The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-01
THE YELLOW DEATH.
The Cause Of Yellow Fever-The Remedy
and Method of Destruction.
% Editor Of the Democrat:

To the Editor OF the Democrat:
pointed to in9uire into the cause Of the ya hp
fever at New Orleans to begin at the starting
point. viz: at the harbOr of Havana There la
has been for ages past. II the commission
were to analyzs the water in that harbor they
would find the green. Shiny. vegetable grass or
organic matter, together with its water i'm
pregna,ed with animalcul;r. and, when condi-
tons are favorable. the living mass OF animal
ccnln IS transformed into tiny flies. with which
the atmosphere Is impregnated. These flies
are invisible to the naked eye and sailors who
are visiting that harbOr. and whose bodily con-
dltlons are favorable to the reception Of mias-
matte or rather. material poison imbibe it into
their systems, and whilst visiting New Orleans
are stricken down with the scourge. The dis
ease Is thus propagated daily and hourly until
obstruction around not only New Orleans,
but other towns whose sanitary law. are
Imperfect: Now. whilst Investigating the cause
first cause exists at New Orleans. for yellow
ttveE In every case cas- Is brought there By sailors
enforced, for IL you remove the putrid and de-
cay1ng matter from the lanes and alleys. from
the cutters and trenches of the city. the scourge
naylnR nothing to feed upon, passes on to pu-
trid soil favorable to its development. Il then
fastens Its fangs on. those who have been in
fringing the laws Of life, and when it makes
headWay and becomes epidemic the stamp ping
out process is unheeded and valuable lives pay
the forfeit OF the neglect Of the sanitary officials
III cnhT2e OF tne ledltn depart ment
Again. revertfng to the cause Of yellow fever
and remedies to be adopted for its entire exclu-
zion from ports and places where 1t Is not in
digenouS aud where it must be introduced, 80
that 1t will not again cause stoppage OF com,
merce and terrible loss Of life, congress Of
scientific minds from the various governments
and nations should be called to meet In
Havana to survey its harbor. anayze It's waters
and expose them to the rays Of the SUM- Forty
eight hours of such exposure under close
glass covers, and by the aid OF microscope
would enable the scientist tofnd lthe sef-same
poisonous fly which turns to a blood poison Of
a most virulent nature. In the harbor by sound
ing will be found depression near the centre
This Is the source Of the putrid pollution which
spreads ITS poisonous vapors where the wind
which, periodically affilct New Orleans would
then be removed. This commission should
sound not only the harbor. but take soundings
from the harbor to the sand bars encircing ii
and then have powerful dredges to remove
the latter. SO that the sea would flow In
and out, without obstruction with the rise and
fall OF the tides. There should be used at the
same time explosive materials to dislodge the
mass OF corruption which has lain here for
centuries, so that 1t would be carried out tn sea
and never more raise its Shiny and putrid head
De banfshed from our shores and thus the busi-
ness men would never more be interrupted in
carrying on theircommerce withthe world and
the communities now subject to incursions Of
yellow fever. would also as the result Of tba
measure here suggested enjoy com nlete ex-
emption from the disease.
WALTER MUIR,
$40 North Sixth street PHILADELPHIA,
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