Semi-weekly Louisianian., 1871-09-10
LECTURE
RECENTLY DELIVERED At STRAIGHT
= UNIVERSITY.
BY J. Il. NEWMAN, M d.
(coTINURD FROM LAST NUMBER.

(cOTINURD FROM LAST NUMBER.
When yellow fever prevails in q city.
it is often arrested by the interposition
OF q street not more than sixty feet
wide: it advances to the east or north
Of the street, but goes no farther.
While those on one side suffer, those
on the other side escape. The same
is true OF cholera. How is this phe-
nomina to be explained? Place on
each side of the street Thermometer
a barometer, hygrometer and
a pluoviameter, and they will show
the air in both places to be precisely
alike in heat, weight and moisture, as
in the changes it undergoes and the
rain it percipitates.
To no difference then can the health
fulness of different places be ascribed.
But one source of solution remains.
The disease arises from subtitle cause
or poison which reaches the street but
does not cross it. A stream Of water
has done the same on the same princi-
pies.
Again, yellow fever or common bill
ous fever is raging along the banks of
a large river, ship is lying at cables
length from the shore. Provided the
vessel is kept clean, the crew will con-
time to be healthy, unless they be
permitted to come ashore, in which
case they will suffer the prevailing
disease.
This il a common occurrence which
no sensible difference in the atmos-
phere can explain. No difference ex-
lists in them. At the edge of the water
and a few hundred feet from it where
the ship lies those elements are the
same. But there is a miasm at the
former place which does not exist at
latter, hence tbs difference as relates
to the disease. Some deny the exist
enca Of bilious malaria at all. Were
this true, we would never see bihous
lever
But they say it is the heated moist
atmosphere; which, If true, no watel
course would ever be free from billions
ferer. Now l will ask the question
From what source or sources does bill
Gus malaria arise2 From animal ol
Vegetable matter, more especially the
latter. ....
When l say dissolution, I do moi
mean putrefactiOn, because bilious
fever often prevails where no putrefac
ton is discoverable.
But dissolution by which I mean o
their elements producing dead organic
matter and the reunion of those ele
ments forming a new compound.
In no other way can malaria be form
ed. am then asked, What is essen
tial to the production OF malaria?
will answer that question. -Four ele
ments, viz: Dead organic matter;
high temperature; atmospherieal air
water in moderation. What particuial
process depends Op atmospherical air
know not. But there is reason t.
believe that it does play an important
part. In the generation of miasm, ail
must be present.
In citing vegetable matter as tn.
cause of malaria, it is not my intentio,
to exclude animal matter, especial,
animals of low organization. 1t is high
ly probable that they unite with vege
table matter in process of dissolution
and aid in the general effect. My oh
iect il this: when the latter is more ex
tensive, then malaria is generated when
, 1 ever tilcSC ttitt
for some time, malaria is at issue. Bu
, if one or more meet, then miasm j
formed. If these clements are absent
, miasm cannot he found. Is heat want
ed, as in winter, no poison is generated
Is moisture wanting, as is the case il
summer, then health prevails. If clean
illness is preserved by the removal o
all animal and vegetable matter, III
production Of malaria is simply impos
sible. The same is true if waite
abOunds, so as to food the vegetabl
mass. Hence, your marshes are health
during the overflow. But when thi
: subsidies, the suns rays become We,
teal, then bilious malaria is present
Death sharpens his scythe and reap
his thousands. Does any one doub
, that the causes here mentioned are nc
productive of bilious malaria? To In
mind the evidence is conclusive.