The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-03-23

grounds extending from Tradd-street on the
south, to Beaufain on the north, and from
Franklin on the east, to the river on tho west
IAN area filed up with the scavenger's offal o1
the city,, you ome to one of the most inject
ed of all the districts Of the city.
Let us pause here for one moment to inquire
what has taken place in this neghborhood
likely to account for this change in its health
fulness. You will remember that TINS very
| spot was referred to above as ono OF those IL
which even the stranger felt secure IN former ne
times from yellow fever. The change that mas
| taken place is its conversion from marsh
overlowed twice in twenty-four hours by pure
| sea water, into porous pulrefylng, undralned
soil, composed almost entirely OF the onai OF
| the cry. Let me refer to one single Iac1 IN tne
history of this tinfocted) district, before pass
on to other places, illustrative OF the enect
nrodneed by the changes am referring to.
| The Jai and Marine Hospital have occupied
their relative situations for fifty years. Darlhg
the whole OF this long period the hospital
| has received aud treated yellow fever patients.
| While I IVES student I have taken my first
lessons in inc disease at the bedside OF patients
who might have almost jumped frem their
beds into the enclosure of the Jail: but never
was the yellow fever known to have entered
that building till 1852; since then it goes into i'd
as regular as into the houses OF Eiliott-street!
How does it get there? In virtue of its conta
gious properties say the contagionisls. II that
since it was frequently in the hospital previous
to that year? If 1t, the disease, is contagious
now, it must have been contagious then. lit
goes into the Jail by contagious properties in
herent in it now, it should have gone in for
merly, in virtue OF the same contagious prop
critics. But we know, from the records OF the
institution, that it did not Can we think of
any other way Of accounting for the change?
Let US turn TO the condition Of things in The
neighborheod, and we will find just such
change as has been shown to have been the
precursor Of the introduction of yellow fever
into all the other locations referred to above.
And the remarks made In reference to the jail
hold good with regard to the private resi-
denoes around these buildings. The scaven-
gers offal of the city makes the soil all around.
.
Further north, on the same shore line, we
find along the ipdentations of Pennetps Mill
Pond the same changes, followed by the sans
results while. along the river margin the
same state Of things has been brought about.
Hence, We now see the once safe resort in Can
nonsboro' converted into ono of the earliest
scenes Of epidemic iuIasion. Not spot in that
formerly favored region is now safe; for the
low grounds in all the numerous creeks and
marshes, which then cut up this whole district,
are now hot beds of fermentation, and give out
their deadly gases in sufficient quantities to
infest the entire district.
I have thus traced the introduction Of yellow
fever into the formerly exempted portions or
Charleston, in every instance, around the entire
circumference of the city, following the faulty
method Of reclaiming low grounds, and the
criminal negligence Of oil precautions which
The experience of every country in every eli
mate teaches US to consider as indispensable.
How far this sequence is TO be looked upon as
an example Of cause and effects, or Low much
OF it is mere coincidence, will no attempt to
determine. But even If we take the latter alter
native anG decide for the simple coincidence,
it would seem to be part OF the most reasoHa-
BILE prudence to put o stop at once and forever
to such unwelcome copjunctions.
Will our olty authorities have the courage to
face the responsibilities Of their situation, and
give Us (the community the advantage or our
own dear-bought experience. The venerable
DR.. Johnson, N letter to the writer IN 1865,
confirmed his opinion of 1907 after an ex-
perience and observation Of tfty-one years.
As also the late DIR. II. Warning, ono OF the Oldest
practitioners Of the city.
The written experience of several of our now
prominent medical gentlemen, who commenc-
ed practice forty years sin, confirm the views
and statements OF DR.. Wragg. Atno,s this
number DR.. Elias Horbeck, who. near forty
wears ago was surgeon ofthe arine Hospita,
states the jal was considered healthy, and
that strangers and uuacclmaied persons could
spend their summers on Back (nOw Franklin)
street, contiguous to the hospital, with lmmu-
nlty to the fever. 49,,
courage to face tho responsibilities OF their
situation" and gave tlIeir constituents the ad-
vantage OF ths mss of experienced intell-
eenoe they elected to guide hem IN wise
legislation for the general welfare, and on tho
18th of January, 1859, passed an ordinance for
bidding under penalties, Tor every offence com.
mltted, q fine OF twenty dollars, aud the same
for avorv d,v thn mate lal WAS allowed to re-
main thereafter.
Experience of ten years have testified to the
wisdom of the City Council OF that day III re-
srrlct1pe the deleterious filing ef low lands
with the offal of the city. Charleston for i've
years has enjoyed degree Of health unpal al
leled, and which no other city on this conu-
nent has enjoyed. The eutire decomposition
of the putrld masses, eimina ing their poison
ous and deadly gases. no longer exist. The
danger 20 generate disease and endanger the
public realrh d is at an end from what has been.
Why renew the daneerP Why amend the or
dinapce that has proven beneficial to the Whole
CITY, and allow these deposits to be made dur
ing the months Of December, January and
February2 Mr.. Editor, the whole community
is Interested in this subject; the very business
existence OF Charleston IS ut stake. One yell
low fever epidemic will paralyze her SO COM
pletely that it will require years for her to re-
cuperate from it. Why, then, ]eopar-.
dlZe the business, 0ealtn anu doVauce-
ment OF our city, by permitting the mud
lots on Smith-street and elsewhere to be the re-
ceptacle of the scaveDger cart2 Is 1t for the
small addition OF taxes to the treasury? Or is
it not more tor the benefit of officials interest
cd in the matter? The ordinance was amend
ed on the 25.h of February, 1869, and passed.
The writer Of these articles, at the present
time, is prompted entirely for. the general
welfare Of the city. The great mass OF statls-
tics on this important subject we're lost durlng
the war, and very few of the present popula-
tion, even in the medical profession, now have
them. The records of the City Council were
destroyed in the CO fagration OF Columbia. L
presume that scarcely one of the present Coun-
ell who amended the ordinance ever read or
even saw the reports that placed the ordinance
of 1859 on the statute books of the city.
At more convenient season will direct the
attention. OF the community and the Guy
Fathers to the subject Of interments OF The
dead within the ci y-another fruitful cause
of disease to a city population. Our City
Fathers should strictly eutorce the ordinance,
now in existence, on this al-lmportant subject.
Thanking you, Mr.. Editor, for the use OF your
columns on this all-important subject,
am, worry respectfully,
A TAx-PAYER.
THE ENGLISH MAREETS.