The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-08-04

up in the nineties, the result is relaxation
Of the tissues, diarrhoea and exhaustion.
These results are very much aggravated,
II great moisture is Superadded to high
temperature, for when the atmosphere is
saturated but little evaporation can lake
place from thebody, and hence the cooling
process is very materially interfered with.
OF course high heat and excessive hu.
midity are the conditions favoring decom.
position, and in this way are the causes Of
mortality magniGed. Daring the past
month there was about three inches less
Of rain fall than in the corresponding
month OF last summer. ltmay be noted,
too, that our rains have generally oc-
CURED at night, and have been Of dash.
ing character, thus accomplishing much
good in sanitary way, by washing our
sewers and cutters. Unlike last year, too,
the atmosphere has generally become
speedily dry after rain. This at least is
our own observation, without any scien.
tiGc test.
Now. what have been the effects on the
public health Of these more favorable
meteorological conditions? Let uaI look
at the record. We find that there we're
in June, 1876, ~, and in July, lO2
deaths; while there were in June, 1877,
only SO, and in July, 4G deaths. Total
deaths in two summer months OF last
year, ia; in corresponding months Of
this summer, 70. The mortality among
children under yenrs!of age, last year,
was in. June, Gl per cent, and in July, rs
per cent OF the total mortality. This
year the mortality under years was, in
June, only 80, and in July, "a per cent OF
the total. During June and July OF last
year, there occurred 90 deaths from
cholera infantum; IS deaths from other
diarrhoeal affections, and IA deaths from
ConvnlsiOns; a large majority Of the lat.
ter being doubtless due to some form Of in.
teslinAl irritation: total Of AZ deaths
from dirrhoeal disease, and IA from con.
vulsions. In the two past months there
occurred s deaths from cholera inian.
tum; 0 deaths from other diar.
rhOeal di,eases; and from con.
vulsions; total of ~ deaths
from diarrhGal diseases and only two
from commissions. Or, putting the deaths
from dIarrhGA and convulsions together,
we have mortality from these causes OF
Gl during June and July Of 1876, against
only 10 in the corresponding period OF
this year. And yet the sanitary condi-
tion Of the city is certainly not better
than last year, if so good. The scarcity
Of funds, rendering necessary limita-
ton to the expenditures Of the Street
Commissioner, prevents that thorough
and frequent cleaning which is necessary
to insure anything like first rate conii-
tion of our streets and alleys. The above
facts then would prove, il they prove any
thing, that there is no constant and in
variable relation between high
death rate and unclcanliness. That
sanitarian is short sighted, in
deed, who looks 10 the guttera and
sewers, and no further, for the causes Of
disease and death. Thcse are very prop.
erly blamed for a large share in the work
Of destruction; but it cannot be doubted
that certain meteorological conditions,
some we'll understood, but doubtless 9th.
ers entirely unknown, enter very largely
into the causation of high mortality in
summer. One fact we all know, however,
but often fail to practice, viz: that those
and especially children-who keep
cleanly and cool, and who cat moderately
of proper food, only stand the best chance
Of escaping sickness. Be clean in person,
clothing and premises; be temperate, in
eating and exercise, no less than in drink.
ing; be cool, mentally no less than phys
ically, and thus endeavor 10 counteract
as far as possible, the prostratiug lnAu-
ences incident TO the season Of the year.