The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-09-25
Epidemic DiSeases--.Ihe Hum n m
Family Responsible for its
Own NHiserieS

| Ou0 VI the IuOSl l0dTu6u Ln6H III Tic
country and acutest investigators of the
laws of health is Prof. Hall, of Michi-
gan University. He has written of cpl
demic and contagious diseases an article
containing more good practical sense than
any we have encountered. He discusses
the condition of Austin, without desig-
mating the place, with infinite clearness
of apprehension. When this is the
cleanest it will be the most healthful of
American cities. The first sentence
uttered by the venerable and learned
| Professor should live immortal in our
memories. He says
The experience and observation of
half a century warrants me in saying
that the time will come when it will be
as disgraceful for a city or family to
have the yellow fever, typhoid fever,
camp fever or cholera as it now is for
| school districts and families to have the
| itch and lousy children. Through ex-
| tensive travel from time to time | became
| in love with the beautiful climate and
future possibilities of the South, aud
soon began to study the peculiarities of
its dreadful scourge-yellow fever. BY
driving into the country from the in
| fected cities, | was astonished to find no
cases had ever originated on the planta-
tons, clearl y showing that it was not
climatic but an endemical disease. On
further investigation | found that each
| afflicted city had its infected districts,
while other portions of the same city
were in excellent health. Further an
alysis showed that the disease ragged
worse among the dissipated and poorly
E. ~ IL :
dependent on bad sanitary conditions
Just the same with cholera and typhoid
fevers in the North. Forty six years
ago cholera made its appearance in New
York, thence communicating with the
filthy landings up the river, then from
Albany and Troy, up the Erie canal as
if il needed the waters upon .. MhjGAA t
to all swampy stations through its whole
length to Buffalo, but it had no power to
climb the hills where good sanitary
conditions existed. The same results
were again experienced in 1913, and
1852, clearly showing the disease was
endemic, and that it complied strictly
with the rules of etiquette-never to
visit place to which it had not been
invited by its bad sanitary condition.
Fifty-four years ago robust, middle
aged Vermont uncle, who boosted of
100-cow dairy, suddenly died of typhus
fever, generated in field where the hay
was fed, being almost literally poisoned
by his own hand.
Forty years ago it was talked in Cen
trail New York that the diseases were
changing from a malarial to typhoid
type. What were the causes? Highly
Ii - Al. 4
causes. The feculent matter from the
drains, water closets and grave yards be-
gan to poison the water supply, and often
emit deleterious gases. These causes are
general, but villages and cities suffer
much more than rural districts.
Though we read and talk of villages
and cities being dreadfully afflicted with
some of these diseases, we find, on iu-
vestigation, it is limited to neighbor-
hoods and people of peculiar habits.
A few winters ago it was said that
Chicago was being afflicted with the most
malignant type of scarlet fever that was
ever known. So much alarmed was the
country, they dared not visit their Chica
go friends, and funeral ceremonies were
prohibited.
Being familiar with the city, and hav-
ing previously come to the conclusion
that deepening the canal to ten feet of |
water to Joliet would give Chicago the |
possibility of becoming the healthiest |
large city in the world, felt curious to
know the cause of Chicago's affiiction. |
Investigation showed that the disease
was confined to the districts along the
branches of the Chicago river, and |
mostly to the south branch, where are
the great slaughter houses of the city.
-Four years ago came home from
ten days absence, and was told that
neighboring young lady had died of
typhoid fever, and the rest of the family
were quite sick. I was shocked, for ten
days before this girl and her family were
among the most robust to be met on the |
street. The residence was on the high
to be one of the most healthy In the
State. What could be the cause of their
illness? They were well do and in
telIigent farmers, but, like many farm
ers, In hurry for spring work, they
had left the spring cleaning of the eel
lars for rainy day, and premature hot /
weather stimulated decay in refuse veg
etables, carrying sickness and death to
the IamllY
Threee years ago a neighbor, whose
palatial residence and grounds occupies I
one of the most healthfhl sites in this or
any other State, and whose constitution
and health were so good that his weight
had not varied pound in Eve years,
came near dying of typhoid fever. This
gentleman being of good habits, and |
whose residence and grounds seemed to
be in the hest possible sanitary condition,
| felt puzzled to account for the cause of
his illness. / have since learned that the
gentleman, with an empty stomach and
in q fatigued condition, assisted in the
adjustment of an old sewer connection
with cess pool.
One year ago last winter the Toledo
papers said that malignant diptheria was
raging dreadfully in that city Il was +
especially severe on boys and girls from |
ak 10 twenty years Of age. They soon
found il was confined exclusively TO chill
dran who attended The Jefferson Street
School, whose drinking wafer was found |