The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-07-20
How to Prevent Yellow Fever.

General BUTLER, whose administration il New
Orleans kept the yellow fever out Of that city, has
Just written the following letter to Governor
FLANDERS of Louisiana:
WASHINGTON, D. c., June 26, 1867.
HIS E1ceQency 8. F. Flanders, Gooe'mor Of
Louisiana:
MY DEAR s1R-The telegraph informs me that
the yellow fever has broken out in New Orleans.
Remembering that in 1862 discussed the -ques-
ton OF its prevention with You verbally and hop
ing may do something to aid the authorities in
Kidding your beautiful city of that scourge I know
you will not considrer it an intrusion if give you
the conclusions to which was led by my expert
ence with the disease or rather with the lack OF it,
in the summer OF 1867.
I nm persuaded that there need be no yellow
fever in any city, as an epidemic, which is visited
by the frost every year, and especially in Now Or
leans, which is a city where it can be most easily
controlled of any OF considerable size in the United
States because in that city there are no UNDER
ground drains cellars or cesspools where mephitic
gases, poisoning the atmosphere, and forming, 30
to speak, bed for the propagation Of yellow fover,
can be cngondered: Your city has tho peculiar
advantage that all it's drainage is above ground,
emptying into the canals and through the bayous
into Lake Pontchartrain. found that the winds
had more control of the level of the lake than the
tides, changing the loyel by about two feet. A
moderately strong continued, north wind blows
the water out of the lake into the gulf through the
rigolets, or shafts connecting the lake with the
gulf I took advantage of such state Of water,
and by copious washing Of the drains and canals
into the Lake from the water-N orks, was enabled
to get rid of all tie foul water. A south wind
would of course, return the salt water Of the gulf
into the lake, filling up the canals and drains and
marshes with fresh salt water if that would not bo
an Irishism. The very heavy showers which fall
in your climate washing into the drains and canals
the surface of the city, would leave it thereupon
perfectly clear Of the surface filth, mingling it
with the salt waters Of the lake. which, by the next
north wind taken to sea- and it's place supplied
with pure water. The advantage your city has IN
not having drains and sewers where filthy water,
more or less stagnant, engenders gases which
poison the air through the cesspools, is not easi
ly overestimated. If the atmosphere is not in
suitable condition to promote the yellow fever,
it will nat be epidemic. The disease is not
indigenous where its seeds are killed by the frost,
but like the sugar-cane, which csn only be propa-
gated by cuttings. Now the seeds Of yellow fever
may be preserved by being protected from the
frosts during the winter, and, finding an atmos-
phere suitable for its propagation, will become
epidemic. If it finds no such atmosphere but
hea thy and puro one, the cases will be simply
sporadic whether they result from the contagion
which has been preserved IN woolen garments or
by other means from the cold, or by being brought
from warmer climate through the vehicles OF
commerce. Therefore, two things are necessary
to the extinction of the yellow lever. First, that
there should be no impure atmosphere to foster
the disease, in which case it cannot spread; and,
secondly, o rigorous quarantine OF not less than
thirty days from the infection, to prevent cases
being brought in by commerce. but these will be
sporadic only if the atmosphere is pure.
NV theories may be wrong but the practice
under them, in 1862 and 1884, at New Orleans and
Norfolk, was perfect success. had yellow fever
brought into New Orleans IN 1862 by the rascaty
of captain of steamer bringing pass enger
tainted with the disease from Nassau; But the city
being clean, and the atmosphere pure, the fever
did not spread, but died out with the victim. 1
had the disease continually during the summer at
the quarantine station, seventy miles below the
city, but it never reached New Orleans, becausono
vessel arriving from on infected port, or tainted
with it, was allowed 10 come up for thirty days
after all vestige OF the disease was eradicated.
So at Norfolk, which city had ever been visited
by the yellow fever when it was on the coast
anywhere, in greater or less degree, and
in one instance, as we 4emember, with unexampled
fearfulness Yet in 1864, being thoroughly cleans
cd although occupied by body OF troops very
liable to such disease, and in constant communi-
cation with NewbeIn, where the disease ragged
fearfully still during that season Norfolk had not
single case Of yellow fever, although every city
on the coast, from Portsmouth, N. H., to New Or
leans had isolated or epidemic cases.
Believing fully that it depends solely on the
action Of your State and city whether New Orleans
has yellow fever or not and desiring to aid as much
as may in preventing it's ravages, which fall alike
on the just ard the unjust, ! have yentured to
throw together hastily these observations IN the
hope that they may be OF profit
am,y my dear Sir, very truly your frT friend n and
servant, BENZ. +. BUTLER.