New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-04
fCommuU!cated.l
CharbOB.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN

marks thereupon.
Under date of the twenty-third OF last
month printed circular. signed, by Dun
can +. Kenner, chairman, was issued
in New Orleans from the "rooms committee
on distribution
The object of the committee is evidently
benevolent, and it's members deserve all
praise; but they DO not go far enough with
their information, seeing that they say
nothing about the source or origin OF the
disease, and nothing about any measures
of prevention.
Everybody, l believe, admits that the
disease is produced by the introduction
into the system of the victim of venom,
or virus, perhaps, rather, from some source
and almost every one thinks tina, source is
a fly, OF winged insect Of some kind, and
this admit to be fact.
Some say that a new fly has recently
been seen, with a sting in it's rear, that
makes it look worse than the tail Of the
Pagan dog of Cerberus;" and that said
tail is more potent than the tail OF the
great red dragon" Of the Revelations.
But whether it be that fly or not that
does all the mischief, it is my impression
that the tail of the fly is not the end used,
but that it is the bill, snouc or perforator,
or whatever else it may be called; and tEat
it is by introducing that pertorator into
one animal, ard then into another. that tie
disease is produced. This view of the case
supposee, of course, that the virus Is de-
posted in the animal assailed from the
outside of the perforator, and not through
| the inside.
The nature or source of the virus may
not always be the same, and the special
symptoms and differences that attend the
disease in its Development may be due to
season, climate, temperature and other in
fuences, Just as it is with yellow tever,
| plague and other diseases Of the human
family exclusively.
Pathologists say that whenever certain
| kinds of dead animal matter are introduced
into living system, the dead matter im-
parts to the living fluids sort OF fermenta-
tive putrefactior, which runs through the
system lust like the virus of the smallpox,
which, although almost imperceptible IN
amount, soon pervades the entire economy.
The increase and spread of the virns may
be more or less rapid. Ia the smallpox II Is
not always so rapid but what the conserva
tive powers of the system of the victim may
have time to rally, and thus overcome the
virus before the virus can overcome them.
The progress Of the virus is probably
rather in proportion to the vlrulence OF II
than to the quantity. In the case OF the
smallpox it takes days at least to Kill its
victim, while in tie case Of snakebite as
many hours only will sometimes suffice.
II does not necessarily follow that the first
animal into which the fly plunges his per
forator must be diseased; for however
healthy he may be on the withdrawal OF
that instrument, some portions CT his fluid
are left upon it, and that portion from ex
posure to the air, soon loses It's vitality, and
thus becomes, before its Introduction into
another animal, dead but still fermentable
matter-capable like any other dead ami
nal matter, of starting into activity that
putcefactive fermentation jast spoken OF
and thus etfecting a true and literal corrup'
ton of the blood. The extremely minute
quantity that can be thus introduced says
nothing against the supposition, Tor 1t IL
well known that an almost iIconcelvaDly
small amount Of matter WILL gate COZ
tagious diseases, just as very little OF the
appropriate ferment will leaven the whole
lump of bread.
The difference between the progress o.
| a1s ovt6
pend upon the number of contaminated
flies that make plnctures, partly upon thu
number of punctures made by even the
same fly, and partly from such other causes
as have already alluded to, and which il
one case develops yellow fever and il
another case some other disease.
As to the treatment of the disease, as de
scribed in the pamphlet, and intended. o
course. to be curative, have little to sa,
beyond that it ia severe, and that wheneve
it fails to cure the poor brute it can hardl.
fail to hasten its death. Besides the "whlt'
hot" iron the one great and indeed oni.
remedy is hartshorn; hartshorn to tn
swelling; hartshorn by the mouth, hartf
horn tea, hartshorn internally. hartshorl
externally and har:shorn eternally.
, 1t is always ''hartshorn;" and yet, hav
nothing to recommend in preference to tn
@hartsborn,' or indeed to the rest Of tn
treatment; and one reason for my ret
cepce, is, that verify believe that thougl
! medicines may sometimes cure both thi
. and other diseases, yet that they sometime
, also kill; and that it is not every time tina
either a man or a beast takes medicines
and gets well, that it wGs the medicine
that cured him !
Then, again, whether this hartshor
treatment be good or bad, it is OF httl
avail in the country, especially in region
thinly settled; for it is not always easy t
find it in sufficient quantities, or sufficient.
strong flor it must, it seems, be concen
trated hartshorn which, remote from larg
towns, it is difficult either to obtain, or t
keep on hand when obtainedl; nor cal
every one command, without too great
DELAY, the manual assistance necessary t
carry ont the associate means.
There is one treatment however, whlcl
will recommend; and that treatment is
preventive one.
1t is we'll known that flies of Amos
every kind, and 10. only flies, but othe
animals, are strongly affected by odori
ferrous substances-some of these subs
attracting them, and some repelling them