The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-03-18
The Health of charleston.
TO THr EDITOR OF Tak NEWS.


tits now nearly eleven years since this city has
been visited by severe epidemic yellow fever; and
nearly Ave years SINCE the disease has prevailed In
our u.ids!-except few sporadic cases almost evory
season which have been dsnomina'ed malarial ycl-
low fever by the supporters Of Akins subdivision OF
latter years, Of specific and nalaril yellow fever
Tho Sou; u;hern practitioners, who have 1een accus-
toned for long lifetime to combat this Terrible enc
my Of mankini, know Of but one type OF this dis
ease->pechc vel ow fever. And although OF latter
years there 8 been some discussion and divers
opiuion relative 10 It's Importation or ori9inauns In
our midst from local cruises, it Is generally conceded
that yellow fever Ia specific disease, and not at all
dependent upon maaral poison miasmsts.
Itis proposed to show the course OF this article,
that it is the duty OF the guardians Of the public
health to prevent all nuisances that from former
per,ence has had tendency to generate and propa-
gate this seourge heretofore 10 the CITY. Let the
city ordinances heretofore pass9d based upon the
experience OF scientific observers, rcmnin IN full
force until that experience has been fully tested by
tune. From the year 1907 to the present time, the
lea,ned observers of the medioI profession enter
tanned the o inion that the filling of the low lands
around the city with the soavsns GERS ofl, sawdust
and rice chaf was detrimental 10 the health OF the
city, AMI one OF the most prolific causes fol- the
origin and propagation of yellow and the other ty-
phus nd typhoid tevsrs. The subject was frequent
ly brought before the City Council by medical
members OF that body. year af.er year, without
effect Alter the fatal epidemic of 1858. the Conn
miites on Streets aud Quarantine again urgea the
passage Of ordinance pieve ting this deleterious
deposit Of tho scaveng re- ofL within any portion
OF the city; and th l8 January, 1859. reatr1ct
ing ordinance ratified proh ng ituuder penal.
ties. Previous to the passage OF this ordnance.
tue residents oi wcet eud Of u, auiaiu and Broad.
strecs. after repeated cG,rts With Council to pre-
vent 1t without ayil. "appied to Chancellor Ward.
law OF tue Equity Court for relief by injunction on
s4th june 1853. To restrain tho City council,
their officers, agents. servants and workmen, from
deposing or placiug tho con;onts OF priyy vaults,
sravengers' dirt, city offA aud garbage, the dead
Of auna's, decayed and decaying vegetable
matter, &c. &C., upon any Of the streets OF tue city
west o. Ruedge street. inclusive, until Tho Is: day
of recember next the furthor order Of the court.
On the 10th March. 1856, Chancellor Dargan or
dered that the injunction agu,Ist tho defendant.
lCitv Couuc,l 10th July. 1863 granting SAID de-
cree, be be'exlendel and IN lde pcrpeiua.."
these Proceedings in equity finally stopped the
OF city fill vest of Ruu Ggo-s rect Tic result
has been manifest and the wisdom of tue chance lor
in protecting the inhabitants OF that section OF the
city has saved mluy hf,. It's v.ry much to be
regretted thai the injunction had not inclidcl tho
whole city west u Hingstrcct; if 1t had, the Iesi-
dents OF smith. ;trco. would not uow bc exposed the
approaching season. to the dcle::rious cd 81 aud
- oO.,I o., ,l,o,y
nom tho experience Of The clc-c observers i'll tho
mcdira profession. that this IL ID. OF filing up lots
for private individuals or public squares is pcrnl-
cions TO tho general we faro and h, alth ol the
city; a. d sections If the city previous perfectly
healthy at all seasons and exempt from yellow f-ycr.
were subscq iently no moro exempt thIu tic other
sections
1he late DR. Joseph Johnson who, daring long
and useful life dc. oicd 10 tulyncc, hnln.ny, and
ever good deed thas bcucfiltcd his sjrres says in
an add css Delivered before the Med cal oe;e;y of
south Gar1,iua in 1871 oil yellow ivy.T: ..OpseI-
vatiou points to tue draias aud other rcrcp aces and
deposit OF filth az tho sourcc o. lis ben: Reason
conv,nces us that if these recep;@ces OF fifth
were Gle auscd OF their puiref ins conten's 10
prcveI 1t cxhalato1s this HYDRA Cyelow foyer) ull
not exist" To illus iate our ol jccion to The use of
tho cit. oal being used for filling low lots with the
view US sated "of bringing taxes into the .r, asury.
will quote from Very abic report 10 the City coun-
ell on February s. 1856, on cerain memorials, &C..
rcfcr.ed to Special Commiliee on the Health and
Drai1aac Of ihe city: "Ihc diseases which intcst
communities o. capa lie of division into two grand
classes, we'll drdued and distinct WHOM view d in
their types OF ideal representatives. but rerg'nS or
blending in each. under celtlin circumstances, to
euch degroe as to reader the line OF demarkation
for certain of them very wavering and indistinct.
4 ofan nf nlllo