The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-09-25

been wasting the lives and devastating
the homes of their citizens, not single
State Government of the South, whose
towns and cities were stricken, has lifted
finger in aid of their suffering people.
The utmost that has been done by any
State official or other authority, has been
a proclamation for prayers, by the Gov
ernor of Mississippi. We do not doubt
but that prayers are good for the yellow
fever, or any other fever, and no danger
from an overdose. But something more
than this seemed requisite at the hands
of the State Governments. Had the hog
cholera or Texas cattle-plague been
sweeping the pork and beef from their
farms, legislatures would have been con-
vened, sanitary measures instituted, and
pecuniary aid appropriated. But, while
pestilence was consuming their people,
the State Governments were silent.
We are aware that Constitutional i'm
pediments are urged in reply to such con-
siderations, and such hindrances possibly
may exist If they do, we would suggest
that conventions be Immediately called
to so amend such constitutions as to
bring them within the scope of common
humanity and Christian civilization.
That the people of the fever-stricken
cities of the South have been inobserv
ant of sanitary laws in their municipal
administration, we think unquestionable.
During war times, when Gen. Butler was
in command at New Orleans, he en-
ployed a thousand men one hundred
days in cleaning up and caring for the
sanitary condition of that city. The re-
suit was perfect freedom of his whole
army from yellow fever or any other cpl
demic disease; and for three years after
wards no yellow fever appeared in that
city. So that, let politicians say what
they may about Ben. Butler, he at least
proved himself most efficient disen-
fecting agent, And the present suffering
of the South will doubtless confirm the
people in the faith of Buffers remedy
for the yellow fever, if not for hard
times.
Asia has been commonly considered
the focus of all such plaques as have
come to afiiict the human race. In all
those oriental cities the squalid habits of
the people and the density of population
have been instrumental in developing
pestilence of every malignant form. In
the year 746 plague swept off 100000
of the inhabitants of Constantinople. In
A. d. 558 pestilence swept over all
the known world and destroyed millions
Of people. 1t continued to rage for three
years, almost depopulating the countries
of Southern Europe. London has been
the seat of several terrible plaques. In
1907 pestilence destroyed 10000 per-
sons in that city. From 1883 to 1900 a
plague known as the Sudor Angelicus,
sweating sickness, fatal in three hours,
prevailed in London and throughout
England so that in that CITY and in the
principal towns fully one-half of the
population perished, and King Henry
VII was obliged to remove his Court to
Calais, in France. Again in 1904, a
London plague carried off $4,000 of its
population. In 1865 another such visi-
tation destroyed 1000 people in London
alone, and this was succeeded in 1865 by
the great fire, which consumed about
$4,000 houses, including SO churches In
1856 plague was introduced by SOL
der transport ship from Sardinia to
Naples that ragged with such malignity
that it destroyed 100000 persons in six
months.
Fortunately, our country has been
spared such dire calamities as those. But
enough has already been suffered even
during the present summer to make us
even more mindful of the observance of
sanitary laws, so important to the public
health in all cities and crowded commu-
mites.