The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1873-04-02

upon several hundred acres of land
flows iuto this pond, bringing with it
Of course, great amount Of deoaying
vegetable matter, not visible, but in
a state of solution, or infusion to be
spread over and deposited upon the
surface Of the ground, and in few duys,
b. the subsidencc Of the water,t to he
exposed to the rays Of the sua. This
repeated at every heavy rain, must
produce concentrated sodrcc Of ina
laria. It may be asked again, why it
is that this portion Of the to"p has
heoon.2 unhenltky only Of .ato jcars,
Whereas shH sill pond has o.i.trd
here for many years. The reply IS.
thst i, MS formally q pond, now it is
Il Li2 y"o"H!, anhiec; to frequent in
undatiHns. PonJ, ara not fruitful
sources Of m.l;,ria 80 long ne they are
ponds, and are comparatively in
noxious, as it is only agound their
margins that dec.yinE vegetable mat
ter is exposed to he solar heat. Many
portions of the country havo become
subject to malatious. diseases that
we're formerly exempt. T6o reason
is, that what wero originally narrow
ruvines where water would flow off
apidly, have, by the washing in Of
sand, mud and vegetable debris, be-
como broad ow,grounds, subject to
frequent foundations and deposits, and
subsequent exposure to tho rays of the
sun. While such sources of malaria
exist We may look for the natural re-
suits. That this pond is focus Of
malaria, is proven by the fact that
the habitants suffer almost in ex act
proportiofi to their proximity to the
pond; and the direction in which they
hsppe to reside from it. The sum-
mer bre eaes prevail gonerally from
the west ana The soltG- west, and
would o.rry tho em.qations from anY
point towards thb csst and north e ast,
and it is just in the:e, localities We
find the fevsrs and their Consequences
most prevailing. During ,the sum.
mcr Of 1871, a oonpany of U. s: Cay
airy camped in the forest near the
pond. This company consisted OF
about 80 mon, not more than one, fifth
escaped malarial fever. They were
healthy when they arrived here. In
1885, regiment Of U. S. Infantry,
oamped in tie Same place and suffered
so much from the Same disease that
they removed to the woods then in
rear Of the College and became
healthy.
Now for the remedy-if the above
premises be correct, the remedy ma.
turally suggests itself. The rainfall
cannot be prevented, the decompoai.
tion Of vegetable matter cannot be
prevented, but their accumulation
and retention in a certain locality,
may be prevented, and to this must
our citizens look for rodem ption.
A thorough and deep draining of
this pond; or rather, this lowground, :,
it is believed would be the means and
the only meanS Of restoring the for.
mcr good health Of this afflicted por.
tion of our towH. This could be
easily done by the destruction of the
dam, and by no other means that the
Committee Gao suggest: The re-
moval Of the: dam 1t is Believed would
be alone sufficient to cause thorough
draining Of the grounds by the wash
ing out of deep channel, and thus
prevent their FREQUENT foodings:
The Coiiimittcc believe they have
indicated tbs. ,tr;ic eausc of the un-
healthiiieSs of tic Western potion of
the town, and also the remedy. 1t Is
for the Authorities to act If any
thing is done, of course It,, will be
done in manner not to confliot with
private interests. 1t is believed that
this portion of the town can be made
rs healthy rs the rest, Which will
compare favorahl = with any town or
country in our climate, and the value
Of Tho property in this locality also
greatly cnhanccd,
As the Geocrai health Of the town
Is good, with the cxccption Of u,ala-
rial diseases, it would seem nnn ccsasa-
ryto speak Of other causes o! disease.
But it is not amiss to say that some
of the yards and lots are IN 3 condi.
tion that would not be considered safe
in more crowded town or city, aud
that our exemption from some dis.
seases is duo to the natural free ven
tilation Of thinly settled town.
But this exemption may not always
continue: There are sometimes sea-
sons of protracted calm, when tho at.
mostphere itself as it seems almost be.
comes stagnant-at such times the
accumulation Of filth and garbage
about many promises might bo sufli-
oient to proaIce serious diseases, such
as typhoid fever; dysentery, diarrhoea,
cholera morbus, cholera inphantum,
etc. AS those nearest the unwholeso "a 0
deposits are most apt to suffer, it be-
hoovcs all to guard themselves by a
thorough clcansibg of their own psemi.
scs and babitations, and the use of dis.
infeotants when necessary, such as
sui lphate of iron tcoperas) and car
bolic acid and the chloride of lima