The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-08-20
From the Providence Journal
Danger I'm the Pursuit OF Health. L.

Danger I'm the Pursuit OF Health.
Who does not pity tho poor, compelled
to remain in their close and comfortless
quarters during all the hot season, suffering
the inevitable consequences OF bad mir, I'M
wholesome food, and insufficient rest! But
it is question whether this class Is not
safer than those who seek health and recre-
alton among the popular summer resorts.
There is no room for doubt that many OF
the fatal '.fall fevers" are contracted in
the boarding houses and hotels OF these
eminently healthy localities. Many worm
out student goes to the mountains to re-
cruit, and goes home to die: and We
mourn and wonder at the affective and
mysterious event. Over-wOrked and over
worried we leave our homes to seek among
the hills and mountains needed recupera-
sion. Whether we find accommo rotations In
farm-houses or among the boarding-houses
Or hotels OF our popular mountain resorts,
the sanitary arrangements are found to be
much the same. II we alay our thirst with
water we imbibc the germs OF disease and
We lie down to sleep inhaling oil night air
its slow or rapid work according TO the
pecularities Of individual. constitutions.
Could there be any estimate shown of the
destruction OF health and life in this way
there would be an awakening which would
compel hotel and clearinghouse keepers
to remove the deatll-traps from their prem
ises, or they would open their houses and
send forth their circulars in vain.
TyphOd-feyer is nearly twcnty-fold more
destructive to life than smallpox, but 1t is
eminently preventable by sanitary mea-
sures. The best authorities declare it is
due TO Il specific poison which produces
this disease, and no other, and that this
poison is conveyed into the system by pol
luted air, water, or food. Water which is
contaminated by DRAWINGS from privie5 is
conceded to he the most fruitful propagator
OF this disease, and next to this must be
ranked the breathing OF ar emanatirg from
cess-pools or drains.
At one of the favorite resorts among the
White neutrality-suspicious. at present the
most popular OF all those delightful noun
tain villages-we have been obliged TO move
from room to room, and from one house to
another, to escape the worst OF pestilential
odors. Qutwardly, everything may be the
perfection Of cleanliness; the food uneX-
ceptionabIe, and the serving delightful. All
day the eyes are feasted with the most
sublime OF Natures panoramaS; the very
" strength OF the hills " enters into the soul,
and at night, wcaried with seeing and en-
joying, we gladly lie down to rest in this
enchanted land, but it is only TO breathe
"the pestilencexhat walketh in darkness"
Wachllsett Mountain. which has not only
the advantage of delightful air and mag
nifccnt scenery, but for us that OF being
more easy OF access than any other noun
tain resort, also harborS the plague among
its dwellings. Soiourning at one OF the
most pleaSantly-located hotels there, not
long since, we were charmed with the
beauty and variety Of the scenery, and
almost resolved that this henceiorth should
be our Mecca. The society was cultivated
and harmonious, and the proprietor proved
himself the very prince OF landlords in at
tention to the comfort or his guests. The
establishment was full, even to the bowl
ing.alley, and we counted ourselves fortu-
nate in securing 4 good-sized room, which
looked away over the hills and valleys for
many miles. Alas we were soon led to
investigate the new prospect, and discov-
cred that the drainage from the sink accu-
muated directly beneath those charming
western windows. AS for the water we
drank, its appearance was clear and reas-
suring; but a frequent visitor there had in
formed us at our first meal that "the water
was apt to make strangers SICK" and we
learned later that it came from Il we'll in
close vicinity to a privy.
We hear great deal about judgments and
dispensations of Providence, and there is
much wondering that God OF love can
permit them. We do not enough bear in
mind that he is God OF law as we'll, and
that when we learn and place ourselves on
the side of his laws we escape his iudg-
ments; that, rightly apprehended, I'M
changeable law is only manifestation OF
Interchangeable love.
On the approach OF deadly disease the
old Athenians concluded that it was sent by
some unknown deity whom they had in
some way offended, and they strorc to pro-
pitate him by prayer and sacrifice. Sheep
were loosed from the Areopagus, and wher-
ever they wandered and lay down alsars
were built and the animals sacrificed to ap-
pcase the wrath OF the unknown deity. We
have no means OF appeasing the angry God
who sends the peStilence when we permit
accumulated fifth TO poison the air which
we daily and nightly breathe; but we are
guiitier than the superstitious Athenlans II
we do not heed the warning and remove the
curse by attention TO the simple law OF cause
and effect.