The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-07-15

/ At the first meeting of the Mississippi
Medical Association held in the city of ) ack-
son on the 10Th of April last the undersign-
ed were appointed d committee 10 oiier some
1 suggestions to the citizens Of the Inias matte
/ localities Of our State upon the Rnporlance
of more thorough system of drainage, ana
the adoption of those hygienic measures
| calculated to arrest the production and III
fusion Of malaria.
/ Whatever difference of opinion there may
/ be among medical authorities respecting the
nature and character of this subtle poison,
its effects on the human system, are too Wen
| known to be matter of dispute. p 70 the
close of the late war, COngestive, Remlttent
and Intimttent Fevers were very common
on the low lands of our State, were gener-
ally in familiar forms and not difficult TO
! control by remedies; but since the Surren-
der these Fevers have been far more preya-
| lent have existed in portions OF the state
where they were unknown before, have been
more malignant in type, and difficult 10
| manage. A new form of Congestlve Fever
has appeared in various places, attended with
| bloody urine. yellow skin, excessive nausea
1 and vomiting. great depression of the vital
/ powers, and remarkable fatality. This us
l ease has not been described by cur standard
authors, and is known by various titles, such
/ as Hematuric Remittent, Cachcenia, Up
! Country, y elbow Fever, etc. etc. These facts
point Enthusiastically to greater intensity
| and increased quantity of the peculiar poi
son. which, it is admitted by all, gives rise
/ to these diseases. 1t is also well established
/ that this poison is generated by the combined
| action of water, vegetable matter and heat;
| consequently we find malarious diseases
most prevalent on low, swampy lands and
their adjacent hills; in fact wherever drain
age is imperfect, and water Is permitted TO
| spread out over large surfaces OF vegetable
matter, to stagnate and slowly evaporate,
/ thereby aiding in decomposition and the
Elimination of miasmatic poison.
| In consequence the Imperfect character
of our field labor, the scarcity of money,
| the want of energy, enterprise and conf
! fdence in the future prosperity of the coun-
/ try, incident to the unhappy state of things
existing in our midst, but little attention has
| been given to the improvement of planta-
| tions; therefore bitches have filled up, and
the low places are inundated; negro quar-
| tiers are not policed, and wells neglected.
| In fact an hundred fruitful sources OF dis
ease exist ar ound us that might be removed;
and ought not to be neglected.
Therefore, with view to aid in checking,
even to a limited extent, the spread of dis
ease and death in many parts OF our state,
we recommend the following:
Clean out all the old bitches, and dig new
ones when it is necessary to drain the land
well, and dig up the wet maTshy places
| keep down the weeds and grass on low. damp
grounds, for they shade the soil i'll summer,
preventing rapid evaporation, and faVorIng
slow decomposition; those water-furroWs
that terminate in branches and bitches,
pond or blun-spring water unless filtered
through charcoal and cloth; observe greater
cleanliness in, under, and around freedmen's
houses, and keep them well whiteWashed;
keep out of the night air as much as possible
during the sickly season; avoid residence
in or contiguous to low swampy regions;
consult good physician as to the causes of
sickness at particular place, in case 1t pre-
walls to an alarming extent. We also advise
persons who are suffering with, or have re-
Gently had chronic chills, enlarged spleen
and anpmia, not to reside in a malarious
district during the sickly season; for such
are peculiarly obnoxious to this new form
of fever. They had better seek high, dry,
mountainous region, take quinine and other
tonics, and get well, before exposing them
selves again to malarious atmosphere.
>. V. ID. HILL, NJ. D.,)
a. +. FAINT, NJ. d., Committee.
W. II. STROBE, NJ. d.
Papers throughout the State are requested
to copy.