Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-10-06
EEcruRe eN rELLow rEEEn.


lOldS the position OF professor OF 6urgerl
in the Medical college at New Orleans
connected with the University Of Lou
isiAna.
DIR. Stone was introduced BY Professo
Austin Fluit, and after a graceful &C
acknowledgement of the kind reception b,
had met in this city, which be had no
visited for seven years previously, b.
took up the subject Of yellow fever, II
which he said there were many point
open for discussion. 1t was disease pc
eullar 10 warm latitudes, but its limit!
could not be defined by any exact TEN.
perRture or climatic conditions, for ex
ceptions would frequently occur to faIsify
any such restriction. Nothing more
definite could be said than thst it was q
disease incident TO warm efimates, and
induced by peculiar poison totally in.
tangible and disconnected from any
known causes Of disease. There was nc
combination Of filth, no combination oI
l circumstances calculated TO deterioFatg
health and excite typhoid or typhus fe.
vers that had anything TO do with the
generation Of yellow fever. This re-
markable fact was not generally knawn.
J Some federal officers had taken credit q
themselves for keeping yellow fever out
! of New OEleaus during their occupation
Of that city; but it was notorious fact
that the city was not cleaner then, in the
suburbs and low regions, than it had
often been before. The weather hap
/ pened to be cooler, and there WAS less
1 rain; but there was no material differ
/ ence in any other respect. They had had
| six years Of exemption previously, when
there was no quarantine whatever.
[ Yellow fever fixed upon high and healthy
/ localities, and proved as virulent there
as in the low regions. The magnolia
/ ridges, back Of New Orleans, was one OF
| the heaIthiest regions in the world, yet
/ the yellow fever proved quite as destruc-
/ tive there as ia less favored regions. In
deed, the disease was always more vio-
lent in the country, when it once pre-
vailed there, than in cities.
In regard to the @tiology or causes Of
yellow fever there had been much dis
pute. It had been q question whether it
was imported or Of local origin 1t GER
taiuly was not imported in ships. The
epidemic influence was waited through
the atmosphere in waves or cycles, and
always LAade gradual and regular ap-
proaRhes; so that in New Orleans thew
knew when it was coming by its preva-
Ienee in the islands in the gulf In the
year 1851 it began in Brazil, and after
passisg over the northern part of South
America and the West India islands, it
reached New Orleans in 1858 In 1855 it
had Travelled as far ss Memphis, and was
severe in many Of the interior towns.
Its history il New Orleans the present
wear was remarkable. I5 iust appeared
in a mild form, aud in several places at
once, in June, and though the weather
was favorable to lis spread, it did not in
crease in intensity, and only about nine
cases occurred per week. These cases
evidently originated In the city But
later in the season q fresh wave ap-
proaehed from the direction Of Mexico,
appearing in a violent form in Indian
ola, Galveston and New Iberia, aud
lastly in New Orleans, where it appeared
iG a severe form and ia increasing ratio,
though the weather was Of the kind con-
sidered unfav0rsble to its propagation.
This " ss the general history of The
disease. II fixed upon a place and ran
its course, increasing in 3 definite ratio,
declining in the same way, and finally
disappearing, but for the time being af-
feCting all who were exposed to its in6u-
euce. 1t was true, however, that debil-
iiy and other reasons rendered some per-
sons much more susceptible than others
to the peculiar poison bat this was the
case with all diseases.
The question Of its cOntagiOusness was
Of great importance, and which ought to
be settled, both for the interests of suf-
ferers from the disease, and as guidance
in the matter OF quarantine. az am
perfectly convinced said the doctor,
" beyond all doubt or hesitation, that
personally it is not contagious L k1OD
. - ~ ha a
tagiOus once it would always be so, for
1t was the same disease in all places. It
was a specific disease, and the same
person had it but once; accIimation was
perpetual, but it was very hard to con-
vince the human understanding where.
There we're exceptions TO these rules, AS
there were to those governing small pOX-
He had observed, honestly at least, if not
closely, and the result of his observations
had led him TO believe yellow fever nom
contagious. In 1888 he arrived in New
Orleans and went into the Charity hos
pitsl on duty. The hospital became full,
and as there was great scarcity of help,
il became filthy. The passages we're
often filed with bed sacks covered with
eXcrement and black vOmit, so that a
sort of typhoid fever Was generated vet
the persons employed there escaped yell.
low fever, and be did not have it him
self till late in the season, after these
conditions had been remedied. IN 1858,
he had an infirmary in which three hum
.dred cases Of yellow fever, treated by ten
or twelve sisters of charity, all of whom
were unacclimated, yet they were the
very last to get the disease, because the
atmospheric influence did not prevail
where the hospital was situated. In
IgiI, in 1853, and 1854, and ia 1889, the
experience bad been substantially the
same. In 1853 some forty cases of yellow
fever were placed in the Charity hospital
among a number Of other patients,
who were unscclimated, and though q
large number Of the forty died, not .
solitary new case occurred in the house.
Cases were constantly occurring Of per-
sons who went into infected districts,
took the disease, were taken to uninfeeted
regions, treated ana Bursed, and yet no
one took the disease from them. In 1856
and 1857 yellow fever of a severe char
acteT prevailed in New Orleans, but was
strictly confined tn six squares. Ne
intercourse with vessels had taken place,
and it was evident the disease had origi-
mated there. In the country the doctor
had made diligent inquiries, and with
the same result. 1t did not spread from
person to person. It was quite possible
that quantity Of the poisoned atmos-
phere might be conveyed in the hold of
a ship to distant places, and that persons
breathing that atmosphere might have
the disease, but they could not impart it
to others. Just now much air would
suffice TO render the fever portable, it was
impossible to ascertain.
The disease itself varied in the mode
Of attack The most favorable cases
were these where It was ushered in at
once with the prominent symptoms,
which consisted Of rigOr followed i'm
mediately with pains 10 the limbs, back
and head, with heat of the skin ard fe-
yer. But many of the cases were iDsid-
ious, and The patient continued up aad
about, complaining of Pain in the limbs
and a chilly feeling The disease was
progressing ali this time, and the physi-
clan was not likely 10 see the patient
until it was too late TO DO anything. 1t
Waa for This reason that more violent at
tacks were really more favorable 20 ulti-
mate recovery tha1 the nilder cases.
The mild cases were just as sure to kill
as any other, II they were neglected.
Almost all cases would prove fatal unless
the patient vss properly managed and
kept quiet. In the well marked cases
there was rigor, pains in the head, back
and limbs, and sometimes a peculiar
capillary engagement, particularly in
the eye. IF the patient is placed in bed
at once, with little assistance he breaks
into 8 sweat, as IN common intermittent
fever. This gives some relief, but not
much. The pains continue but il the
case Is favorable, it will go on until the
sweating and heat snbside together at
the end Of three days. The patient
must be kept perfectly quiet, and If he Is
then nourished ne will have no return of
the suffering. He must not even be al
lowed TO raise his head. II he gets up
faintness comes over him, and the
whole process is Oftsn renewed, with the
addition of nausea and loathing Of food.
In this case be almost certainly
dies. This is the history OF ia
vOrable cases. Purgstives are not essen
tial, and may do much harm. A mild
dose Of oil may be given If there is any
thing in the stomach likely to ferEnent
and prove irritating. A simple injection
may prove useful. II patients are seen
in the beginning, the doctor gave them,
IS soon as perspirstion began, a full dose
OF quiDins. There vas no doubt of It's
good effect in quieting pains aEd promo
ting perspirati0n. Sometimes a second
Gose was advisable the following morn.
ing, This was all that could be done he-