The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-02-26
For the Sumter Banner.
tissay on the CausoAof Fever.
BY J.. 8. RICH, Ar. u.

No suDJcct III tho medical world, has eX.
Cited moro interest, ELECTED moro enquiry,
or gwen rise to moro speculation than the
present one, TO wit: The cause of Fever.
From tho most remote n ,iquiiy up to
the present extraordinary period Of invcn-
ton, and advancement of science. it has
been lying open lori Investigation but has
hitherto bid defiance, alike 10 Talant and
Genius. No writer has yet drawn aside
tho dark AMI misty veil from the face of tho
subject, and let in the lights of science ;
However, they seem, for the most part to
have settled down upon the following prin-
clp!cs, respecting the cause o fever, TO
wit: that there is III agent arising from
the decomposition Of vegetable matter, in
flucnc2d by heat and moisture, mixed with
and borne by the atmosphere, which when
cniia!cd by the lungs, absorbed by the Gu
tancous system, Or received into the s,om-
acl' in the act of dcglutiiion, acts US the
causc OF fever; and this agent, whatsoever
1t may be, has, universally received the
appcllation OF m1turia, from two Ila!ion
words, which. when interpreted, means,
tad air; but although this is The literal
meaning Of the compound word, generally,
It is construed to be a apccitic poison vet
stu, there are so many good grounds for
questioning the cXistancc o; such an agent,
and so much discrepancy Of opinion res.
pecting It's phenomena. ariongs writers of
crnincnce. that the sober thinking mind
thai delights To follow in the paths ofTrulh
Is constrained 10 look upon all that has
been set forth on the subject, with an eve
OF doubt +; but sh,ll orc retire from the
subject in dispair, leaving it for some sue
cccding generation to bear away the palm?
IL writer's had learnt To think more for
themselves, and not trusted so muci, TO The
doctrines o! distinguished individuals,
doubtless, the medical wor!d,rat the pres.
cnt day, would he more enlightened than il
Is concerning medical science generally
ARMSTRONG very justly Observes, "that
few men like the trouble of thinking for
Themselves, and are contcuteh with follow
ing The opinions Of some daring Spectator.
The cause that rc:a'del the progress of
cdica science, was prcsumption, out OF
which. arose false philosophy. Men,
va'n'y erected imaginary laws TO account
for phenomena which they observed, and
attempted Ia make the operations al Nature
account Tor their theories. These laws
have hccn cL-"=eL, uut iS7turc remains
Maiuutab.c, and her operations ~e,craa!!y The
same"
What is Malaria /! Professor CALDWELL,
i'll his prize essay i'll answer 10 the question,
thus begins, frankly and IaconicallY, al
don't know, and | profess 70 know IS much
as any body else on the subject"
'Tha ,heS,yof Malaria, from being found.
! ed in . 6asptipa. has given Else 10
finite deaf Of false philosophy and al url
speculation. 1t was amongst The Grccks
a false ilta, which, gave 10 the cause o
!tyer. The appci!ation Of lac "Scvcn. head
cd Monster" whose devastating influence
spread such terrnrs among them. TIL,
Alodcrni kno" nothing more on the sub
cct, and are equally absurd in bcstowing 81
an agent utterly unknown 10 them, The an
pcl!a,ion Of Malaria.
II is not in the power Of fine five senses
separate or combined, 10 testify by an,
means whatsoever, To the existence uf Ma
LARA, nor t" ila, uf the Scyen-hca,lcd Mon
stcr oi tho ancicn's. Chemistry has Ions
retired from the tnsI; oil detecting anything
IN III" atmosphere OF marshes other thar
onr chaStc, and unCo%nta'ninatci element
anJ, IN accordincc with the laws of VA
p1riZit!on, even from The foul, adullera
ted, sthS"ant. ana pcstI!cn;inl pools, als
sapory dungeons, the piircst ani most in
n"ccnt crystal dew drops, curLlc on III,
green bonghs above them, and all The VA
p"nrs ana !ogs winch arc so calumn;ate,
with the Divers appcllaiiuns, 10 sat, pcs,,f
eroiis e!livium, Reconnaissance, Malaria
etc, are perhaps nothing more frinltfi
Ihan pnrc and beautiful, crystal dew drop.
u~ncundcnscl.
The late distinguished DR.. CooyEr Of s
{. College, Tor the wan, OF some more tan.
gih.o evidence Of The cNistancc OF Malaria
substituted the theory OF .Animllcu!ac
Professor Cooke, formerly OF the Transvl-
vnn'n University, ii.l, of Cnrhonic acid gas
and il he had sad that paucily, or dcar,h OF
la. element m which he lives and moves
and las h. h.in,, ~ 50, H.,