Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-10-01
DON'T.

In tho name OF mercy ana cOIn-
mon sense don't drain the ponds
and cess pools non!
By every sanitary consideration
we implore that our population be
not recklessly turned over to the
deadly miasmata to be evspOrated
from the rccking bottoms Of these
empticd ponds and pools. Hardly
could more deadly malaria be set
a1oat in the air than will come
from these sources; enough TO
generate the most fatal diseases, to
say nothing OF the irresistible eff
feet in advancing an epidemic
should yellow fever chance to come
here.
VIZ are taking a pretty bold pO-
sition on this question. We are
fully aware hal we 20 counter per-
haps to the dicta Of our ablest
medical men those who made the
recent sanitary report to the Board
of Aldermen.
But we cannot believe that the
portion Of said report which sug-
gests drainage was at all intended
to apply to stagnant water.
II cannot be that they mean to
draw of the water and leave the
filthy, Shiny pestilenc breeding
mass that forms the bottom ex-
posed to the suns chemical action
and to become absorbed In aud diff.
fused by the air broad cast through
out the city inhaled by all and
placing every inhabitant in the
very condition to fall an easy vic
tim to the first attack Of yellow fe.
yer! During the present threaten.
ing Of that dread disease by CON-
muniCation with New Orleans,
where, If 1t is no. epidemic, 1t GER
talnly gives good cause for the ut.
most prudence, not an unnecessary
spadeful Of dirt should be thrown
up or In any way disturbed, nor
should this highly dangerous plan
of drainage be attempted.
Such sanitary work ought to have
been done months ago; now 1t il
too late.
II will be almost murder to at
tempt 1t, W. feel assured, and in the
name and for the lives and safety o.
our people, we protest against it.
But there is a very wise and ex'
c%ellent suggestion ofthe late sani'
tary board which we do most hear
tily endorse that is, to disinfecI
the stagnant waters.
1t can be done perhaps SO thor
oughly that their Ill effects will b.
destroyed. Let this be done by al
means, and at once There is not {
moment-not a day-to lose. Every
day, every hour, Is breeding mias
mata from shrinking ponds ant
pools, and there should be q daily
at least weekly-labOr in using thl
various disinfectants about sucl
places.
Judge Cooley, of the Sixth Dis
trict Court, New Orleans, has sueC
an injunction against the Orlcan
railroad, for digging the stree
which runs by his house, upon tn
ground that such disturbance Of th,
earth at this season, is likely I,
create the malaria which produce
fever.
True, the decision Of the matter
after all, will be q scientific one
but our judgment sustains the pro
test that Judge Cooley make
against the Orleans roads up
! heaval Of fresh earth, which, by tn
/ chemical action Of the sun and aiI
E Is to exude pestilence in the fOrI
of malaria.
And we agree to a great exten
with the N. .. Times, which say
that guarantees "prove & useless
expensive aud burdensome con
> trivance, and that they never dir
and never will keep epidemics gu
OF a city which has the local cause
to create the same" The Time
continues:
; Guaranteed communities, on tn
!, other hand. rely entirely upon III
absolute security of an unpraCtiCa
BILE quarantine, and give little or n
. heed to other far more ~eiiicaciou
precautions.
The Times also quotes variou
excellent medical opinions as /
the baneful malarial effects Of dis
turbance of the stagnant waters, O
the soil, during the summer month";
at such times as there is the lea'
5 danger of diseases Of an epidemict
character.
We urgently press these view
upon the consideration Of our cit
ou.bo.iN;as au6 Nm aro eatiefa