Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1857-05-09

vapors in the chambers by the ssams.cdd cod, tied
the miasm which the wer1 pre@s di-
luted. In addition to the well AhealG, = gases
which all chemists admit do arit1 ~ deoon botion
of animal and vegetable matters NJ iorsv u, It il
now believed that there is exhalnt butrid nanio
matter in the state of most in6nitesm xisio which
is cast off in clouds and suspended in dc " in
termingled atmospheric air. EXPERIMENT. Il eon
made of cendensing by cold such exhalations y HE
resulting fud charged with the putrid matter vi of SO
offensive character that the examining chemist WI COM
PEELED to desist from his operations. We NIGH here
dwell for moment upon the difference Of the ets of
vegetable and animal decomposition Medical auth
designate those exhaations from vegetable dedy as
malaria, and the effects of these are the well hown
bilious remittent and Intermittent fevers, &c.
Sanitary Investigations, in London especially lave
shown that the diseases which have clear and vi -de-
fined connexion with the other or ccal riasm art m-
mer diarrhoa, dysentery and typhoid fever b this
is meant diseases produced by exhaations from n ties
cesspools, and badly drained So well This
danger known in the city of Paris where much anal
disease always prevails, that is positively forbd
establish between houses and the public sewers Openings
or communicating pipes, through which may be dis
charged the household waters the contents of prizes
In connexion with this subject it may be stated htSe
celebrated Parent Duchatelet expressly advises halts
workmen employed in sewer cleansngs should be 4osS
accustomed to such labors, and that they be we4ed
clothed, sc.
The sanitary commissioners of London report thathe
abdominal forms of fever found in places unvised
exist where there is supply of to cleanse tlm
Another report of the commissioners shows hs the
tracks of cholera and yphus there Identical
local conditions which favor the spread and increase n
tensy of these and all kindred nalades everywhere
| similar. The distinguished Dr. Guy, of London, Tho
has devoted his life to sanitary reform, has said ta
knowing where the greatest mortality from typRs,
typhoid fever, diarrh9s, and cholera exist he cold
map out accurately the of the great sewerof
London.
In report of the Commissioners of Heath in Lon4n
demonstrated that afever of this peculiar
character coincdent with the of bsNy
drained private Boys at the Westminster Sch6f
were made i'll by playing in the grounds upon wA;h
of the gratngs from this badly drained
opened. The surgeon of the Dean of Wesminsterle-
ports that those boys who did not sleep the sc
were affected. He himself was attacked by nauts,
vomiting and diarrhea with peculiar fever from pS
ing by these drains, and with another reports 4
of gentleman who had nausea vomiting diarrho,
and febrile disturbance by only passing of thee
gully holes.'' -
In Paris, where these focal masnata are abundat
and where strangers always suffer from diarrh9sit
their first coming, it is shown that inflammation I'D
liberation of the intestinal canal is frequent cor
cation of disease. The famous Dr. Forbes, of Lo1k,
editor of one of the mont influential journals in the H.
cal world has always expressed his opinion that fai
masm is sufficient to develop continued fever andhis
morbid state of the bowels
In many parts of London it has been shown thathe
sewers but elongated cesspoo and only emptesby
freshes The mortality statistics showed that there
atiQRhetween the miasmata and the existing is-
ease EN- deaths from diarrhsa were at the n.'ri-
mum, efrom tgPhw were at minimum, falling from
/ so to 15.''
During the the mortality from diarrhea ,oas
at its height at the very time when the amount Of
masmata in the air of London would be the greatest
that is, when, from want of flooding rains the
laon In the cesspoos and the greatest and
when from the temperature the decomposition would be
the greatest Thus, after heavy rain which secured
out the sewers, we find dimnutiOn Of mortality from
diarrhea alone from 100 TO Is in a aoeek!
1t has been well known that the exhalatons from sew
have produced gangrene in wounds of patients in
hospitals who exposed to these euvia In Of
the hospalsf Paris it is record that the mortatz
is greatest when the wind blew toward it from the op
ing of the sewers of that city.
The data on this subject might be redupcated but
think sufficient matter ha been adduced for reflection
As no cases haze proved here does not give rise L
the suggestion you made me that these cases, being com
sidered elsewhere thosaspf mineral poisoning mag
from the andotes administered have been aggra.ates
in their cEaracter?
1t is most singular fact that in the city where the
disease Rss ss f a has been rsg2
tendency to - long after the patient had been
moved from in which the mineral poisonii
s ass rso ss wR
the mucous membrane of the stomach presented anpea
ances of corrosive action; but this have no SINGLE III
thenticated instance yet The idea hasoeen throv
out that arsenic the cause but the best French
ties are positively against the continuous alton kax
senical poisoning when the patienthas long ben erl
posed to daily doses of the poison Or6la a. C,l;H
state that arsenic when absorbed does rem in mi
hnitey in the SYSTEM but is entirely eliminated frm
twelve or fifteen days. provided the fluids drank each
not exceed French pint" chemical friend sx
gested to that if thewals Of portions of the hons
covered with paper coored with Scheeps
the arsenite of copper the train of symptoms in sine
rare cases might be satisfactorily accounted for blythe
action of the sewer air upon it.
There is standing committee of the Board of He(lth
on this subject, and should data or hypothfes
arise to cause any alteration of their views we Fill
promptly place them before the public.
Believe me, most respectfully yours,
ROBERT KING STONE, NJ