The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-28

Hfreira-" Devil Take the Hindmost'
-TheSCold Shoulder from our Neigh
bors-A Clean Bill of Health for the
Manhattan.
To unaccustomed ears there is something
so awe.insprlng in the very name OF yellow
Fever that it is not surprising that the stran-
gers within our gates have been considerably
alarmed. some of them having moved bag and
baggage upon the first wild reports that fever
had made It's appearance. There was reason
for this decentralization; and those who have
homes elsewhere, or who have no duties to
discharge in Charleston, were, perhaps, right
if they did not delay in winging their fight to
the pine-lands of summerville, the magnificent
distances OF Columbia, or the bustling cities OF
the North and West. Selfpreseryation Is the
first law OF nature, and the refugees had no
idea of being caught mapping. And yet, while
there is abundant reason for care and
precaution, there is no cause for NOR
tai alarm The disease, if spreading at
all, is moving with slowness which
contrasts auspicIously with the usual rapidlty
ofits strides. The number OF new cases is in
significant, and the deaths, from all causes,
are below the average. This is encouraging.
and should serve to disabuse the timid ones of
the idea that, because there Is fever in the
city, half the resident population are doomed
to die. A few days ago 1t was reported In Au-
gusta that Charleston had hardly enough
healthy inhabitants to nurse the sick and bury
the dead. This, as We know, was a fearful
exaggeration, considering that from the be-
ginning, more than month ago, we have had
less than dozen deaths by fever; but the ten-
dency OF The alarmed mind Is to magnify the
danger hundred-told, If only as an excuse
for Its own fears, and this disposition should
be carefully guarded against. At this moment
the situation is grave, but there is still room
for the hope that the disease will not be wide
spread, and that 1t will not become serious
epidemic.
PROGRESS OF THE DISEASE.
Since the publication of the report of the
Medical Society, dated Friday noon. a few new
cases of yellow fever have been reported to
the health officer, and one or two deaths. as
ia usual at such times, almost every case Of
illness, from any cause whatever, is. looked
upon with suspicion, il not with alarm. This
disposition to be frightened, however, we are
glad to see, is diminishing, and the public
mind is in fair way, we think, to look calm
ly and hopefully even at the visitation, and
manfllly frown down all unnecessary scare,
and all disposition to exsggeration.
GOLDEN RULES.
Every resident OF Charleston who is not ac-
climatized, or who is likely to have lost his ac-
cimatization, should be careful to avoid, as
far as possible, al occasions of danger. The
general rules may be summed up thus:
l. Keep your lot clean, and make liberal
use of dislniectants.
2. Avoid the night air, and stay within
doors after sunset When obliged to 60 out at
night, use an umbrella.
3. Be temperate in eating and drinking, par
tlcularly the latter.
4. Be cleanly in your habits. Cold water
never kills.
5. AS soon as you feel unwell, send for your
physician. The usual symptoms OF fever are !:
An acute pain in the head, of the kind known
as sick headaches; severe pain in the back; a
chill, such as the Chickahominy swamps gave
the bare.footed boys In war times. When you
have the chill, or the back-ache or the head
ache, send TO, the physician post-haste. Better
cry Wolf than be too late in sounding the
alarm.
6. Keep cool.
Any person who follows these general rules
stands good chance of escaping from the
clutches of fever. For this fever, with early
medical attendance and good nursing, is not as
fatal as small pox, or cholera, or 'country fever
or other diseases which might be named. The
early cases are the worst, because the sick, un.
conscious of the gravity Of the case, are tardyin
taking the proper remedies, but, unless the
disease is of a peculiarly malignant type, the
actual mortality, where proper care is taken,
is extremely small.
THE RADICAL OFFICIALS.
The alarm Of sickness has shown the charac.
ter of most of the Radical officials In all their
native deformity. The Mayor "sticks" for the
present, but with that exception nearly the
whole covey have winged their flight North
ward: General Gurney, the county treasurer,
is away, and the duties of his responsible Office
are discharged by inexperienced subordinates.
Sheriff Mackey has not shown his head for some
weeks, but he is reported to be sick in New
York. The coroner, Mr. TAFT, slipped of some
time ago, and makes no sign of returning
But worst of all Is the case Of Captain jerks,
the city inspector. This official has charge oi
the streets. 1t is his duty to keep the city
clean and wholesome. BY neglecting this
work, while ''grinding axes" for Mayor Pills
bury, he allowed Charleston to become indies.
cribably filthy. Upon his shoulders rests the
main responsibility for that wanton disregard
Of the plainest sanitary rules which brought
the fever upon US. Immediately after the
election he went to the North, where he stays.
As for the city he leaves her, ike a cast
off mistress, 10 perish from the disease which
he has given her. These Radical officials are
nne-weather birds. They will draw their pay
while the sun shines, but they fee like the
wind at the first note Of danger. What do the
colored voters who lin fact) elected these men
| to Office, think Of their conduct now +? For dis
ease Is no respecter Of persons. The blacks
as we'll as the whites must suffer from The
criminal carelessness OF the Radical office.
holders. Shall not this be remembered al The