Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-10-12
From our Mississippi Correspondent
Yellow Fever.

The prevailing excitement here now is in
regard to yellow fever. Last year was re-
markable in the history Of this disease. In
the West Indies, New Orleans and other plac-
es where the disease had rarely been consid-
cred as epidemic before the middle of August
decided cases were reported as early as May
Negroes, children and creoles did not escape
as usual. By the middle of September, il
had become an epidemic in Jackson, Yazoo
City, and other places never before visited BY
the disease. According to previous history
this year should have been exempt from the
scourge except in very mild form. The
reports from Charleston, Savannah, New Or
leans and Vicksburg show that the teachings
of history are sometimes sadly misconstrued
In Jackson, three cases ten days later than
the first cases last year, have brought on q
panic as disastrous to schools, merchants and
all business men as though the yellow fever
were an established epidemic. These cases
had about the same locality and about the
same class of patients as those of last year
Foreigners of bad habits and small means
crowd into il-ventilated apartments, generate
and propagate disease, until the whole COM
munity suffer in person and estate. Such is
the universal history of epidemics In this coun-
try. Cholera, ship-fever and yellow fever oc-
cur and spread in this way. Many Of the
foreigners in the United States are industri-
Gus, temperate and intelligent citizens, but a
large number of them are very troublesome.
In this region, foreigners keep three-fourths
of the grog-shops, and porter boarding houses.
They buy of the negro wagoners corn and
fodder intended for their teams, the chickens
and eggs stolen on the route, and pay in mean
whiskey, and meaner tobacco, and thus ruin
the negroes, starve the mules, and do more in
jury to Southern planters than all the aboli-
tionists. When any epidemic starts, these
same people keep 1t going until the more
clearly and temperate are infected, and all
business is interrupted.
When the doctors disagree, it would be the
height of folly for an unlearned quil-driver tc
say much about the cause or treatment of vel
low fever. All agree that clear conscience
fresh air, temperance in all things, and sleep
ing up stairs are the best preventives. Among
persons who use these precautions, there is
said to be less mortality in New Orleans thar
any other city in the Union. At the present
writing, September 3Oth, although business is
in a great degree suspended in Jackson, or
account Of yellow fever, there is now said tc
be no case Of the epidemic, and there ha:
been no death in the place for week, excep
of three dissipated foreigners. Families from
the North have enjoyed better health In Jack
son during the past year than they did in thei1
native land nevertheless, Northern mechan
les are afraid to come here on account of oul
sickly climate.
AS to treatment, it seems now to be agreed
that the disease assumes a typhoid character
that the patients strength must not be ex
hausted by bleeding or active purgatives, tina
the head must be cooled, and the perspiratior
excited by mustard baths, -particularly to the
feet,-as well as by warm teas internally
Hence it would seem that the old women
homGopathists and Undergraduates are gaining
ground. Perhaps, however, in the clearing
up of new farms, extensions of railroads, anC
other improvements, the Cuban and Mexican
atmosphere has been admitted and wrought ;
change in physical and political bodies pre-
paratory to what may come hereafter. A
any rate, in this vicinity, the real shakin!
ague is going out Of fashion, and with it Gallo
mel and quinine. Now whether fillibusterisn
and know-nothingism have anything to DE-
with epidemics, will leave for the spirit rap
pers to decide. No doubt their report will b
received and agreed to as readily as many o
the theories of the medical fraternity.
QUIDNUNC.