The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-09-11
War and Disease.

hONL W tuc dHiidLs Ot Idue. II II llaQ not DeelI ~
war, the greatness and goodness Of Washington ncve
would have been heard of nor the military exploits 0
Bonaparte or Wellington handed down to posterity
They might have lived unknown citizens. There
is another serious consideration in while al
most every country becomes overburdened with laz,
idlers and worthless popuation-the good of society
requires their removal To demonstrate that we are
not alone in cherishing this opinion, copy the fol
lowing from the New Orleans Daily Delta:
War, pestence and famine are commonly socated
in thoaght and in language the three terrible
and destructive agencies Of earthly evil Yet it would
be difficult to show any immutable and logical assoca
ton between them in their actual manifestations. The
common principle of destrucGveness connects them
intimately in the mind though in the experience they
may be widely separate. We can, it is true conceive
famine be Of the possible incidents Of war; but
pestilence would seem to be Of those scouges Of
humanity which has mysterious origin Of its own
coming we know not where, going we know not why
History IS extremely scan and vague in the knowledge
ii affords of the diseases and mortality of the ancient
world. We only know this with certainty that it CON
tanned no evidence to sustain the proposition that
and pestence bear any necessary relation and
effect as invaribe concomitants History is more
explicit with regard to the modern world; and, far
from proving war and pestilcnce to 90 together, it
rather tends prove that the presence Of the one is
exclusive of the other. The great plague in Italy
which ike the wifeking freak of the sultan that led
to the thousand and one Arabian tales became the
source of Boccaccios famous stories, occurred in
period Of peace 1t likewise in the midst Of peace
that the great plague Of London ran its desoating
career There was no war, when the Asiatic cholera
swept Europe and extended It's ravages to Amer-
ca 1t sometime after the war of the revolution
that the yellow fever visited in such malignant form
several of the northern cities and the country pro-
foundly peaceful when it rayaged the south with
precedented mortality in 1853.
We know it is hazardous to generalise from a few
historical data. But we think may be safely asserted
that great many popular theories are built upon
more slender foundation Of facts than would be the
theory that peace engenders pestence, and war ex-
cludes it-that peace is Pandoras box OF disease and
quarantine against epidemics-that peace phys
cay depresses and enervates and war stimulates and
nvigorates a nation 1t might be said in explanation
Of this theory that Providence in its careful economy
Of human life takes care that two destroying angels
shall traverse the same country at once 1t might
be maintained that, under mercifu system Of com
pensaton healing angel is always present correct
the excuses of the destroying angel
But laying aside these somewhat transcendenta sug-
gestions there is not wanting strong reason for the
belief that in its psychological effects indirectly,
but powerfully, influences the physical health All
great mental exciements, while they last, fordfy the
body against disease. nation at war, especially if
actuaed by lofty sentiments of patriotism and profound
convictions of right, realises a physical stimulan and
tonic in the peculiar mental occupation which the war
produces and sustains. In such a case it would be
reasonable expect mental activity patriotic feryor
martial courage and prowess bold and sagacious coun
sells and vigorous and effective action to 60 hand in
hand to victorious conclusion,
But change the mental condition, and morbifc agen-
cies, previously held in check would again tell upon
the body. The sanitary benefits of war being with
drawn, the Affections incident to peace would have
room to return.
The experience of a single army in a campaign may
illustrate the psychological and physical P4enQPS ga
the action Of the campaign flags when there IS no en-
envy in sight at hand keep alive the expecta
ton Of battle, when camp life becomes dull routine
destitute Of incidents to animate the dormant thoughts
and arouse the teengs-it IS then that the army is
most liable to all manner Of disease and its hospitals
most crowded with sick
But if in the midst of such situation, the enemy
approaches and the order for asudd4n and rapid march
is given, and the whisper goes from soldier u soldier
like thrill Of electricity that great battle dav is
near, men that were before sick are at once WE'LL
those that could before walk arc on their feet and
ready for soldiery service The one central excite
thought of a common danger, Of the com
mon enemy, of battle and victory-s the medicine
that such occasions is more powerful than all the
medical schools and the whole matcria medica
II the general propositions here stated be true We
may not expect any epidemics in the south--we NAV,
on the other hand look for large reduction of the
usual mortality from disease in the souh-wllilc the
present war continues with abatement of the earnest
thought and patriotic enthusiasm with which it in
spires the great mass of the southern people New
Orleans never 50 healthy as it is at this moment
The health Of every southern city at present. is re-
narkabe. The whole south il free from epidemic, and
he ordinary summer diseases were never SO mild ana
attended with less mortality We hope, and believe
hat the same condition, with slight variation, will CON
inue to the end of the war But after that it is 10
e feared that disease will claim its arrears with heavy
interest The excitement having died away, soth and ]
nacton will cnsue the consequences Of Which will be
he creation of sickness
The New York Herald unblushingly informs Us Of the
laerial Of the enemy which we will have to contend !
18th this fall and winter 1t says itis probably thought
Town south that the storage of any large quantity of
otton at any one port might offer great an induce
tent to ships Of to enter and take possession
ut if the rebels think that allowing it to remain on Ii
e plantations will prevent taking possession Of
hen the proper time comes, they are very much mis-
ken Its quite mmaerial to us whether it i stored
the plantation the water side Either viii be ii
most convenient al
The MILrTIA.-We perceive by our exchanges that CT
e militia in several parishes have been organised, and
turns made to the proper officer The Lieutco of y
e Lafourchc regiment, appears to understand bis Ii
lty we'll with the exception Of heading general h
der, instead Of "regimcntal order" This i an II
ror which most Of modern military from compa a.
officers upward, have falleninto The Licutco com Al
andlng, issued the following ORDER dt