The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-07-10
For tile anderson MtclHgenccr.
Health and DRAINAGE.

across the country to the boundary line OF the
State on the Georgia side, has been gradually
, but certainly growing worse and worse, until
in certain localities within the last two or three
years it has eliminated in an overwhelming
amount Of sickness and many deaths, sweeping
down whole communities, as with the besom OF
destruction. In those neighborhoods where the
ravages of disease has been most disastrous, the
type of fever was Of that malignant kind usual
ly produced by malaria. generated from un-
drained and uncultivated bottom lands lying
contiguous. In most cases, nine-tenths per-
haps of these bottom lands, once in. a high state
of cultivation, have been abandoned from the
impossibility of effectuafy draining by reason
of artificial Instructions in the shape of mill
dams That there are hundreds, perhaps thou
sands of acres in the country alluded to above,
that are in just that condition to produce mala-
rous poisons, in sufficient quantities to account
for the major part of the sickness now prevail
ing in that hitherto healthy region, admits
scarcely of q doubt. The great body of the
medical world agree in the theory that heat,
moisture and vegetable or animal decomposi-
ton become, in certain conditions, the fruitful
sources of malaria, scattering its baleful infu-
ences on the winds ofheaven for miles around.
And in some of the localities, skillful physi-
clans who have practiced there during the
prevalence of the epidemics, have given it as
their opinion that the sickness was caused from
the wet bottom lands near by, produced main
ly by an obstruction in the stream by mill
DAM And it is no less the judgment of all
practical men, that unless some remedy be pro-
vided, by which the sand and mud may pass off
from the bitches above, it will be impossible
ever to reclaim those lands to state of health
full fertility. So general and so destructive has
been the prevalence of malarious fevers in GER
tain localities, that the work of depopulation
has been gradually going on over year, and
if another sickly season is to be their doom,
(which may Heaven forbid,) then, 1 fear, the
process of abandonment of home and friends
will be complete. Does this alarming condi-
tion of things produce no feeling of commiser-
alton in the public heart? Is there no reme-
dy? Must these localities be utterly abandoned,
and many of our best citizens be thus forced to
leave the home of their choice and affections,
to seek a more genial habitation?
But, say some skeptical minds, how is it that
in many of these cases, the mill-dam of which
so much complaint is made has stood there for
scores of years back, and during that ancient
period did not produce any general amount OF
sickness. We think we can explain the anom-
ally upon the plainest principles of reason and
science.
Up to the year 1S45, it is we'll known that
nearly all the bottom lands on creeks and
branches remained an unbroken forest, covered
with a heavy growth of timber, whose foliage
absorbed for the most part malarious gases
arising from stagnant pools, and by preventing
rank vegetable growth and obstructing the
burning rays of hot summer sun, destroyed
to that extent the Causes of malaria in those
bottom lands, where, under other changed and
more favorable conditions, they have since be-
come the hotbed for the production of malig-
rant types of malarious fevcrs. The great
scarcity produced by the drouth of '45, con-
strained every farmer who owned single acre
of branch or creek bottom to commence the
work of ditching and clearing said lands, and
in few years the principal part of such lands
were brought into high state of cultivation,
addingto the productive resources of the coun-
try perhaps hundred per cent. While these
lands continued pliable and tillablc, they were
no more inimical to health than an equal
amount of upland but in every case where
the ditching was imperfectly done on the
stream, obstructed by.a dam, thus preventing
the flowing off of sand and mud apd filling up
the bitches, the work of ruin has been silently,
but certainly going on for many years, until
now, thousands of acres of the most fertile
lands have been abandoned, and the sanitary
condition of the country has become seriously
impaired in consequence of the filthy condition
of these undrained bottom lands Can the
good people of this country stand by, indiffer,
emily, and observe this general work of ruin
going on, and not set themselves resolutely to
work to devise wise and just remedy? Sure
ly here is a field of practical duty, in which the
Christian, the patriot, the legislator and citi,
zen, may alike find ample scope for the exer-
tion of all their faculties, in great and good
cause. AS pertinent to the above, l subjoin
the following extract:
The fearful ravages which meningitis, fever
and ague and various other such diseases are
making in different parts of our country, should
cause careful investigation to the causes. These
diseases must arise surely from malaria, bad
water and similar causes. Many portions oi
the country, especially low.lands, have been
consequently, the bitches and drains have not
been attended to. A great many of these in
any district or country predisposed to bad at
mosphere, may send over hills and valleys
alike the poisonous maarias which unite fol