The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1878-09-01

healthy. The governor iormllay congratu-
lated the people upon their exemption But
scarcely was his message in print when the
fever appeared again, and in the month of
October the mortality reached Cos. The
Governors next message was in very diff
fercnt vcin
at il An !dlcwastc OF time for me to inquire into
the causes, origin and nature Of this dreadful
malady." The state resored TO quar-
antinc, under expectation that It would add to the
chances Of escape from this dreadful visitation II
this hope be fallacons II no good effect has been
produced, If even a procrastinat of its appear
ance has not resulted from the measure then shond
II be abandoned, and our commerce relieved from
the expense and inconvenience which II occasions"
In 1923, the committee from the house on
quarantine laws reported-Mr. +. Grima,
chairman.
During the last year, Notwithstanding the
stricest compliance with these laws our expccta
lions were frustrated at the very moment when we
thought we could indulge the hope of the most
complete success. The season was far advanced,
and in the month Of September the metropolis en-.
joyed the most perfect health when the yellow
fever made its appearance
Next, the citizens assembled in mass
meeting January 90, 1898, and adopted the
following resolutions;
THAT the late epidemic having tested the total
inenciency of the quarantine laws and regulations,
We consider them not only useless hut in the high
est degree oppressive and injurious TO the com.
merce of the city, and that application ought to be
made TO the Legislature for the purpose OF having
them aInullcd."
The Legislature, however, took no action
in the matter and quarantine may be said to
have been the policy of the state ever since.
The question still remains; Does quaran-
tine payl 1t is this question upon which
we ought to bring to bear the advanced
science and accumulated experience of the
present generation. There is quite as much
material for inquiry in the events of this
season as in the historical "reminiscences
we have just presented TO our readers. We
have the spectacle of cities like Memphis,
Grenada, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Natchez
and Mobile, which adopted the most rigid
quarantine against New Orleans, and which
have been visited with yellow fever, and in
several cases in its most malignant and I'M
manageable form. On the other hand there
are the lakeshore places in daily and un-
limited intercourse with New Orleans,
which have escaped entirely, Holly Springs,
which has offered refuge to all stricken
places, and Louisville, which has invited
the fugitives to her hospital arms; both
have been wholly free. Facts like these
cannot be disposed Of by shutting ones
eyes and adhering to the most arbitrary and
intolerant form Of quarantine. OF course
they do not mean that quaran-
tine nsures the visit Of yellow
icNCi anu tiidt uttci utSIClt VI pIOttCtlNt
measures guarantees immunity. But they
mean something, and it is the duty of
government and of intelligence to asccr-
tain what that something may be. More
than half century after the adoption of
the first quarantine, we find ourselves as di-
vided and as undecided as to its efficacy as
on the day of its Inauguration. Every ar
gumcnt that theory and technicality adduce
is confronted by "a tremendous fact which
neutralzcs if it does not overthrow it. Be
lieying many things and differing Oh all
points, we yet know nothing as certain
and demonstrate truth, except that we
have the great expense and inconvenience
Of quarantine with a certainty that it does
not always afford protection and no GER
tainty that it ever does