The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-08-06
THE NATIONAL HOTEL--REPLY TO DMA
LARA"


l1f N NATIONAL HoTxL,
Washington City August 4. 1858.
III ae Editor Of The Union
In your issue of to-day there Communication over
the signature Of Malaria which rovives consideration
Of the universally discussed National Hotel disease,
and like many others Of the character. induges in
supposed certain possible present remote of
that so-called epidemic - srs ZEE,
Malaria, apparently In order to attract attention
to his spcceations and bring them to the desired end Ia
the public hs article by saying that the
recent deceasc Of che anented Qutman attributed BY his
friends to the effects Of disease contracted at the National
t0tei, where he dned during the month of February
1921, Induces me to request small portion Of your
space" etc.
! am boarder at the National Hotel and have been
70 for years perhaps the oldest boardern it. there
during the winter of So 81 and particularly during the
month Of February, 81. took every meal there was
well acquainted with Gen, Quitman, and had frequent
uterytnws with him during that month ON matters Of
business which pending before Congress. / know
that he roomed Pennsylvania avenue between 18th
and 18th Streets and know where he took his meals He
called occasionally at the National and upon my invita-
ton took ten there with twice and parook of the
same food remember seeing him at the dinner
table In that month but was not poisoned
i'll a moment during the time Of the existence of that
sickness at the Hotel the only exempt from
the disease many of my personal acquainances, and
hundreds whose faces learned to know who guests
at the Hotel during that period, and departed in
health without disease ailment of any kind contracted
there
to cut down vigorous who ute single meal there
several could exist when myself and many others who
took our meals there at the table, and lived entirely
in the hotel, not at all affected but still live in the
full enjoyment of uninterrupted health. Much less
do feel disposed to admit the existence of such
terrible poisons, when other gentlemen, who had not
for weeks eaten anything at the National suffered for
months with disease similar in all its characteristics to the
so-callcd .NatonaI Hotel disease feel therefore
that have not only authorized right but that in
Justice to others 1t is duty to repel this speculation
TO the causes of the ncon of my fellow boarders which
| witnessed, and which mentioned by Malaria. !"
The cases of disease at the National during the winter
and spring of 81 l know to have been few in compar
son with the great number of guests rendered what at
tention was in my power to the afflicted and endeav
ored by giving strict attention to symptoms, and cOnsd
Grafton to alleged causes to arrive ut satisfactory
clusion the subject but could only find that several
were equally plausible could not admit that there
any specific poison for could not how hundreds hav
ing at least good opportunity to contract disease
the few who did, should escape and hope that the next
learned specuator the subject will kindly enlighten
1t may be that General Qutman contracted the disease
which proved fatal to him by dining at the National in
February 1857; but do biepe for stated
How it be reliably asserted that man dining
at hotel is poisoned diseased fatally whilst hundreds
who parook of similar food had breakastcd dined sup
Ped and slept In the house BEFORE and continued to do
30 afterwards, should escape unharmed?
But supposng that some possible neglect might have
led to the sickness the of the National Hotel
caused OF the mouse 10 be
sold during the of 1857 immense sacrifice
The premises then put through of most
complete renovation from cellar to garrett until water
brush, and lime could do more. II was then reur
nished by the present proprctors Messrs Tenney Co.,
who bestowed every attention to cleansing and furnish
ing None of this information do borrow from hearsay
surmise, but witnessed it myself have been in the
house since it opened last autumn and say from
my personal knowledge, that have any
public house in Washington better conducted.
During the past it has done heavy business
many thousands have come, soourncd, and gone,
tented and satisfied and 1t il patronixcd freely
any house in Washington has BEEN has been
injured has any injury been heard of except from
speculator like Malaria. This sloud prove that
the supposed disease generated In the paa manage
ment and not here The present proprcors have
invested their means in the National and to the know
ledge of myself we'll many others, doing all in
their power to discharge their full duty No house has
been better kept in Washington than the National
under its present management and therefore, in be-
half Of myself boardcr, well in justice to the
proprictos protest against this ncessnt assault 1t
unjust and should not be tolerated.
have apology to offer for this article that
which appears upon its face. j. b. STEWART
[Thc writer of the communication signed "iaaria''
could have design to inuc tho present poprieto Of
the National Hotel which hvcno doubt Is woll kept
We quite certain there has been temperance of
the epidemic during their management. Malaria de-
sired to advance theory of his with regard to the
origin of the epidemic Of February, 1857 nothing more
So we were assured --UNios.l
CONVICTION or STEPHEN IT. BRANCH FOR III