Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-09-25

TIE YELLOW FEyER-REVIEW OF IT'S
CHARACTER, WITH MEANS FOR IT'S PRE-
VENTION.
The following communication, (which we copy
from the National lnelliScncer, first appeared in the
Baltimore Sun. II is understood TO be from the pen
of DR.. Thomas H. Buckncr--wcll knnwn us Of
the first medical men OF the coun'ry-nnd, like every
thing from its gifted aud distinguished author, is full
Of practical value.
II is subject OF Congrauution that Richmond, by
the singular felicity of its position, enjoys II happy
immunity from the nR!nria emanatOns 10 which the
origin and spread of yellow fever attributed.-
Seated upon cluster of hills, with her thoroughiares
all sloplnE toward the rapid and noble james, Tic
slightest rain that falls washes away my impurities
that may hnve collected i'll her streets, and the nvi
goraiinG brrczes of pure aud health giving ntmos-
phere are ever hers 4 tol"rnbc degree Of attention
to proper sanitary regulations, must, at all times
ward of tho nVasons OF pest!leniia disease; and the
strict Surveillance Of an efficient health. police will
ever preserve to her citizens as snfc aud secure
exemption from tue scourge that of the Blue Ridge
cottngcr in his mountain home.
Fortunately the frequent and abundant rains Of the
summer, and the timely activity Of the city authori-
ties, have kept Richmond thus far in an unusually
healthy condition. Our country friends need feel no
apprehension upon ti, subject in visiting the city
Whatever reports may be current to the contrary,
they may rest assured Of the reliability Of state
mcnts. We have never been at any time frccr from
disease Of all kinds; an Ms to yellow fever 80 far us
are informed and believe, uot a single indi-mous
case has occurrcd IN opr m'da. 4 few persons CON.
ng up from Norfolk hnl Portsmouth with the seeds
OF the disease in them, have been taken down; but
they have been carried 10 the hospital outside the
corporation limits and we'll cared for, without the
possibility Of tho propagation of the disease among
our citizens at large even il it were communicable
by coniasion. Al all events, the disease has been
communicated to one, and in this respect lis char
nc,er is in entire kaepins with the facts found below
in the valuable article Ia which we have referred.
| From t!r- Baltimore sun
Now, At the very time when Baltimore, with other
Atlantic cities, is threatened with the fearful ralan
| IS which has dcsola.cd Norfolk and Portsmouth, We
informed that the .und appropriated for cleaning
! our srrri-. lnIes, aud alleys, II exhausted.
l. Ii the Baltic amd Black SEA fleets were AT the
mouth Of the Chesapeake and coming to Bn;nn!c
with predatory intent, il might bc Just IL we'll to say
Come and take us, Tor We have nllc preparation,
ind lack both spunk aud powder" And which,
think you, would he most disastrous. h"inbnrdmcut
nr the existence among Us "i pcstIlehcc ike tn"'
! which has bcsel these devoted towns The question:
| is easily answered. When II IA remembered that Tie
| single epidemic of the "blnrk DEATH which omc'.
dosUlae all EaGopr, carried oil nearly one fourth, or
- GO0 Onp of its then population, the Importance Of
! urresting pesencr cannot br over estimated.
All accounts agree tha; nu the advent ni the yell
low fever, and now, both Norfolk hi9i P"rl--
mouth were filthy III the eXtrrin": aud that from mn
utter neglect Of the nnst obvious sanitary rules these
towns are Ia say the least, in stale drpi"rahy III
varianc with decent regard ihr common cl"hliiiicss
and public health. Had these pn'"- been IA II pro-
Der hy,icnic condition, the probabilities are thni IN"
poison Of yellow fever m"u!d not hn"" found even il
foo; hold: and If the statements ~ I" tii"r sanitary
condition not grossly exaggerated. then me MAJ
vida or individuals who C1u>u the ncc!"!it lav"I-
vim, inc lives Of III muIly the Camden aud Amhuy
! ra roar are more pnb!c than tue pu'iIc ah'
! thorlrs of both Portsmouth and Norfolk. " may
be Thought by many that III bniii Instances These
casualties were pr"vldentIhl, which would 'Py ln"'
Providence intended that communities si"Ini hc flc'
filthy and negligent ni the rules oi public health iii
the one case mud in the other that w"ud he mock
in. His drcrecs IL tn. railroad company lpf
damages. Why, i; II c"r"n"rs jury were r'IirI III
III. casr of one u the Norfolk Portsmouth su!l"r-
rr. ms j. done in every Instance Ol dchth r"H Tii-
rom, accident, i; would be perfectly lair Z" GtciHr
that tho d"ah ha.,pcnel hec":-" 81 'h' n"S"'' wa
the part q" tn" health ''''l:''Hch' I" ke. lcS' '""'S
| in n proper hvgicnc condition.
A well-rec arcd hcai;i department can do more Ia
ward oif pcscucr than iorihchlloIS nii'ary SKILL
and strategy ever accomplish III avcr'hE inc Gu
lamtcs oi war. ,,o :.
| II nnv br remembered TINT i'll juno lSl9 our city
VIA. in u pcs,ilcnt coudon from filthy streets, iAnes
and thuruughhres and other Innumcrnbic sources oi
di,pa,e besides the presence ut that time wIhln htr
Ijiniis of numbcrl-ss pig-syes rocking with h"rri
gascs. or the drlcterlous cmanatiohs whIci must
have resulted from these stycs tolerable conjecture
mnv be formed by passing in the vicinity OF one "i
| the many suburban purcidons where swine are now
| fed on the city garbage Ii Will be remeinocreu'
pso that from, these numerous causes 0f discase
malignant yellow fever was engendcred, affecting
pripcpally our free colored populati"n thht THIS c-
yer was so formidable that most Of those VINO were
seized soon died that AT the same time cholera pre-,
vailed in New Orleans and other places South, and
,ba, n ,hc North il was ravaging Now York and the
towns nl,nv the Lakes; 30 that, advancing towards
ps in both directions Baltimore seemed III danger oi
exposure as it ~ cross hrc, and having SUI
ferediheavy in previous years, could hardly nope u
escape. ,-. w ;.:,
yarned through the public press Of their danger, de-
,ermined by virtue Of sort of Lynch authority l.
take the health depn-tmeiitln their own hdhus; ahd
accordingly the people held waru rnco',ngs anu "P
nonted block committees whose business 1t was 10
collect MONEYS, examine, report upon, and cause TIE
removal of all the sources o disensc winch came un
der their notice. The pigs were afterwards removed
from within the city limits aud the system o garDnSt
| co ITO established And whut was the result Inc
o;tv bsv;up been placed in the most absolute hygcniC
| runditon, the fever disappeared from amongst IN,
| nerroes and our entire population escaped choirra
while il proved fearful scourec to the inmates o.
the aluishvusc, distant from the ci'y TWO h'I.
cher, causes for the disensr had been permitted Il
| .,,t Since that period Baltimore has been In Ian
better sanitary condition than at any iormer liile
and il is owing doubtless 10 this ihat she ms cutihu
| cd TO enjoy an immunity from cholera, WINE l!i'
town. on every side of her nave, from inc want 4"
,ron.r rprard for public health, been devastatcd fo
i.ycry onr remembers that since 1919 the commun
ties 6f Wilamsport, Cumberland, EmlniltsburE, an1
| CoIumbia have all suffered heavily, owing TO ncS
lcct of the very sanitary mcasures which proved s'
| effective in this city.
sanitary measures which render the cholera polsoi
iunocuus serve aso i'll Graduating yellow ieFer am
thut the poison of this dscsc, like cholera, cih ohy
| thrive in malarl"us dls'rc's' ., ;,, L.
| r,c.ut writer assures Us, on wllht aulhnIlty ne
doas NOT say that yellow fever il i'll the air that il u
rovelliur north and predicts that II VIII next YEN
nnd the next visit Baltimore, Philadelphia anu NtM
York. This writer probably not aware that tn'
disease prevailed about single whatl III rnnnne. h'
min during the months Of August ana september
fS3 onJ tint il owed its origin ut TN. place |" an ed
v in the river whereby the cgress ol matters "hci
ha, accumulated US Il result "i cily aa'ec "'.T ~.
v.nt.J lie was not aware, asn rs VIII presently p'
! sbnwn ibnt yellow fever existed To lnitei ehten
| in the lower part OF this cliy uu''nS ''i' H1'N'
months of 1853 and 1851 .
With the questions whether this disease !. a'nos
nh.r;csl infections, or nunncctlous, anu hs 10 !"
iiran.nortnbilry we have nothing to do at tins time
being satisfied deal viii, more nT.sra, p%n,; how W.
.rnr ,bof under the term yellow fever, hnvc been III
cu,d two or three distinct affections, like only ms
t'aUSs te fact "' of yeowness but widely different IN
other essential particulars; and that while one is high
Is infectious the other is not a" nil so, ana % iiTI va =,
rey probably only cOmmunIrmo H.fT a 1S ,S tb, h,
sTvncutcs Of infection AMI uon-luicrtion have Owe
hs entirely satisfactory to any unprejudced jary.
On the 26th Of August is5" Teresa L.: w. wir VIE. o
"ccnmnoni,d with slight chilliuess. She occupied
ro room on ground Aoor in dsnssly populated row
doors Suu,h of Pratt street. Her physician, Dr
RILEY who visited her shortly after Tue 'elLnft r.