Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-09-04

| DIR. MOTIFS THEORY OF YELLOW FEVER
The National Iu,c!ligcnccr has been favored 10y Il
valued subscriber with the suhjoined Letter from }.
e. Mott, NJ d., distinguished physician of Mobile.
r"mprehendug thcorp OF the yellow Fever which
POSSESSES much interest at the present time
MOBILE, August l9, 1855
You enclose me scrap IRON ,inlrr, ~ wu,ch
allusion is rHae to my predictions respecting the yell
low fever which has been travelling alr: the ,r.-
coast for several years, and also IL nv -ss at il.
treatment, Nc Now, Sir my name has been frequent
ly used III the public prints il this conucAIuu uurin.
the last two Years, and regret !o SAY, have been
quoted for some opinions which have never utter.
ed. As YOU seem TO feel an interest in my views on
this subject will most cliecrluily give You short
outline u. them.
l>r. rs Drrg,n.-Whetl,r this epidemic wn, really
mpnr.cd from Africa ur not is pom! which cannot
BE- settled from any data vet ma!e public. and shall
not uilrr vOd any sprculations on IT, One fact, how
ever, Is certain: that this disease has travelled -tend
~ on, since Us first appearance III R" Janeiro five
years ag1, along the Caribbean Gulf aud Atlantic
coasts, until il has at length reached Norfolk. No
mortal ut day is endowed with the spirit vi pro-
phccy, but still we cGu often, from the lights of L!so-
| ~ aud observation. predict with olerublc certainty
coming events and il WAS on sucli data that | ven
iured 10 iuretc that yellow fever would 20 far IL
Norfolk, which Is about the boundary ut the yellow
lever latitude and also suggested the strun. prDba-
bliIty that II would visit Northern cities where i,
does occur at long Intervals Now, the grounds upon
which nude these predictions were as folio ys:-
Yellow Fever has mt long Intervals, not only in the
Mediterranean, nong the Spanish mud Fremrn coasts
but III the lnted States (abuut fifty years ago.
ken on this travelling character About the time al.
lnltd to yellow fever extended from Southern ports
Norfolk, aud thence 10 Winchester, in The INTERIOR To
Philadelphia, to New York, and thence to ta'skil!,
on the North river and 10 Hartford and Middet ,wu.
The epidemic III question had steadily progressed for
three years, from R" TO Mobile aud on 10 Key West.
and with ali these tarts before Inc, | do not hazard
much III predicting that its progress was onward IN
the direction It had been travelling.
TND~ Of he Di~a>r.-Frw men in the United
States have seen more Of vcllow fever than have,
an'l have no hesitation III saying that this IL sIbstan-
italy the same dISea-r rs the yellow fever which
Cured in Philadelphia IL! 1893, and which has ap-
pearrd from time T., time since. Ii is fhr fact with
the typhoid fever, chOlcra, plague, scarlet fever.
s:nall-p"N rca: s epidemic disrases, that they appear
in different crofr> uf violence al different n.,, anG
"rcaS'-l!isy has" greater tendency Ia travel over
u ihrSc extent al country. Thus has been the
with the yellow fever in question. hut it, modes
attack It's course Of symptoms, including yellow skin
aud black v"m IT. average duration, &c ar" thu
same n other yellow lovers and. th"agh il may have
been somewhat more vrIcnt, 1t is still the same dis
C0~iagiGsSacSS.-This is Il knntiy point, and have
not spaco To do more than express my conclusions
tndc. the term cnnagion are compounded two dis
ilEc: questions, viz cOniagh0nSn'>S prDpcr, or thu
man subject To another; md secondly, the ,)riabHu
of the cause or germ by vessels from port o
thcr. Although my mind leans at present towards a
belief in the contag ui ms disease, in certain
instancesil still doubt, and my Judgment is in sus
pcnsc but, with regard 10 its p,riabI,y BY vessels
from place to place and by railroads do not see how
any human being familiar with its history can doubt,
and should advise our Northern friends To quarantine
rgilly against it. Tie discnr has g0He 10 cTrR 0im
wHh'n ccrtai" d'staHrc az he GWlt wh|ch ire.
ugr1 L,cy ,1IS vf utll |
lievc would have entered New York in 1888 had it not
bcel, stopped ut the quarantine.
Trr0tm"t-this IL ton complicated q point Ia
touch i'll iciter: but must correct the error which
you quote from the newspapers attributed 10 M,
viz: Vile told our physicians no: to treat it with
medicine. Drugs were tried, ana every patient treat
c,l with them died. He advised water alone, inter
ually and externally" Now, sir, such language was
neves used by me. 1t Is nevertheless perfectly true,
thar yellow fever, sec it at the Suuth. is dis
of low actin3 which does not bear active mcdi-
cation. bleeding and active pulI.a;ion cinctic>
worse .nan useless and more good IL effected by
good nursng and Constant attention 10 varying -yni-
toms thnu by violent remedies. Cold drinks, ice
water, lemonade, and also cold spon.ng III the h"t
stage, all very refreshing and proper bu; cold wa
ter has specific virtue il controlling this llerculcan
disease.
1t is remarkable ;act that after uf hcs. great
cpicncs . ]. Lard 10 lind doctor who has lost any
peute and sc: about twenty per cent. OF those Mt
lacked have been numbered with the dead Epi.
denies scoures sent by the Almighty aud not only
nrc we without remedies against them hut in the
face of the most opposite plans Of treatment the per
ccniage of deaths continues about the same in all
times and in all places. Tie discovery o! vaccina-
ton aloan has been hcr1llLcd Il triumph, and sce
that distinguished physician in Europe la, just
published book tn prove that vaccination is great
curse, which leaves i'll lis train consumption and
scrofue.
Very respectfully and truly. your friend