The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1853-09-22

, ldIe lunuT6u OF thousands OF VlcumS
upon the altar of a blind credility."
Yet it appears that this same Dr..
Rush declared before dying that he had
always believed yellow fever to be con-
tagious, and that in promulgating con-
trary opinions, he had yielded TO GER
tain considerations Whether" OBJ
serves DR.. Carpenter, CDR Rush re-
garded the introduction of the disease
as unavoidable, and hoped to disarm it
of portion of its terrors when it oc-
Cured, whether he was influenced by
motives of policy, or what else so ever
may have been these considerations,
certain it is that the opinion thus incul-
Gated has been mainly instrumental in
causing, for so long time, the neglect
of all measures of precaution, and sub.
jecting our cities TO the terrible ravages
OF this worst of plagues.n
The remarks of DR.. Carpenter upon
the doctrine of local origin, are in
themselves complete refutation of the
theory. off marsh air, miasm, filth,
heat, etc." he goes on to say, care the
requisites necessary to the introduction
of the disease, it should always occur
when these concur. But the cities are
just as filthy. as marshy, the air as
much charged with bad odors, marsh
air andsmlasm, and equally hot, duriag
those years when the disease does not
occur, as during the worse epidemic
seasons" If these causes are capable
of producing yellow fever, why did it
not occur in Charleston. Philadelphia.
New York, or any Of the towns of the
United States between the year 1862
and 1871 2 And why not from the
commencement of the embargo, 1907,
until 1917, after the termination of the
last wara Why not in New Orleans,
up to the year 1896? And why not
in New York or Philadelphia since
1922 For during these periods. when
the disease did not occur, we can con-
ceive of nothing capable of modifying
the local condition in which the dis
ease is supposed 10 take its origin
Why does il not begin its ravages in
the back parts Of New Orleans, and
why. formerly, did it not begin in the
middle of New York. the dirtiest parts,
respectively, of these cities; and why
does it always show itself in, and
spreads among the shipping, then TO
parts ofthe city nearest to sickly ships 2"
To the opinion that 'yellow fever
cannot spread in high situations, but is
dependent on low and fiat countries, or
unhealthy wharves," Dr.. Carpenter re-
plies:
:. If this be the case, and an nm
healthy or marshy situation is requisite,
how does it occur in Portland, Me-. the
Bay Of St. Louis, in Pensacola, with its
clear, sandy beach, its pure springs,
and its dry. hilly. pine barreus, afford
ing perhaps the most saiubrious eli
mate OF any town on our CONTINENT 3
How in the mountain site of Medina
Sidonia, Ronda. and Ubrique, in the
heights of San Rogue; the barren and
mountainous island of Ascension the
barren and elevated rocks of Curacao,
Cadiz and Lisbon the sea-girt and lofty
rock of Gibraltar? All of these places,
famed by the refreshing breezes from
the sea, are remarkable for the salu-
brity and purity of their air, and the
mere supposition of miasm aud putrid
exhalation in such situations. would be
preposterous. Still, when the yellow
fever is carried by commerce to these
places, it is in no degree less terrible
than in the low and marshy situations
of New Orleans, Mobile and Charles
ton."
On the opinion that the malady is al
ways produced by local causes, the doc
tor makes the following commentary
"If this be so, why has it never been
known to occur in Natchez, Vicksburg,
Rodney, Bayou Sara, Port Hudson, Ba-
ton Rouge, Plaquemine, Alexandra,
Opelousas, Franklin, ST. Marlinsyille, |
New Iberia, Donaldsonville, or any of
the towns of the interior which trade |
with New Orleans, in those numerous
years when it did not occur in that
city2 And why is it, when it does oc-
cur in those towns, that it does not ap-
pear until after it has been prevailing
in New Orleans from Is to 80 days at
least? Why has it never been known
to occur in Augusta, except when
Charleston has first suffered? Why |
has it never been known TO occur in
the innumerable interior towns of An
dalusia. in Spain, except on particular
occasions, when the great commercial
sea ports of Cadiz, Seville, and Barce-
Iona haveereceived the infection of the
disease from abroad, and been ravaged
by the terrible pestilence? And why,
IS in other cases, did the interior cities
suffer only after the prevalence, during
some time of the disease in the sea
oorts."
Great rains are regarded as unfa-
Vorable to the appearance and spread
If yellow fever The summers of 1887
ind 1s43, during each of which an
epidemic ragged in New Orleans, were
Tery rainy. The quantity of rain
which has fallen this summer exceeds
hat of any previous one for many
rears.
A high temperature is considered a
equisite to the production of yellow
ever the degree of heat measurably |
determining the intensity of the dis