National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-12-05
Defiance 10 Yellow Fever.
What saved New Orleans ana Mobile,
and Might Have saved Memphis ana
Shreveport .-santtary science.

citation DIR. Russell read two pape
written by DR.. Alfred W, Perry. Heall
Inspector of New Orleans. The fir
: subject, Quarantine without Obstru,
ton 10 Commerce, began with hist,
nv Of the importation of infectious dir
eases aud the cilo rts that have bee
made in every sea port to prevent til
spread of dangerous malndies from yes
sells to the shore. Great opposition la
been met in the conflicting opinions o
medical men and from merchants an,
owners OF vessels who have been sub
jected to great losses and expense b,
the delay necessary.
Recorded cases, continues DIR
Perry, "prove conclusivoly that yes
sci infected with fellow fever ought t.
be detained in Quarantine at least fifty
days, and cases may be offered to show
that time alone cannot be trusted Il
eradicate the germs Of the disease.
Cases were cited of two vessels at diff.
ferent periods which sailed from ports
infected with yellow fever, and after n
voyage of over forty days across the At
laniic, during which there were no signs
of The disease being on board, arrived
in Swansea, Wales. The vessel had
been moored to the wharf and the crews
discharged in good health. Yellow fever
attacked the stevedores VINO uhloaded
the vessels, and IN both instances the
injection spread INTO the town ana many
died.
The old method of disiniecting n ves-
sci was to fumigate the different sec
tlons, and throw quantity OF chloride
OF limo INTO the bllge water. ms
could not destroy iile germs lurking IN
the crevlces OF me VeSsei ana cargo,
ana THESE were llhplo 10 ne deVeioped
under favorable conditions AT any time:
Inc only way To destroy the germs OF
infections diseases Is 10 use gaseohe,
ana when inns agent mas peeh properly
no VeSSei heed ne detained
n quarantine over t"ehty,ionr hours.
mus AL the advantages OF u s'rlcteSt
quarantine can be secured without de-
hy or loss NO elther master, owner, or
merchant. me expense OF dlsihitcting
vessel VIII gAseohe IS comparatively
very small, ana the mothod OF appilca-
IAN simple. Snlphurous acid gas I'M
oregnated with carbalic acid IS mingled
with hot air from furnace TO produce
he gasecone. Acommon blower run 10y
he engine OF the vessel or steam tug
noored alongside forces the 8aseone
trough flexible pipes INTO every cram
~ and crevlce OF the vessel and cargo.
uhltes with ana thoroughly disln- .
ects the bllge water. From four to |
TX hours Application OF the gaseone is
uihclent to destroy every germ of dis
use III the worst infected vessel pos
lhle, md the cargo may be discharged /
'ithin twenty-four hours with perfect
atety. The cargo cannot be injured !
y the gaseone.
The second paper showed the certain
with which district in Il city attack I
d with epidemic malignant fever may I
e made healthy by the free use of dis
ifectants. 1t was from New Orleans I
hat the disease was carried TO .
Memphis, and other towns
4 which it was so malignant as to near
' depopnlate them. But for the viPor-
us action Of tho Board of Health, New
'rleans would undoubtedly have suf-
'red rs severely as the other cities.
The first week in August the Board
Health began to disinfect extensive
with carbolic acid all places in which
elbow fever has appeared. This was
one by sprinkllng all the yards, alleys,
nj drains with crude carbolic acid
ON hand sprinkling pots, using seven
gallons 10 each square. This de-
royed any germs of disease on the
'ound, and prevented their spread over
her parts Of the same square. Thirty
hole and twenty-one half squares
here there had been yellow fever were
IN the Fourth District, one
the worst III New Orleans, and in
NY seven OF these areas We're there
~ subsequent cases Of the disease.
efore the dlsinfectlon, there had been
nety-one cases, aftcrward there were
NY eleven. OF population of 5,223, t
whom l,2l9 We're liable to be attack
by the disease, seven and three-tenths l
n cent took yellow fever before the l
ca had been dlsinfccted. After dis |
lection only nine-tenths of one per
MT. were attacked. In one square
ere were SIX cases OF yellow fever be-
cen August 10 and September 8. The
uare was disinfected by Septem- v
+ ID, and there has been no sub o
luent cases there. In the other |
uares disinfection by crude carbolic h
id was invariably followed Ivy total W
5sation of the disease Thus the 81
lue of disinfection has been shown n
city containing every principle &
to the development of terri ii
epldemics. o
Prof Chandler detailed the use of h
'infectants. III e crude dead oil, a Al
oduct of coal, hich has very dis re
reeable odor brt is very cheap, is the o
st dlsinfectant ,or streets and privies. i'
rs OIL costs but ten cents II gallon. b
lie refuse zinc of manufacturers il re- h
ced by chlorine, and this fluid mixed Il
III the dead oil pivas n metallic d;e ! pl