Smyrna times., 1876-10-04
mise eIIu2l e OUS .
Autumnal Diseases.

Tho season of fevers has set in all over
the country: yellow fever in the South,
typhoid in one direction, malarial of diff
ferent types in others. \ few nights of
sharp frost would doubtless clear and clean
the air of them, but in the mean time it
behooves every man to look to his own
health and that Of his family. Physicians,
as a rule, concern themselves but little
with preventive measures, and in fact
neither do the average Americans who are
their patients. In theory we all are con-
vinced that each disease has rational ac-
count to give of its origin, but we act as if
we held the old doctrine that, they came
by the visitation of God and not from a
defective drain-pipe or rotting garbage in
the cellar. There is but little danger of
yellow fever the northern cities. The sea-
son is far advanced, the quarantine is strict
ly enforced, and, the surest safeguard of all,
the popular dread Of the disease is so great
that whereveritappears each man becomes a
health officer. There are commoner forms
of fever from which we have reason to ap-
prehend much more danger. The intense
heat Of June and July has told upon every
man and woman who remained in the
cities during those months. 1t has lessen
ed their stock of vitality to an exceptional
degree, and in consequence rendered them
susceptible to poisonous influences in the
II, fbis II, l.
rious fogs arising from the decomposing G
vegetable matter in low-lying meadows and
gardens-a danger which nothing but the
early frosts will cure. The chief preven-
tive to be adopted are to protect the
body by flannel next the skin, never to 20
out in the morning without full meal,
and to keep the digestive organs in healthy
condition and the mind cheerful.
Typhoid fevers are communicated, on
the contrary, by conveyance of animal
secretions. At this season every house
holder should look to the condition of
drains and water-pipes on his premises,
and not let squeamish delicacy hinder him
from reporting nuisances on the premises
Of his neighbor. 1t is amazing to what
pollution of the air, in their sumptuous
dwellings, churches, steam and horse-cars,
Americans will submit in silence. There
is another class of fevers which originate in
decaying vegetable matter, dampness, and
the poison generated by bad ventilation in
oyercrowded houses. If every respectable
man would see that the laws of health
we're enforced in his own neighborhood
during the next week, there would be
little fear from this especial messenger
Of death. In case of attack from fever, the
usual course is to apply all domestic rene
dies before calling in physician. The
headache, languor, etc., appear so slight q
series Of symptoms that it is natural the
whole family pharmacopeia ofpills, ,draughts
and stimulants should be tried before out
side assistance is summoned. The truth is
however, that the remedies for each kind
Of fever widely differ, and the home practice
too often gives the surest help to the dis
ease in its fatal work.
Our advice, then, to readers is, in brief,
to keep the fever out of their houses, but
after it is once in to leave the fight with il
to more skilled hands than their own. In
no country, too, is the matter of disinfec
: ton SO neglected as in our own. The
patient being dead or cured, his friends
leave the disease to 60 on its way un
checked, while with due precaution of dis
injecting bedding, clothes, walls, etc., il
might be stopped short. A free use of car
oolic acid or chloride of lime is beneficial
IN even house where there is no illness
but best of all is fresh, clean air, and plenty
ul 1t, These counsels are hackneyec
pegond question but that they are needed
: proved by the fact that eight out of ten
sven OF cultured families, disregard them
~. Y. Tribune.
be content with what you have,n as th.
kak SAID to the tran sxha, he lof, h;a ALL ~