The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-12-04
Modes Of Spreading Disease.

In these days of wonderful migration,
said DIR. Hunt, of New Jersey, in the
Convention of the American Health As
sociation, the facilities for spreading
disease are greatly multiplied, and it is
difficult to say what village or railroad
cluster may become new centre for
propagation. 1t has not unfrequently
happened that variola, diptheria, cere-
bro-spinal meningitis, or cholera have,
IN some comparatively sparce locality,
shown such virulence as not only to
cause destruction pro rata to cities, but
have formed centre for departure all
the more severe because of the terror of
the inhabitants, and their recognition
of the fact that no efficient methods are
at hand to check the ravages. When q
fire breaks out in a city there is less
panic as well as real protection in
the feeling that the first ll-stroke
starts engines for relief, but when lit
tie country street gets on fire, or a frame
house, it burns as if conscious of un-
checked independence. To some de-
gree this is true of disease in all coun-
try districts, for although the physician
is at hand to treat, he, of all others,
most feelingly knows how utterly help
less he often is in securing the needed
sanitary conditions. In the year 1866,
as member of the New Jersey Sani-
tary Commission, L was ordered by tele-
graph to proceed to a village near Rari-
tan River and report as to the existence
of cholera there. was soon afterward
waited upon by one of its physicians,
informing me of the outbreak. found
on immediate visit that when the dis
ease had broken out, and patient OF
two had died of it, physician resident
in the town had sought for authority to
obtain disinfectants and to destroy the
bed and clothing, which had been sold
at auction the day after the deaths, and
before the facts we're known. 1t was in
vain that the Township Committee were
addressed, rs they said the law gave
them no authority. The physician,
therefore, amid the maledictions or par
ties concerned, set fire to the lounge
and bed material, which had been soiled,
and railroad company gave him an
order for disinfectants. He visited all
persons exposed, and treated each case
of dlarrhea occurring, and we believe
this prompt action on his part prevent
ed the spread of the contagion, and vet
he did it in despite of authority, and
while officers were waiting for power to
act and criticising his conduct. This
is but specimen of what is constantly
occurring, or is liable to occur, in all
villages and country districts. A neigh
Dor may have foul closet, or neglected
drain, or slaughter-house nuisance,
half-buried dead animal may be lying
rottlng in the neighborhood, smallpox,
or other disease, in virulent form may
have broken out in some locality, or
some other source of physical evil may
what shTond hT Re ben99Snzed 9SSnn5z IS aJe by Santary
it, and yet in our own country and vii
lage districts only those who have had
the experience know how difficult it is
to act in the premises. There is both
lack of authority and greater lack of
information as to the necessities of the
case, and very oftena nucleus of disease
is fostered and large cities have it fur
nished them pure and fresh from the
country.