Es,remadura,
along the course of the Gaudiana river, at
n time, when the country was so arid for
wan, of rain, that the Gaudiana itself and ,
the smaller streams had, in fact, ceased TO
be streams and were no more than lines
of detached pools IN the courses tina, had
formerly been rivers, and the soldiers SUI.
lcted from rcmiuent fevers of such dc.
siruc,lve malign,,y that all Europe be.
lieved the BRUSH host extrpated."
Tho same writer observes, "The ap.
proach to the town Of Cledad Rodrigo is
through bare, open, hollow country, that
has been likcned to the dried up bed Of an
extensive lake. Upon more than one oc.
cas,on when this low land, after having
been flooded IN the RAINY season, had be.
come as dry as brick ground, with the
vegetation utterly burnt up, there arose
fevers among our troops, which, tor ma.
l,gnity of typo, could only be equalled by
those before mentioned on the Gaudiana."
The alternate submerglns and draining
Of rice grounds is familiar TO every one,
and so pcrnicious an influence is It found
TO exercise upon human health, that the