Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1878-11-11
cEnErERIEs AND TIE YELLOW
FEVER.

The destructive work Of the terrible
plague which swept through the South
ern States during the heated term of the
late summer. has set the people OF that
section and OF the entire nation to think
ing out some practical means OF pre-
venting a return Of the epidemic In the
future. The New Orleans Tunes OF a
late date. has a very sensible article on
the subject. in which, among the pos
sible causes which eonducs TO origin
ating the infection. IL mentions the over
crowded cemeteries OF that city. and
shows how they are more OF less pro-
ductive OF disease. Here is an extract
from the Times editorial
There Is certainly no 'grsver question
for the sanitAriAns to discuss, In their at
tempt 10 frame laws for the complete
ostrscism Of the yellow fever, than that Of
intermural interment, a. prActiced here.
When IL 10 considered that there arc upon
an average. even In comparatively healthy
years. 6,OO0 dead Inferred within the cor
porato limits Of the city. either In the
oven-like vaults above ground. or In shall
low graves seldom over two feet deep, ID
will be realized that there is vast amount
Of putrescence lying fallow. only awaiting
o hot. calm. moist season 10 evolve deadly
vapors, and favor the progress Of disease.
During this summer, ct least 5000 corp
ses have been inferred. Averaging tho
weight at 100 pounds. and deducting one
third a. bone. earthly matters. and nom
dscomposAblo substance. We have a. q re-
suit 100 tons Of substance which by putre-
faction will be transformed into deletsri-
Gus gases. and mephitic vspors. to the en-
tent Of many millions Of cubic feet.
Those bodies deposited In vaults will
undoubtedly exhalc all Of this into the at
mosphere. as brick Is by no means air tight.
and there Is nothing within the receptacle
TO absorb the gases or change their nature.
Those buried are placed Just above the
water level. in sodden earth. which being
already oiled 10 replstion with water i'm
pregnated with decaying vegetable sub
stance, IL incapable Of absorbing tho pro-
duets OF decomposition to any appreeisble
extent.
That tho gases are not absorbed. q visit
20 Potter's Field will convince even the
most sceptical. for the nostriis Of one Ia
the vicinity will DO sensibly aware Of the
fact that the products of putrefaetion are
being evolved from every grave.
In the case Of vaults. no one will con-
trovert tho statement that every cubic
inch OF gas evolved speedily finds Its way
through tho porous materials composing
the walls.
With regard to the facts stated in the
above. there is no difference Of opinion
among physicians or scientists to-day.
Graveyards arc breeders OF disease in
every thickly settled community. They
cannot, FROM the nature Of things. be
otherwise. That they were the original
cause OF the yellow fever in the South
we have no right to assert /; but that
when the epidemic ones started. they
aided materially In spreading 1t, there Is
not the slightest doubt. The systems
OF hundreds OF persons who had been
breathing the malarial atmosphere
around the cemeteries were prepared to
receive the fever. and to fall beneath its
fatal power. The ravages OF this terri.
BILE seourse form u more argument
against interment. and in favor OF ere
nation. How many such valuations
must we have. before we learn as a peo-
pie to apply science to the disposition
OF our dead. as well as to securing CON-
forts for our living7