Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-09-21


paragraphs from a paper published by M in
the New York Medical Record, April /, 1859, in
which you will discover that my experience and
OF inions substantially correspond with DR.. Nor
cams. A year ago published in the Philadel-
phs AcdicGl Times, under the caption OF Med
cal Notes." brief paper, in which the same
doctrine i reiterated.
Very truly yours,
JAMES Z. REEVES. VI. D.,
City Health Officer.
[F.cm the Nsig York Medical Record, April l. lS6al
For almost twenty years L have tried 10
study the natural history and causes o. euteric
or typhoid fever. In thirteen OF the mountain
counties of West Virginia, (then Virginia. the
most salubTiOuS in the state, the disease came
unheTslded, [is52.l and pursued its fearful
march without respect TO age, sex, or condition.
Neither did il regard locality; for there was
scarcely a neighbcThOOd in that wide eNpansa of
elevated country which was not, sooner or later,
visited and scOurged to the death OF some OF its
victims. The towns and villages did not, a
rule, suffer more seriously than the delightfully."-
situated country settleme nts, including farm
houses OF all descriptions, and built upon the
hlll-tops, in the valleys, on the mountain side,
along creeks and rivers, and far OFF from the
pernicious influences of decaying vegetable and
animal matter, marshy lands, stagnant pools
ana drains, and tthy setcers. = BY that
most impressive experience learned to enter
tain Certain opinions concerning the specific
character ard causes of typhoid feyer-opinions
which, though have grown much older, and, /
trust, wiser, since they were received, have
been strengthened and confirmed by subse-
quent patient study of the disease in all its parts
the most efficient of the supposed pIedisposing
and exciting causes, what the precise nature OF
the atmospheric causatives and terrene depend
encies, which are constantly operative in the pro-
ducuonsof the disease; in other words, whether
the influence of season, its temperature and
moisture-the changes in the electrical conii-
ton OF the atmosphere-the quantity, either di-
minIshed or in excess, OF OZ0ne-tbe presence
of myriads of microscopic substances endowed
with vegetable and with animal life which,
from unknown causes, are developed in the at
mOsphere we breathe, and are thus brought in
contact with the lungs and other mucous sur
faces; or whether poverty with its scarcity OF
food ard clothing; fatigue, the depressing emo
tons OF fear, grief, and anxiety; defective sew
erage, contaminated drinking water, open cess
pools, i'll ventilated dwellings. och, esis "civic
masm," in word, which OF these, or how
many of them combined, are the essential pro-
ducIng agents of typhoid fever, I am quite una
bic to tel; but do know certainly that the dis
ease breaks out from time to time in the same
or in different localities without asSignable
cause, and in the midst of very different sani-
tary surroundings. Ill-ventiation, over-crowd-
ing, foul air, accumulated fifth, the opening of
sewers, cesspools, and the gaseous products of
animal and vegetable decomposition, no doubt
have much influence, but in the language OF
DIR. Guy, are these not more often the nurse than
the parent?
"If these causes-any of them, or several of
them acting together-afforded the specific
poison of typhoid fever, then there are certain
localities in Wheeling, and in every other city in
the land, not TO mention many country places,
where the disease should constantly be found.
How many localities in our midst which month
after month, and year after year, are reeking
and seething with all manner of filth? What is
Wheeling creek, for the distance of a mile
above its junction with the Ohio, but i'm
mense open cesspool? Go into the neighborhood
Of the slaughter houses, the soap and tallow-
chandler establishments situated near the banks
OF this sluggish stream, and from which issue
sickening gases from the decomposition OF ami
nal matter Of such concentrated strength that
many citizens whose residences are afar off
dread a wind from that direction, and inquire If
typhoid fever is very common among those who
breathe constantly the horribly odoriferous at
mosPhere? In the same direction, look at tn 4.
condition of the Hempfield railroad track in the
immediate vicinity of the East Wheeling Glass
Works, which, for more than a hundred yards, is
worse than dozen open filthy privies, because
Of the continual deposit of human excreta be-
tween the cross-ties-and is typhoid fever m pre-
common in these localities among the employees
OF these establishments, than in the best and
most delightfully."- situated neighborhoods of the
city,. among the families of merchants aud
thrifty tradesmen? No. DO the city scavengers
and those who E1E the seICerS' suffer more ire
quently from the disease than other people? No
Tie men employed to cleanse the streets AMI
sewers grow fat aud sleek from their filthy
labor.
"The whole truth is this: the dens of fifth
and sources Ct the fOulest emanatious in our
midst, as rule, are not the usual hr6ltuts OF
typhoid fever, which would otherwise certainly
be the case were the influences just AIMED the
parent Of its specific poison. / do not mean to
say that the residents of these filthy localities
are exempt frcm the disease-yery Tar from il;
but L do say that II quite as frequently alta :ks
those in easy life-the better classes, so called;
and exhibits marked preference for the
young, and those who live upon high OF elevated
grounds, and for the fall and winter seasons OF
the year. Exactly scarlet FOYER, di .,htheria,
measles, chicken-poX, and ether epidemic
eruptive diseases come around in uncertain
cycles, and break oct without trace of con-
Decti0n with antecedent cases in cities, towns
villages, schools. work-houses and country
places, etc, so does typhoid fever appear; but
when fully developed il may then be communi-
Gated from person TO person, and under favor
able circumstances for its propag alton, a wide
spread visitation ensue."