Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1857-05-09
These the miasms Of contagious fevers but that
of intermittent has not been connected with any stated


temperature, the range being very great.
This view of the nature of namely, that IL
guilds not adopted by all; and hence we have another
view of the condition of the atmosphere which is that
the miasmata producing contagious disease are not sus
ceptibe to the SMELL they probably microscopic or
gansms either animal vegetable; they condensi-
BILE by low temperatures and susceptible of ermenta
ton hence they contain nitrogen.
Rigaud de isle has shown how, in the Pontine
Marshes that of trees is enabled intercept the
miasm and protect Rone and Becquerel has made the
observations in France 1t would appear from the
foregoing that miasm is not gas, but liquid solid
body capable of being strained filtered the air
If it odorous gas it would be DESTROYED by
chlorine gas; but chlorine is poweress against many
masmata Albers mentioned that never was cholera SO
fatal prevalent in the hospitals of Moscow as while
chlorine freely escaping through the wards and
that suphureed hydrogen is not the miasm Of typhus
fever evident from the death of Calvert in Montreal
The evidence is given of bad smells in the hotel in the
morning being manifest of disease But are
all bad smells posons? Around large cities are manu-
factories where processes carried producing eu
via disgusting to delicate noses, such as soapboil
ing tallow-meltng, glue making prussate Of potass
blood-dryng, poudrette-makng, and sulphuret of
bon These have been prosecuted nusances but have
rarely indeed been proved injurious to health. The
Knackeres of Montfaucon is district where deconpo
sion and putrid oders exhaled yet whatever of
nuisance it may be, it has not been proved affect the
health of Paris There is wide limit between offensive
emanations and injurious ones they always the
samea point which appears to have been forgotten in
this instance If bad smells fetid gases were always
of disease, then would every large city be
pidly deeimated.
matter worthy of was the exceeding local in
fuence of the poison its nonextenson into the neigh
boring houses, which, if be attributable to atmospheric
poison, is not easy of explanation partisan of
the National HOTEL believer in its santory arrange
ments being either better than those of any
other large hotel in this city built without dis
nct pan so it cannot well be brought under therouge
system of ventilation: but that hotel in which system
of ventilation is perfected is yet to be built this
/ tnent
The avenues unfortunate position which erect
large buildings Raised but few feet above the waters
edge 1t is within the memory of many when it
| great extent marsh covered by excayated
clays Now, in sinking cellars and forming foundations
this crust OF clay is pierced and the marshy surface is
reached plaster etid clay vegetable matter
which readily decays have been informed that some
years ago. when the of 7th and streets being
excavated to build Dexter's HOTEL quantity of this
marsh bottom thrown out which most offensive
| to the neighborhood.
/ In digging cellars the this floor must be
reached III many cases. and be dry healthy
flooring The covering of clay does prevent the tidal
water fterng in and wetting it, and placing it in the
condition to generate disease ii exposure to the takes
place. would be well, therefore, if the authorities
would not allow of any cellars being excayaed the
avenue that brick and cement flooring be used in
1 such dug.
Upon the whole it appears that there does not seem
to be any evident sufficient to produce this
/ demic; the symptoms preclude the idea of metallic
poisons of strychnia and since some were affected
who did not meal in the house, this is farther
moved; and finally, since chemical examinations, when
the disease prevalent, did not detect it. that cause
must be dismissed The symptoms also do not warrant
the idea of atmospheric posons present
quanted with them; for these shown either
phltie or miasmatic. The mephtic poisons produce
asphyxa orconvusive Affections the miasmatie poisons
produce either remitent typhoid feyers; but, as
neither of these symptoms occurred it is not fair to
| tribute the disease to insufficient causes.
M in IN nlyrda 4bo
OF atmospheric producing this disease but simply
that the at present attributed insufficient
that effect. Of the possibilities know nothing, and
presumng their presence when that has not been de-
| termined is contrary to all rules of reasoning.
In the absence of any immediate cause the Board of
Health have seized bad sewerage it down
as the gravamen, recommending immediate remedy So
far wells Public health will be benefited by it, but ii
will not affect the health of the National Hotel should
opened again. and may not the recurrence OF
disease of which it cannot be proved to be the
The of the board was the absence of sufficient
evidence and of evidence directly to the point they
to hasy conclusion and looked upon the disease and
the defective sewerage the relation of and effect
To many it may unwise to agitate this matter,
that it is injurious the interests of the District, &C.
but all such fears and selfish motives should be aside
in endeavorng to attribute the disease to its right
if possible; or if this be DONE the next best
course is to separate the insufficient causes, and thus
show what not the real causes and then perhaps
by series of negative results may clear the ground
for positive and sufficient
From examination not having been conducted at
the time by those armed with the proper authority
lleye that the has euded Investigations
and prefer to rest this memoir at this spot confessng
my ignorance of sufficient cause, to Ginning in with
vulgar prejudice, in attrbuting what is not
cause of such train of symptoms, and not sufficiently
distinguishing between the effects of miasm, of septic
gas, and putrescent matter. 1t take away
from the of ability be unable to find and
it would have benefited the committee if after
scientously examining into all the circumstances, they
4 10 hat he had
/ them.
There can be good sewerage in this city until there be
water to flush the the rain water not always su
cen; and until they flushed by column of water the
current of sewer air will be from the canal the
the city,