The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-08-29
9itllnroud 1ispattlr,
UEsDAY........,...AUGUsT 20, 1871.
THE CIRCULATION OF THE DISPATCH
rs LARGER THAN THE COMBINED CIR
CULATION OF ALL THE OTHER DAILY
NEWSPAPERS OF THE CITY.
The Health OF Characterization Of
the Medical. Society.

At nm extra meeting Of the Medical So
ciety of South Carolina, held on August 18th,
the following paper was read, and 1t was
ordered that it be published In The daily
papers:
We, the members Of tho Medical Society
| OF South Carolina, feeling that our interests
| are inseparnbly connected with the city Oh
our residence and the home of our seec-
ton, fully alive to the advantages OF her
growth, her general prosperity, and also 10
her character for honesty, in view oil the
general circulation Of reports as TO the
prevalence OF pestilential disease, and the
manner in which such reports have been
dealt with by city officials, the Board of
Health, and the press of the city, think it
best to offer plain statement OF the facts
| connected with the present sanitary condl-
| tion OF the city.
In doing so it Is not our object to nrraign
| the action Of the constituted authorities. or
| step between them and their official duties,
or to pass judgment upon the course they
have thought proper to pursue. We desire
| simply to express our deliberate and honest
| conviction Us to the manner of meeting the
situation in which tho community finds
itself unfortunately placed, and to show by
our action that we are alive to the duty we
owe to our fclow-citizens who are making
constant appeals for information and adj
vice. Our purpose is to follow Truth
wherever she may lead; to affirm only
what can be substantiatcd to announce
nothing calculated to deceive the most
credulous to quiet unnecessary excite
ment and alarm, but ut the same time to
put every citizen in position to take such
stops as he may deem proper to subserve
his interest and protect his life.
fhnf Hynt
fever does prevail 10 q limited extent in the
city. The first case, as far as can be ascer-
tained, occurred as early as the 9th OF
July. Since that time there have been
tnoted, In all, perhaps as many as thirty five
cases. Out Of this number nine have
proved fatal; but, as in few instances,
uncertainty existed in the minds of the at
ltending physicians as to the true character
of the disease, and in few others, for pru.
dental reasons, the true name was with
held, and the mortuary certificates in the
possession Of the registrar show less than
the entire number Of deaths. The NOR
is exceedingly small, and would seem to
indicate mild form Of the disease.
Secondly, we are happy to state that the
large majority of the cases have occurred in
one locality. This would seem, in the
opinion of some Of us, to furnish the as
surauce that circumscribcd local influence
alone have favored the development or cX-
tension OF the disease, and that its area may
continue restricted.
Third. The period of time that has
elapsed since the report Of the first case
} declares u character OF disease not disposed
10 extend rapidly or widely.
| Fourth. There arc differences Of opinion
amongst ourselves rs to the probable cX-
tension of the disease in an epidemic form.
To the panic-stricken. however, we would
say, leave the city, if you can, Mt your ear
liest convenience, for fright is strong pre-
dispoSing cause of disease. TO the large
mass of our fetow-citizens, whose Interests
are identified with ours and with the city,
we would advise u patient waiting for fur
ther developments, unless residing in an
infected locality, and in the mean time; an
avoidance OF any excess or unnecessary
exposure. 7---~'@
l,ct each and every one, without COM
mcnting or aDinadVcrting upon the action
OF the powers that be, who in his opinion
may have by sins OF omission or commits
sion invited the pestilencc, use his best Gu
crgics TO carry out, under proper direction,
those sanitary measures Of known value In
staying the ravages OF disease that Ill some
form or other, under the mysterious work
inos of an Ovcrruling Providence, Is ut
times destined to visit every community.
Il. nj. ROBERTSON, Nj. D., President.
Official: MANNING SlaoNs, III. D., Secrc.