Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1866-03-22
Communicated.

j Edsiera Gdesfte and Clousf-~In mp preveus
Communication. asserted thst we had causes sx-
hitting Within our corporate limits calculated 10
alarm our fears and excite our anxiety, In view
or contagious diseases, daring the ensuing sickly
season.
! These pointed out TO be the number and badly
constructed hsbitstions Of freedmen and others In
every part Of the town, aud the crowded and nec-
/ ssssfiy filthy condition of those habitations, a.
tending NOT only to psrpetuats and aggravate
contagious and Infectious diseases when once In
| Produced among us, but directly 60 originate and
spread throughout the town the most fatal and
| malignant form Of disease.
II these premises are correct, which presume
no well informed physician. or Intelligent student
| OF nature will deny, the questions arise, what
measures can be adoptedf and what policy can
we pursue consistent with the principles of Chris.
tianity and enlightened humanity to aba 10
the force and intensity of this evlli 4
That thase are delicate questions, and the prar.
Teal solution 6f them attended with difficulty my
readers will not be reminded In their discussion
and DE- cision, all prejudice against the freedmen
should be discarded ftom our minds, and we should
approach their consideration ~ Christian phioso.
piers and true phianthropists, an well as the
stern opponents OF true science
DO far from harboring any prejudice aealns. the
"frsedmen,n they deserve and have our warnest
sympathy. 1t 10 In eur heart to do them good
and not injury.
But, In the consideration and adoption OF meas.
Of public safety TO promote the general health
and to guard against the eruption OF malignant
and overwhelming epidemic and contagious dis.
orders, we must LOOK AT facts as they exlat, and
adopt such measures az experience and true sci.
enoe teach us to be most sae and sffsctual; look
Ing at the general good and avoiding as much In
dividusl haraships as Is possible.
That small, badly constructed and Ill vsntiated
and over crowded Installations are unhealthy
enervating the constitution originating and In.
wiling disease, and imparting malignant and
fatal character to diseases, that otherwise would
be mild and manageable Ia fact we'll attssted by
the medical profession. When such habita tions
are so small and badly constructed as not TO adj.
init of ventilation and publication, their removal
aud scattering Of their inmates TO break UP the
local cause of sickness rs the surest remedy, is
conclusion that nationally and logically follows.
Indeed the examples are many and well attested
In our psst history, both In the army and with
these freedmen, while slaves on their masters
plantations, being in comfortable quarters and
well provided aud cared for during the visiiations
OF seorbutic dyssntery and cholera, had TO he
removed and separated, in order to arrest and
dissipste the sconrges by which they were being
deoimated.
Now then, are the huts and cabins put up In our
town by freedmen and others, small and badly
censtfueted2 Are they, from the nature Of their
faulty construction, incapable of ventilation and
disinfection1 And are they crowded 10 the extent
Of mpairing the health Of their occupants and OF
disseminating In our midst, by reason of the i'm
puIities thrown of from the human body in health
as we'll as disease, elements con terminating and
rendering impure the atmosphere all are com.
PEELED to hfeathef
] need only ask these questions to have them
answered In the Affirmative by every Intelligent
observer.
Then, the only remedy pointed out, alike by
science, reason and common sense, Ia the demoli.
ton OF those faulty and filthy novels, and dis
persion Of their inmates to rural districts, where
they can be less crowded and have more roomy
and comfortable habitstions to live In. d.