The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-10-12
DISTURBING THE EARTH IN SUM-
NEp e."

La Roche, than whom there is no higher au-
thority the subject of yellow fever, has the fol-
lowing in regard to the up-turntng Of earth US a
cause of that disease: .. sr..f r esa -tz-.r
DIR. Merrill, in an essay on the yellow fever of
Natchez, has taken great pains to show, and with
every appearance of success, that the epidemic OF
1923 arose from the -leveiia1 of the streets, and
the consequent exposure of fresh soil to the action
OF the hot sun. srE .3s .a sE.-.t -- i ..faf -
On the general subject of disturbing the earth
a cause of epidemic disease, La Roche continues
as follows A~ @ @ rsas.a s Est
Every physician knows that the digging Of Ca
nails, the opening of bitches, the cutting down of
bluffs, the leveling of lots the filing up cutting
down of streets, the opening of roads, &c, have
proved highly injurious not only in this country,
but in parallel or hotter latitudes The results of
operations of this kind in the last and West In
dies are on record; and, like those in Algeria,
of nature not easily to be forgotten. Many an
epidemic of bilious internlittent and remittent
fever may be traced to occurrences of this kind,
| Quoting dozen English, French. and
American authorites). To the same cause, under
peculiar conditions of sol and during the prevail
ence of certain themometrical and hygrometrical
states of atmosphere the outbreak of yellow fever
at various periods has been, with apparent justice
ascribed. a-t s&
DIR. Leyert, of Mobile, on the epidemic Of 1858
there, in relation to this subject, says: q Ss.as
One point, / think, is satisfactorily established
in connection with the appearance OF yellow fever
in Mobile upon almost every occasion, viz: that it
has invariably occurred in those when large
excavations have been made, or extensive surfaces
of fresh earth exposed to the action OF the sun and
air during the heat of summer; while, on the con-
trary, our city has been almost invariably exempt
from this scourgc in those seasons in which no
such causes existed. r...v
We might continue quotations from the same
respectable authorities who advance the same gene
raj opinions, but have not room to do so. The
books are full of them. Physicians in cities that
are entirely healthy arc urging this subject upon
the consideration of their authorities, with view
of preventing any digging of bitches, canals, etc,
| in warm weather. r. e.r-..s M r.sHaa.r..
The Philadelphia Bulletin calls attention to the
matter as follows: E.. ... .. ....--s.
Few persons are aware of the dcleteriOus proper
ties of freshly dug earth, cspecielly in weather
when heat and moisture alternate to fully develop
the noxious miasma which it exhales; proverb
is so utterly devoid of truth as that which attri-
butes healthy qualities to the smell of fresh earth.
As well say that decaying leaves or any vegetable
matter are healthy, when the fact is that more
active stimulant to disease Of every kind does not
exist The dreadful Hong Kong fever, which
burst out at the place in China of that name,
some twenty years ago, was caused entirely by dig
ging up the soil for the foundation of factories.
Accurate observation established this.-NcW Dr.
| leans Bulletin