Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-09-04
ras sssurse.

A great good Samaritan impulse
ID now to b. observed all over the
United States. Large sums are
being collected. in cities and villa
eos, which will be forwarded for
Ne relief Of the sufferers from vel.
low fever in the South and South
west. Los Angeles has given lib
stally, considering her limited pop.
ulation and the hard times, and the
fhct that the appeal is simply to
that one touch of nature which
makes the whole world kin, selfish
ness having place in the deed.
Under the circumstances, q brief
sketch Of the origin and progress
Of the pest will probably be accept
abls to our readers.
New Orleans is not often entirely
free of yellow fever in summer, and
Z few Gases early In July last did
not cause alarm; but, by the first Of
August the plague, Of which &C.
counts have since come disjointed-
" day by day. was fairly started.
During the. first week In Angus
from ten to fifteen patients died
every twenty hours, or about
twenty y-flvs per cent. Of all who
Woxe stricken. The news carried
fright to the cities and towns along
The Gulf, and guarantees were
gsnsrAlly established against the
incoming Of the dreadful fever.
The terror was especially great in
Tsxas, and neither passengers mol
freight were permitted to come
Into the State by railroad or boat
from the infected city. Even the
mail service was suspended, SO
fearful were the people that the
deadly disease would reach them.
Along the Mlssissippi river meas
0rss almost equally stringent were
early adopted. Morris Mayer, who
sIipped into vicksburg before the
boat on which he had come could
b examined by the health author
itIee, was dned $3.50 aud compelled
to quilt the city. Business through
cut the whole Southwest was at
enoe dlsordered, and in a great
measure stopped. New York mer
chAnts were told by telegraph moi
10 send goods that had been or
dered, and In most Instances nc
such countsrmand was necessary,
ebr there was good reason to fear u
spread Of the scourge, and who
could insure the lives of the debt.
orsf
The disease held its own in New
Orleans, and little more, the
death rate Increasing steadily, so
that on August 10 twenty-five per-
soma died of 1t. Thereafter the
Health Board refused to give the
ngures for publication; perhaps
being ashamed that their neglect
Of duty had helped the disaster, ii
not caused 1t. The streets had not
Tor fifteen years, or since Benz amin
F. Butler cleaned them, been so
foul. No precautions of any con.
sequence had been taken,
and the city was in u con-
dition to fall an easy prey to
the yellow enemy. Yet, as though
<Ritiful, the fever was not quick to
nlay. It vas not of an excessively
vlrulent type at first. The author
ities sought by activity to do, too
Late. what little prscaution might
have made unnecessary. They
washed the streets by flushing
them with water from the river,
they spilled carbolic acid every =
whore. and, soon losing faith in
that disinfectant, used great
quantity Of fresh burned lime.
strswing It pIentifully in the foul.
est parts of the city. Physicians,
nurses, and medicines were fur.
nished to all yellow fever patients,
regardless Of their ability to pay.
All Of these things failed to drive
out the fever; how much good they
have done In restricting the raw
ages can only be guessed at. Ger
tain 1t IL that the number of cases
rose to an average OF hundred a
day, and the fever became so much
more virulent that thoroughly ac-
cilmated persons were attacked al
most as readily as others. Even
those born and raised In the city
we're numerousIy stricken, particu-
lexly men whose systems were al
ready full Of the poison Of alcohol.
Although indi ference to danger is
. sentiment that, as abundantly
proved by experiment. 10 begotten
BY the presence of pestilence, fu-
gitives from New Orleans were nu-
merous after the dreadful extent of
the scourge was realized. 1t is said
that SO, 900 residents have fled from
the city. scattering themselves
over the country and getting into
quarantined places in spite of all
efforts to keep them out. They are
In the main Of the wealthy classes.
The poor are left in terror and DAN
Gef. Hardly any business is now
done In the city. The commonest
vehicles in the streets are under
takers wagons aud physicians
L. r