The Washington union., 1857-05-09
THE NATIONAL HOTEL MAIADY.

Inc press Btiiciahl haNiiiS t"noh uP WV SN'N~s ~
the National Hotel malady with degree of earnest
ness which has aroused public attention in all parts
| of the Union, some response has been made by the
authorities of Washington, but not of the kind
which was anticipated, OF which the good name and
true interests of city promptly and imperativey
demanded. The action, rather the want of action
ON the part Of the city councils, at their last meet
ing, cannot be too strongly deplored. The wellin
tended measures adopted at the merchants meeting
on Tuesday evening last are likely to be followed
by any important results 1t is true that the Board
of Health have appointed committee, composed OF
medical gentlemen to investigate the subject but
as they lack the necessary power and pecuniary
means TO make rigid and thorough investigation,
cannot well see how their meriorous abors will
suit in anything beyond presenting to the public in
convenient shape individual expressions Of belief as
to the true cause of maady which has filed the
whole country with apprehensions not unmixed with
the darkest suspicious This committee have issued
circular card of which the following is copy
The undersigned have been appointed a committee by
the Board of Health of Washington communicate with
residents of this city and elsewhere in order to
procure il possible further authenticated information in
regard the mady which recently prevailed at and
cases have occurred in this community; but, vague
and unauthentcated statements have reached that
have died elsewhere from this cause take this
the only mode of calling upon physicians and
sons abroad favor with statements OF the and
residences of the persons who thus have died We desire
to obtain description of the and symptoms of their
disease opinion formed to its origin and the
therefor the treatment adopted in the and the
suits of the post examinations chemical analyses
of the objections from the SICK If any such made
AS the guests Of that hotel wide cast the land it
ia impossible for to obtain the and residences OF
their physicians, and must therefore appeal to them
through the public press for the information desired
Their prompt attention by letter to the committee will
confer great favor upon the Board OF Health and this
community and perhaps be of great service in promoting
| the cause of public health and medical science
Papers friendly the above objects will confer favor
on the Board of Health by publishing this card
ROBERT KING STONE, M. d.
JAMES Il. MORG AN, M. D..
Committee of the Board of Health
WASHINGTON, May 7, 1857.
The general, and we might almost add the settled,
belief in Washington that the malady at the National
Hotel was caused by defective sewerage may in
part account for the apparent apathy of those whose
duty it was promptly to discover, and promptly
to remove, the cause of so much widespread dam
ger but there occasions when local authorities,
if they consult the interests of their constituents,
must pay soma regard to public opinion outside Of
their respective Jurisdictions, whether well or i'll
founded. And the case before us is one in point.
The city of Washington is the federal capital 1t is
visited in the of year by thousands Of per-
sons on business cted with the general govern
ment and the whole country ought to know and the
knowledge is demanded in all quarters in unmista-
kably-plan language how it to pass that at its
largest and most frequented hotel, hundreds and
hundreds of the guests We're stricken down by a
fearfuy disease, which resulted fatally
in several cases, aud in many others eminent phys
clans were at loss how to prescribe. If defective
sewerage has been the cause of much sickness
and suffering, it would lis that the fact could
be easily and promptly demonstrated. IT, as has
been frequently and widely alleged the disease was
caused by mineral poisons, why have we not an au-
thenticated report of the poa-mortem examination
which has been held in the case of one Of the vic
tins
1t will be seen from the following report which
appears in the New York Evening Post of last Thurs
days ISSUE that the medical faculty Of that city are
not disposed to await the ardy action of the authori
ties of Washington:
ssThe Academy Of Medicine held its regular meeting
last evening in the chapel of the University and large
attendance present DR.. Valentine Mott occupied
the chair and more than hour occupied in read
ing the minutes of the previous meeting, hearing reports
of various committees, and transaction of the regular
business
s'Dr. Mott then informed the meeting that Dr. Wynne
from Baltimore, present, who would communicate
certain interesting information to the academy concern
ing the sickness at the National Hotel, Washington He
CDR felt great interest in the subject and was very
desrous to hear DR.. Wynne. He sure all the mem
bers entertained the feeling Ho not at all
satisfied with the reports and explanations that had here
ofore been offered We at distance hardly knew what
judgment to form upon this interesting subject Facts
and information therefore, would be very acceptable by
which they might come to some definite conclusion
cdr. Wynne cordially received by the academy
and occupied their attention for nearly hour in first
briefly detailing the facts they have already been stated
by the press and then upon these deduced theory refer
ring the of the disease to the offensive euvia
the house subjected especially in cold weather The
thus ascribed is similar to that given in the
Evening Post yesterday.
'sWhen he had concluded his able and deeply
ing address, discussion took place between the mem
bes.
lone suggested that perhaps the disease owing to
some poison article of aduteraton in the wine. He
asked whether the wnecellar had been examined This
suggested to him from the fact that the disease had
been confined almost entirely to the male guests OF the
house. but few of the females had suffered from its cf
fects
s'Dr Wynne remarked that the wine had not been ex-
amned. He thought he could speak positively Of that
fact He would suggest that reason that could be
given why the ladies had not been generally affect
cd that they had usually fire in their rooms and the