Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-05-28
HEALTH OFTHE CITY-NO CHOLERA
EPIDEMIC.

touching the ueaANn vi tAS Ni1gi haNe
prevailed for some time, and, notwith-
standing the statements of the press to
the contrary, have received credence and
circulation to an extent injurious to us
as a community. In order to the CON-
plete refutation of these misstatements
of fact, which, as they are carried
into the country, are in turn wild
" exaggerated, We have been al
some pains to collect and collate
the actual statistics of deaths
during the months of April and May.
which we find to be for the former l4I
and for the latter, up to and inclusive OF
the 25th, l6l, and this in a population
estimated to be not less than sixty thou
sand, more than fifteen thousand
of which is black in color, and for the
most part utterly ignorant Of the laws OF
health, and living in fiagrant violation
of them every hour. Dividing these to-
tails, M aking an aggregate of SO2, by S
weeks, we have an average OF
IS deaths per week, which, by
comparison with statistics in other
wears, when our population was little
mere than half what it is now,
will be found to be low av-
erage, indicating anything but the
presence of an epidemic Of any
character. For instance, We find that
for the week ending April 2l, 1866, the
total deaths was published at 81, and for
that Of the week ending August 25, OF
the same year, IS. During the latter
week there were perhaps fifteen cases Of
cholera. The week ending Oc-
tober 25th, when the yellow fever
was declared epidemic, 80 deaths were
reported. But leaving those sad days,
We will give the deaths during the sew
eral weeks Of the first two months Of
1865, as follows: January 4th, %; 18th,
29; 25th, IS; February Isl, %; Sth, 81; 18th,
Sc; 22d, 2S; and 18th, "A. But these two
being among the healthier months of
the year, We will quote those from July
10 the close, generally regarded the most
unhealthy and most dangerous for ali
suffering from diseases Of the bowels.
Thus, for the weeks in the same year
ending July 1lth, Il; 18th, 40; 25th, So;
Slst, 5S; August I4th, 4S; 29th,
so; September 5th, 27i 18th,
80; 26th, 50; October Sth, 40; 1Ith, 43;
18th, AZ; November 9TH, A; 14th, %;
sstb, 81; December 18th, "a; and 18th,
80. A close calculation will prove to the |
reader that the average during the eight
weeks of January and February, 1865, |
was SIs, and for the seventeen weeks
quoted in July to December inclusive |
was Al ALI. Putting these averages
together, representing as they do the
favorable and unfavOrable months of the |
year, we have a general average
OF SO ZIG. Thus it will be seen
that the average of deaths per
week in 1858 were within a little
over J of that Of the average of the past
two months, which we set down at SS.
This is surely refutation enough of the
statements made by alarmists, whose
fears and breads are periodically ex-
cited into the imagination of direst evils
for our city. But they will say we have
cholera and cholera-morbus with US, and
congestion. So we have. When are We
free from them? Sporadic cases Of these
are likely 10 occur at any time,
especially at this season Of the year, more
when provoked by dirty, filthy
habits and the indulgence in garbage in
the shape of imported vegetables unfit
even for hogs. Looking over the vital
statistics of the United States, we find
for instance that the deaths by
diarrhma in the whole country
were > . per cent. in 1850, and >. , per
cent. in 1860, and that in both years
over % per cent. was the quota
of Tennessee. In 1850 the total of deaths
by dysentery in the United States were
10, 46s, fully per cent of the whole
number Of deaths reported, the proper
ton of Tennessee being over 2per cent;
and in that year We find that the whole
class of diseases Of the digestive organs,
including cholera, chOlera-infantum,
diarrhea and dysentery together,
carried off 45,l73, or 1S 10 of the whole
number OF deaths in the United States.
So far as we can learn the proportion of
deaths by diseases of the bowels here
during the past two months will not
average more than that per centage.
But, putting it in a light still more
favorable, we find that the whole
number Of deaths in the United States
in 1860 from cholera were 1904, ll.S7
per cent. of the deaths from all causes,
while the deaths from consumption
\, ere 1873 per cent. of the whole num-
Der N deaths reported. As it was then,
% IL is now. The alarmists and reck-
ess jdIers, who have nothing else TO do
Dut spread statements injurious to
he communities where they exc out
1are subsistence, aud for which they have
as little regard as i,1r the truth, forgot all
about the insidious and much more
consumption in presence OF
The dreaded cholera, disease that now
everywhere succumbs to prompt and
,r,Dper treatment, in ratio leading TO
he hope that il will, like many other !
coutges that have preceded it, be shon
IF its teTrOrs and power for wholesale
leath. There is no cause for
ilarm. and as little for fear of
.nidemje. At this season in al !
most everycssttY Of the country diseases Of
he bowels are saore or less prevalent.
There are. too, in All large and ignor-
mt class who perversely consult their
Ippetites rather than obey the dictates of
.eason based on commOn sense ana
experience. These are they who Iurhish
he doctors with so-ealled cholera easeSs'
We have them out of all proportion TO
he total Of our population. They inhabit ]
nuts that 'twere libel to call clean, !
md situated on either bank of the ]
layOu. Out Of sheer laziness they prefer
o drink the water thereof, rather than I
Destir themselves to reach the cisterns
If more Opulent neighbors. To them ,
he bath is unknown, they seldom. ever '
wash their faces, and their under-cloth- {
IA, undergoes a change only when it !
yallIs of their backs, borne that way
" vermin that express filth in its worst
orm. And this is not all. They are {
he purchasers ofstale vegetables, of cat I
ish. and other market offal, that, in any