The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-03-12

''S"Nt "NN 80 hbosp'hRs DSSdub6 SUCH
places, from q loss Of the vital principle,
not only is heated quickly by the hot sun,
but in the same degree, turns cold, when
exposed to cold, like all other dead matter
1t is not vapor, that $ seen in such places:
vapour is inyisibls: it is only whom vapor
is condensed into drops, by cold, that it is
visible; and thus it constitutes fog. Over
the Ocean, fog is seen, because its cool Dir
condcnscs the vapour, as il arises from the
bosom of the water. And there is so much
of it III the Ocean, which is perfectly
healthy, il may be questioned whether moi
ture could be borne on the air, in guam.
titles sufficient to impede respiration, and
thereby produce disease. Nature has form
cd the two elements, in her great wisdom,
TOO distinct, to be mingled again, and to be-
come the cause of disease, in animals, liv-
ing, either in the one, or the other ele-
nient.
Malaria was supposed to he generated in
marshy low grounds containing shallow
water, and vegetable matter, at tcmpera.
turc, never under 60 degs. of F%ahrenheit's
Thermometer, since people. living near
such marshes, are subject to fever; and it is
supposed that maluria is waited for miles,
OH aqueous vapours, even to the SUBMITS
ct mountains: now, INSTRUCTED by some
skirt OF forest, when fever does not make
its appearance; now, (wbon fever has been
amongst us, and has cooled off a littIe,) los
ing its virulcncy, by passing over a lake or
river: now, (wher fever is not go malig-
nant in its attacks) beat down to the earth,
and dcstr ycd, in some wise. by copious
showers of rain and wind. now: (wlien
some OF us happens to he attacked with
lever, about that period when our animal
spirits arc exhausted. Tor weakened down
from the fa,igucs Of the day,) stealing forth
in the hour Of twilight, or at dark, like a
prowling wolf: but would il not be more "a
tional to conclude, that the water Of the said
marshes, being shallow, (dcep water is
never suspected Of generating malaria,) is
deprived of its vital principal by the hca,
OF the Sun, and i'll consequence, increases
heat, which is tho cause of rarifed air :, |,
certainly is: and, is rarifcd air, which is
tantnmount to a want Of air, not suhi-
Gent tn disorder al! the functions and mem.
bcrs of the human body, and thence bring
about all the Characteristic symptoms Of
fever and other Diseases!
On this principle or theory, in a preced-
ing page, it has been proposed 10 the read
cr,t TO account for, on the p~laincst princi.
pies of science, the various pcrplexing phe.
nomena, which have so long remained
sl,rouded IN mystery, or have never been
clearly explained, at least, by those who
advocate the existence Of the specific poi.
son---malaria.
Tho following, then, nrc extracts from
the shelSes OF erainGat writer's, respecting
some Of 4 syssBsia.sss and charac-
terlst'GS prasNnp,ivc
agency ]fAsAsqssszzz8ss&fEE82BSii, malaria, and,
perhaps. will serve to illus: rate the Ian.
guagc OF Armstrong, namely; allow hard
men strive, but in vain, to make the laws
Of Nature accord with their false thorics."
"Grounds completely covered wit wa
ter, send forth blu, little Of this deleter; JUS
ctl'uviuin, however favorable the cmpcra
tut1. and other circumstances may have
been"
II this water were deep enough no az 10
prevent its life being destroyed by tho sun.
it is true, then. in that c,se, that it would
render the locality sl!ubrious. 1t is GER
tainly more ~rationa! to conclude. that tie
pure water, (and COOL if not killed by the
sun will restore, or condense rarified air,
sooner, and Oh n much more accountable
principle, than 10 destroy some poison in
The ar. 1t is explained, in a preceding page,
how the lie OF shallow water is DESTROYED,
and consequently, generates heat; also, how
deep water rcsists the action of the Sun,
and keeps cool: the Ocean ia an example:
although it is very hot Mt certain seasons
on the deck Of q ship, yet, the water itself
is cool. II is hot or deck, because the
CLASSY surface OF tho Ocean, reflects tho
Sun.
1t is not explained, how grounds com
pleteiy inundated. render such places
healthy. but, say that the cause of fever is
rar!fed air; and, in as much as living ,ca
ter rcslsts heat, it is, then, explained.
The Lithuanian marshes in Russia, dc
not render the surrounding district insalu
br;ous. 1t would seem, indeed, from a Ion.
series Of observations, that Koino miasma,;
are seldom evolved to a degree sufficient,
copious and active, to create extensive dis
ease, so long az tho temperature of th'
air does not rise above so dogs. of Fahren
hcil's Thermometer"
1t is only necessary to observe in thi
place. by way Of comment, that it woul
require, about 81 dogs. of Fahrenheit,
Thermometer, in accordance with a law
well known IN science, TO produce rarifca
! ton, in n degree sufficient, to render III