New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-04-02
Meh NrleaIrs 1aiIp Crescent
T IPL E. S Fl E E T
PUBLIC HEALTH.
MONDAY MORNING. APRIL 2, 1860.


has certainly the reputation abroad or being an
extensive graveyard and the stoutest heart quails
the frmest cheek blanches at the idea of encoun-
tering, ,unacclimated, one ofour summer epidemics.
1t is difficult to realize, in its full extent the blight
ing influence that this state of things has exercised
upon some of our most important interests. 1t has
| made the city residence instead Of home. We
refer principally to that portion Of our limits
| above Canal street. People come, forced by the
exigences of business and allured by the hope Of
gain. They remain during the business season,
but fly on the approach of summer, as from pes.
thence. In this way they form and keep up
chronic dread Of our climate, which will never per-
nit them to settle down az permanent citizens.
They never buy Or improve property. They and
their families board Or rent houses temporarily.
The consequences have been hitherto most pain
fully manifest in the very unimposing, inconye-
nient style Of architecture prevailing along our
streets, SO strangely in contrast with the known
opulence of the city It is true that Of late years
| an evident revolution in this respect has COM
| menced, and some mansions have been put up or
are now in process Of erection which, for elegance
of appearance and convenience of arrangement,
would be no discredt to any city. But this is very
far still from being general. A man who builds to
rent little for variety tastefulness of arch
iteeture. Those charming, attractive family resi-
dences which arrest the attention of the passerby
in other Cities are the fruits Of many years assidu
Gus efforts in perfecting plans in carrying out de-
tails, and that, too, at very heavy cost. But who
will bestow this attention and this expense on a
place which he persists in not considering as his
home2 His affections are not entwined around it,,
his pride is not centered there he does not intend
to die within its walls, and leave it as an inherit
ance to his descendants for ages to come.
Now, it may be said that plainness and sim
plicity Of appearance in the houses are Of rot
much importance, in a republican point of view.
But granting that, look at the immense quantity
of wealth which, instead Of fructfying here is car
ried off to enrich other rival communities. If a
proper proportion of the money made here had
been spent in buildings Of the right number, style
and costness, the army of artisans and trades
people drawn hither for the building and keeping up
of those establishments would probably double the
number of our population There are cities Of
twice our population which have not, perhaps,
one-fourth our amount Of commerce. The present
trade of New Orleans if its resources were care
fully husbanded within our limits, would probably
: support half million Of Inhabitants in comfort.
Then again, the tone Of society would be Ger.
i tainly improved by an additional element of sta
bity, our public works would be more splendid
and the tastes of our people elevated. All these
influences would act and react upon each other
in manner of which the ultimate effects cannot
possibly be estimated correctly Now, these re
suits would surely come if our people could be in
duced to regard the city as their home. And this
| as we have seen, the periodical prevalence of vel
low fever prevents them from doing. Surely thl
pestilence is the great incubus which weighs III
down in the onward race of material prosperity
If we could be guaranteed against that, the pric.
of real estate might reasonably double the spot
We will not undertake here to present profes
sional view of this as medical question. Th
p ablest physicians differ as to the causes Of thi
epidemic, its prevention and remedies. We know
that even with this scourge upon US, the evil day
| of New Orleans have passed. We have now
large acclimated population. They are not afra
| of the summer. A generation is growing up
70 which, by reason of its native birth, has immun
from the danger, and we are fast becoming as inde
pendent in this respect as Havana. We can safel
predict that, in quarter of century more, Ne,
Orleans will be as remarkable for the magnifcene
as it is for the plainness of its appearance,
@,s @ But in the mean time, if we cannot prevent tn
1
and do nothing all all to diminish its fury? Becaus
five thousand must die at any rate, is it useless
save several other thousands that need not perish
A great deal might be effected BY preventing th
ingress of large bodies of unacclimated persons
as emigrants and others, during seasons OF DANCE
and of affording means of escape, to a safe neigl
borhood, of such persons already in our midst.
j. steamboat, chartered at the expense of the cit,
N might save the lives Of many INDECENT persons, an
remove much material which would surely be, b
remaining here, nothing but fuel for the balefuIf
As for cleanliness, there has been quite contr.
versy in regard to its merits; some claiming tht
filth has no connection with fever-that the MOI
such deposits are stirred up, the worse for the a
mosphere. We shall not enter upon the seientif
review of this point. We would only suggest tn;
said deposits should not be allowed to accumhiai
at all, SO as to be subject to q stirring up. It
quite sure, though, that persons remote from cor
Inunities of men do not contract this disease. Ill
miasma of swamps and vegetable decompositie
never produce it. IT, therefore, its origin IS co
neeted with human ef1uVia, our efforts at clean
OF ness should be directed especially to interior
nestle arrangements. Board Of Health, veste
with sufficient powers, might do much in this r
speet.
- Out of regard to general heaith thoush ana VI
yersal comfort, something ought really to be dol
with the dust. At present it is left entirely to Il
direction of the winds, throughout the greater po
ton of the city, and our summers, so beautiful
their general aspect, are to some extent renders
intolerable by it. The plaques Of Egypt cou
= hardly have surpassed in powers Of annoyance q
suffocating, binding clouds Of pnlverized aluyit
ur which, during our dry, hot weather, fill the atmo
the phere penetrate the nmost recesses OF houses al
ns oa, mingle with the perspiration to form kind
ar paste or mud over our hands and faces The broo
ss or the watering process should be more eommo
f
Dr. BEALE's PAsoPTIcoN OF lNDIA.-Ihis int
esting entertainment, which has acquired gre
-, popularity wherever exhibited, will be open
in this city at Armory Hall. The Savannah Repu
lican thus speaks of the exhibition:
This unique entertainment attracted dehght
and fashionable audience at Temperance Hall lf
night. 1t is now fairly before the pubic, G.. ana
ia interest it exctes, and the applause II ehcits
- the best evidences of its intrinsic meflts, ~ 7
most wonderful artistic and mecnameal dlspl
ever brought before the public. Tnere ls runnl
T. through the whole exhibition a fasclnaIoh OF m
= tary display, and the battle field, which makes
more q reality than portraiture..
Panoramas fail to give activity ana NE 10 I
subjects represented but in the Paneptlcon
z, have all the movements of men and horses, c