Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-08-07

THE YELLOW FEyER.


Don't star, ,dearresder. Take il eoolly.
We do not propose 10 frighten you. The
much-dreaded disease is nowhere to be
heard of on the North American cOnti-
nent, and is neither to be expected nor
anticipated. This We have been at some
pains and expense to ascertain, our
health officer, DIR. NuttaIl, having stated
otherwise on official authority fiOn New
Orleans. The doctor, in his report to
the mayor and general council Of the
city yesterday, copy of which will be
found in the report Of the proceedings OF
the aldermen and councilmen in another
column, says:
Ihavs ohclsl information from the health
officer OF New orleans OF the appearance Of
yellow fever in that city. II hehooyes US,
there sore, 10 observe The utmost vigilance and
precaUtiOn. Though not yet an epidemic, we
may reasonably expect that it win assume
that form. from its appearance al 50 early a
date.
Upon reading this, on Tuesday night,
We became somewhat alarmed, as who
would not? and, fearing another panic,
such ss has cost not only Memphis, but
New Orleans, Nashville and other cities
hundreds of thousands, if not millions, OF
dollars, we determined to learn for our
selves, and forthwith telegraphed the
. P1canme, knowing the conductors of
that paper to be well informed and re-
liable, and here is the answer:
NEW ORLEANS, August 5.-There was not a
single death from yellow-fever in The board
of health's report for the week ending August
81. There Is no official or private an
nOuncement that the fever il prevalent in the
city, and il was never more healthy at this
Managing Editor Picayune.
Our readers in the country as well as
in the city, and those especially along
the great river whose commerce we
anxiously wish to see restored, will read
the above dispatch from Mr. Dill with
pleasure. God knows, the condition Of
New Orleans is bad enough without
making it worse by the circulation Of
yellow-fever reports. Through the self
ishness Of lazy, thieving politicians,
white and black, she has been well nigh
ruined. Property has declined more
than one-half in value, taxes
have been doubled, and as a re-
suit, many of her most enter
prising merchants have gone to st.
Louis and elsewhere. Her people,
thrown out OF work and fed upon daily
excitement, the result of political plot
tings and -plottings, like old
tOpers, look for something whereby to
sustain their morbid appetites. Aud so
the place is in a continual ferment, to
the detriment of trade and the interests
of commerce. Is it not time TO put
stop to all this? And is it not the inter-
est OF all the neighbOEing cities to lend
a helping hand to put stop to it? We
think so, and shall do our part in the
neighb0rly work. There is no yellow
fever in New Orleans, the official
statement to our health-officer to
the contrary Notwithstanding. He
has been misinfor.ned, or else the
health-officer Of New Orleans writes
one thing to him, and prints another in
the papers of that city. Let us not raise
the cry of "wolf, wolf" when the raw
enOus creature is nowhere near. The
yellow fever has visited Memphis just
twice in her history, and may never
visit Us again, very likely never viii.
But whether or not, We should keep our
house in order. We should not relax
our vigilance for the general health. The
streets and alleys should be kept clean,
baek-yards should still be looked after
by our sanitary sergeant, and garbage
should not be permitted to accumulate
anywhere We believe in vigilance on
the part of our sanitary force, but We
respectfully demur to all suggestions of
panic where there is no foundation for it.
We have had enough Of that sort of
thing, and it was to assist in allaying it
that the people demanded the general
council should appoint board of health,
whose duty it should be, not to
speculate on what may be, but to state
what is and see that the heAlth-Ordi-
nances are enforced. We regret thus to
differ from DIR. Nuttall, for we believe
him to be jealous and faithful, but no
one man should be allowed TO stand for
a moment in the way of the general in
teresis. So believing, we have written
As We have. Memphis has paid too
dearly for panics, and cannot afford TO
pay for any more.