Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-09
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.

Thirteen hundred cases of smallpox were
reported as existing in Baltimore Jan. q,
1878; and the humble, Of deaths during the
week ending Jan. 20, was l19. The NOR
tuary report of the city of Washington fer
December shows 219 deaths, of which los
were from smsllpox-nearly one half of the
whole. One-eighth of all the deaths in
Philadelphia last year were caused by this
mslady, which spares no age nor vigor of
constitution. Judging from what we read
of the disease in New York, Brooklyn,
Boston and other cities, If is on the increase
10 the country. Can nothing more be done
either with, or without vaccination, to
Danish this terrible scourge from the land2
So far as We have seen the medical writ
ers who condemn vaccination as q odelu-
sion," and an injury to the public, propose
no other preventive. This is an implied
confession that no other, which is known to
them, has their confidence. But to do
nothing to stay the sweep of pestilence
when spreading everywhere, and killing its
hundreds and thousands, indicate a pro-
found stupidity, and elinging to the old
ideas Of fatalism, rather than an enlighten-
ed view of the public welfare. The simple
fact that one hundred and nineteen victims
have persisted in one week in Baltimore,
and that thirteen hundred more are marked
for possible sacrifice, should arouse the in
tellect of the continent to the consideration
Of this subject. Admit, as thousands
contend, that vaccination is no
safeguard, how can we best deal
with this organic contagion? There should
be more rigid separation and isolation Of
all diseased persons from those liable to
catch and spread the small pox. Ameri-
cans appear to be SO regardless of human
life that they cheerfully witness the fall of
victims by the thousand every year to the
demon called contagion, rather than put
themselves to little temporary inconve-
nience, and put out at once, and perhaps
forever, the fire Of this demon. There are
many instances, or situations, in which it is
mans highest wisdom to fight fire by the
use of fire, and the case under considera-
ton seems to be one of them.
All possible contagious particles have an
animal or vegetable origin; and therefore
are organic and combustible. No matter
how saturated with smallpox virus a pa
TENTS shirt may be, if burnt in close
stove or oven, fire viii kill the life Of all
morbi6c germs. They will be as dead as
the spores of moss ard mildew or the eggs
of insects treated in the same way. Is it
possible to exterminate on plain its prim-
tive forests, elk, deer, bears and wolves
By the common labor Of civilized man,
nothing is easier, nothing more likely to
happen. Why not apply this power (and
not the ten thousandth part of it will be
reqaired), to kill ali of the living seeds of
smallpox? The work to be done is plain
simple aud easily understood. Every pa
tient must either die or recover. In either
case, let the disease 60 no further. 1t is
conceivable that contsgion may contain
money for some, and its extinction be re-
garded as loss TO private interests. 1t is
painful 70 make such a suggestion. But
private interests are encroaching constantly
on public duty. VIII an intelligent public
insist that writer for the press shall be 81
lent in ell such cases? or allow him to show
plainly that the so-called necessity that
feeds, clothes and propagates such conta-
gioUs diseases as smallpox and syphilis, is
precisely the same as that which adulter-
ates liquors, drugs, medicines, and
many groceries. There is such thing as
choice between one condition and another.
If the public mind deliberately chooses and
fosters adulterated liquors, medicines, gro
ceries, and all manner of contagious dis
eases herewith, there is no way to prevent
such indulgence. There are scores of pa
rers thai plead for such indulgences as
necessary evils, with no other stopping
place short Of murder, and death in other
forms by violence. How can society plant
in the minds of its youth the seeds Of such
vices and principles, and not reap harvest
of death?