The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-09-24
Savannah.
divine.


Already New Orleans has sent on one OF
her ablest physicians to the relief of the
pestilence- stricken city, and very probably
more of the same class will go to the post of
danger accompanied by skilled nurses. We
cannot doubt, also, that money and means
in abundance will be furnished to supply
the unfortunate sufferers whose poverty
prevents them from purchasing the neces
sary medicines while sick and fitting nour
ishment when convalescing.
Still, we think the best relief New Orleans
could send would be a committee from her
Board of Health, skilled in the application
of disinfectants. With the experience &C
quired in our streets and yards during
several seasons of fierce warfare with the
fearful malady, and with the confidence
worthily acquired by having come off vic
torious in the contest, we think they could
triumphantly grapple with the monster at
Savannah.
1t is too late now to save the hundreds
who have died and many among those other
hundreds who are already stricken with the
plague, but by destroying the pestilential
germs in the atmosphere, further develop
ment of the epidemic could be measurably
arrested and many valuable lives saved.
DR.. White is, we believe, no longer on the
Board, but as it was under his presidency
that it's successful contests with the cpl
demic were conducted, he must be supposed
thoroughly conversant with the practical
working of the system.
The city authorities woald, therefore, in
our opinion, be making the best contribu-
at the city's expense, either DR.. White or
some of the gentlemen at present connected
with the Board and equally skilled in the
system which he pursued. At the same time
it would be necessary to furnish the mate
rial necessary for practical operations. If
the city authorities should fail to act upon
this suggestion, it is to be hoped that the
Howard Association will take it up.
We consider it however almost a duty of
the city to take this action, independently
of the question of neighborly charity. The
efficacy of the dsenfectng system has been
questioned by many persons and fiercely
denied by several learned physicians. 1t
can only be thoroughly tested on field of
| experiment where the epidemic has already
obtained full sway, and it would be crimi-
nal to permit the development of the dis
ease in our own midst merely for the pur-
pose of trying this experiment. But We
find the necessary condition actually exist
ing in Savannah and neighboring towns
thus giving New Orleans an opportunity o
testing through the misfortunes of othel
communities IL question of such vast impor
lance for herself.
| If commission of skilled operators
should proceed from this city to Savannah
Brunswick or other infected place, and sue
coed in arresting the pestilence by thu
vigorous and judicious application of their
method, would not the proof of its sovereigi
efficacy become almost absolute Such
result would at once and forever settle the
question of safety in New Orleans during
the summer season, and the element o
permanence in our population, 80 in jurousl,
wanting heretofore, would be established q
once.