Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-01-02

one year differ from that of. the other
These arc puzling questions, which bav
meyer been answered. 1t can. not he that
is the. same agent and that different disease
are: produced because: of the difIerer
condition oCthe system. The truth is, tia
it ia the particular atmospheric or epidemi
eanse. which produces similarity Of cond
toa, and generates the specific disease in al
who are.brdught within the sphere Of its in
fiuence.! ;itis probable that the secret agent
which produce cholera, influenza, yelio1
fever bfeak:hone fever, ETC, for example
are different in their natures and characte,
Chemistry has failed thus far, to detect th
slightest difference in the atmosphere, o
The. presence: OF, any noxious agent, during
the prevalence Of the most, fatal and wide
spread epidemic. The specuIatious as tt
its real mature may be regarded as fancifnI
Whether we regard. epidemics, or endemics
our ignorance is equally great. These in
visible atmospheric agents appear with fear
fol power, not only on marshy lands wher'
vegetation abounds, but on the driest snrfa
ces, where little or no vegetation exist. :
The British army writer's give US exam
pies Of epidemics under circumstances which
preclude all possible connection with yegeta
bic decomposition. What then. are we tt
conclude :! Not / conceive, that there i
no such thing, as a nialarial influence; there
must be something, for such striking effects
can not take place without.a cause; and on
every ground we are carried to the belief
that the medium is the air. Though we
know not the nature of malaria; nor the
number Of forms or varieties under which il
may exist, yet we do know certain localities
in which It abounds, and the particular con.
ditions in these cases which are favorable to
its elimination. Heat and cold, dryness and
moisture, different electrical conditions oil
the atmosphere, these and many others have
all been used to account Tor it There is
one source Of malaria in which the inhabi.
tants of the South. are more deeply interested
than. all others; / mean stagnant water,
marshes, or low alluvial grounds. No one
who has had any observation among US can
doubt the fact of the greater liability to dis.
ease in persons whose residence is in the
vicinity of such places, and especially in our
warm season. 1t is a fact not to be ques.
toned. ! here is such a thing then as
marsh miasma, and it is the prolific source
of a great deal of our summer and antnnanal
disease. Ia the esesee-'4L2&ebdi sesee-'4-~:22&e building as far
as ppbbJJstprs l1um marshy or swampy lands,
or stagnant water. If one, however, feels
himself obliged to fix his residence in the
of such sources Of disease, it
is safer to get upon the south side, as the
prevailing winds during our summer and
autumn are generally from the south. There
seems to be no doubt that malaria may be
carried considerable distance by the wind.
I have in my own. observation had proof of
the value OF this suggestion. There is more
danger Of attack at night than during the
day, and more danger late in the afternoon,
or at sunset and little after, than at any
other period Of the day. This is accounted
for by the notion that the malaria is dissi.
pated by the heat, and diffused in the higher
regions of the atmosphere, and descends
with the more. humid air at the decline Of
the sun. Whatever may be the value Of
the explanation, Of the fact itself there can
be no doubt. Not to insist upon the testi.
mouy of Johnson, in his work on Tropical
Climates, and the equally striking testimony
of many other writer's of highest authority,
the most melancholy proofs Of its truth are
exhibited every season in the maarial re-
gions of the South. 1t is we'll known that
the swamps of the low country OF the Caro-
linas and Georgia, where the malaria exists
in the highest degree of concentration, can
be visited with perfect impunity in the day
during the summer and fall seasons, when q
single night spent upon them at such time
is almost certainly followed by malignant
fever, and in too many instances by speedy
death. Before the connection of Charleston
and the up.country by railroad, fever was
frequently contracted by the traveller to that
city, as several days were necessary to ac.
complish the journey, and some nights had
consequently to be spent in The swamps
Now it is completed in a day, and is as safe
as journey 10 the mountains When one
is compelled to pass night in malaria
region, he should scrupulously avoid the
night air, exclude it from his chamber, and
kindle fire for the purpose Of drying it
A distinguished author remarks that with the
advantage Of sufficient fire person NIGH
safely spend the night in the midst of the
Pontine marshes. 1t is a common practiee
on the plantations of the low country tc
make FIRE every night throughout the sea-
son. In passing through malarial region
at night it is common injunction to keer
auakc. The affinity of malaria and mois
ture is we'll established, and the fact that it il
transported on, togs seems unquestionable
1t is not to be supposed, however, that fog
are necessarily productive Of disease. This
is disproved by the fact of their daily ap
pearance in many of the heathiest localities
of our mountain regions, and it is easy tc
guard against any injurious influences which
they might produce, by proper attention tc
clothing, and by making a fire in the house
On the French Broad in North Carolina, the
fogs are as common and as dense as posi-
bic, and it is the habit of the settlers on tina
river to adopt the precaution which | have
suggested. During my last visit to that re
gion, Colonel A., who keeps wel.knowr
house below Asbville Immediately on thu
banks of the river, informed mo that hi
large family enjoyed the most perfect health
but that every night and morning Throughout
the year he made a large fire.
A body of moods intervening between thu
dwelling and the source Of malaria, affords
great protection; and it is we'll known tina
many healthy residences have been made