Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-10-22
the FUTURE HEALTH OF MEMPHIS,
ny aKonaE ". orr.
SECOND PAPER.

]
Memphis. In the present l shall
show what other people do who are cir
cumstanced like ourselves.
The staticians tell Ms that within the
past City years no less than forty mil
lions of people have persisted with chol'
erAl compared with which aggregate the
ravages Of yellow fever is buta speck to
thunder cloud. The best medical
authorities long since get cholera down
as one of the diseases incurable by
treatment hence the ounce OF proven
ton was eagerly sought. From Paris
came the first CLEAN. The French sa-
wants announced that the cause OF the
disease had been discovered; that il was
living germ, and should be treated as
such. With this fact in hand, sanitari-
ans had but TO prepare to poison the
parasite, and prevent its multiplication,
in order to check the spread Of the dis
ease. Let us see how they have sue
ceeded. Doctor S. r. Clarke tells us
that in 1866 ne was President Of the
Board Of Health OF the city OF Balti-
more; that ,as soon as the dis
ease was known to be at those European
seaports which trade with America, and
from whence it was sure to be imported,
hygeinic measures, of the most strin-
gent character, were adopted. The city
was policed and inspected as thoroughly
as a military camp and the quaran-
tine from sea was made thoroughly
effective. When the disease made its
appearance in New York and Philadel-
phis, the precautions we're redoubled.
The agents of the Board Of Health were
ever present and untiring; not a point
was lost to keep the pestilence at bay,
aud not precaution was neglected for
his extirpation should he steal into the
citadel. Well what was the result OF all
this red tape and scientific tyranny?
Not case of cholera came TO Balti-
more. 1t passed by and struck Wash
ington, Richmond, and on to the south
ward, but he found no place to rest his
foot in the city guarded by an untiring,
watchlul and powerful board of health.
As an investment the Board Of Health
was success. Baltimore experienced
no check in her business, whilst all OF
her sisters felt the paralizing touch of
pestilence, more or less. During the
same season the battle in New York city
was carried on with the enemy within
her gates. The germs of the disease
passed through the quarantine and like
fires, ignited by spontaneous combus-
ton, broke out here and there over the
city. But it did not find the health guar
dams asleep. AS soon as a case was
pronounced a message went to the
Board of Health by telegraph instanter,
which dispatched its agents to the spot
with force and materials to disintect.
Amongst the first cases was one in a
house. Forthwith the patient
was removed to the hospital, leaving be-
hind clothing and bedding, which were
burned by fire. This was not
deemed sufficient, however, as the place
was crowded by squalid population,
and germs Of the disease might have
passed to others. So the order went out
to fumigate all the people and all their
effects, and send them to barrack pre-
viously prepared, and then thoroughly
cleanse and disinfect the premises. The
result was that only one of the people so
dealt with were attacked by the disease,
and in few days they returned to
their old quarters without fear.
Had these poor people been al
lowed to remain and imbibe the germs
of this dreadful pestilence half OF them
would have probably died, but enlight-
ened authority stretched forth its potent
hand and rescued them. The cholera
contagium is found in the excrementi-
tious matter of the sufeser, and there
the poison must be applied in order to
kill the parasite. Hence the Board of
Health guarded every case as it ap-
peared with the most jealous care. If
there existed the slightest reason to
doubt the fidelity Of nurses or attend
ants. in the matter of disnfecting fecal
matter, an agent of the Board was placed
On duty to do it. At the termination of
a case the Board was again on hand to
destroy everything likely to contain
germ. By these prompt measures the
city was freed from the dread destroyer,
and thousands of valuable lives saved for
future good. All the foregoing occurred
IN 1866. In the present year the cholera
has again been on its rounds, and let us
zee with what effect in various places
The idea of spontaneous generation OF
cholera in the valley of the Mississippi
Is not to be entertained. 1t was brought
10 New Orleans from Brazil, aud from
here came up the river, as it has done
On several occasions previously. Just
here, however find an opportune time
10 show what cholera was forty years
ago. Iquote from letter of S. S. Prem
.iss, to his sister, dated Vicksburg, Nov.
lltb 1892: "Since wrote last we have
had the cholera 10 VickS5urg. ."
Il broke out very suddenly and very vio-
Iently; most of the people fed.
Ills terrible disease. ! saw persons
ualkine about the streets perfectly well,