New-York tribune., 1878-11-23
greater mysteries than we find in other infectious dis

THE GERM THEOBf' -
The germ hypothesis in relation to yellow FEVER VIII
serve TO throw light on OF its devious movements
and strange behavior. Grant that certain number OF
the germs Is needed to produce sickness; that these
germs are reproduced either inside outside the human
BODY that they multiply In rapid geometreal rato Ds
repeated generations at short intervals; That new
generation brought to life in hot weather
is not only vastly more numerous, but more
energetic individually than It's predecessors that these
germs are capable, both OF spontaneous locomOtloh
portarion in the clothing of persons; grant these
conditions, which quite IN harmony with the known
ing INKS in the cham Of evidence is reduced to mere
eayIling Add TO this that no germs existed rom I1e
rs, and that there is no suspicion OF the m
PRODUCTION OF yellow fever this year by ether
the Of fastening the guilt upon that particular
vessel unless adopt the he0ry OF the spontaneous
production of the pestence from local causes The ma
tue OF these causes no one can explain even 20 ms 8%
than another or should prevail along the shores OF the
Gulf OF Mexico Tataer than the shores OF the ladan
Ocean truth other theory OF the mdtertes
speedily lost in inexplcable mystery.
COST OF IHE EPIDEMIC.
Chopin then proceeded to consider the cost OF the
yellow fever epidemic Of 1873 to the CITY Of New-Or'
leans. his estimate follows:
cost q ten Gi day. cSness by each one at s. per
c"si Of 500 funerals at SIS each ....... 1900
1'SS eaS al Is9qo 600 600
saw 20 0 peopie for o. DAYS at 81 per day 100000
s7,O72OOO
Values destroyed by the epidemic commercial
los cs hv interruption Of intercourse With the
surrounding country, and diversion OF trade 10 oo ooo
other ciiies o'Oo"OoV
Total .os,es sI2o725OO
Estimated profits of the trade during The summer
months With ports where yellow fever usually 80, non
prevails si'oVV'VVo
The difference between these two sums, say SlO3'Z'-
500 repre- sans the actual OF the epidemic to the
material Of New Orleans These figures made
upon basis deemed moderate al particulars, show
that trade during hall the year with certain opieal
port. ana wo TIA to our city million and half OF dol
lar Eetd 10 at risk OF more than twey Millions the
actual losses 1878 from yellow fcver. An esti-
mate Of the total losses 10 tue CnIteu stats
from THIS epidemic has ID en- maze Dy hT'
4. 2. Farquhar IN letter To SurgcOnGcneral Wood
worth, Of tha Marine Hospital Service IN when ne
places at me enormous sum OF Sl10VOOOOO In thls
estimate account Is made or depreciation of property
Newt OrcBns for tHCy will dcUcpd greatly on the means
hereafter adopted to prevent the recurrence OF Similar
visitation.
Dr. Cochranc of Mobile, member OF the Yellow Fever
Commission, read separate report, setting fortu MS
individual observations the rise and spread OF the
dsense in Grenada Mississippi This town, DR.. Coch-
rane found had a sewer which partially covered
II was In Taly weather the bed OF running stream,
but at other times was dry. The sewer not In
filthy condition last Summer. Except In small
part OF the covered portion. the cuyert was
fairly clean. The first case OF yellow fever
there was developed in the person Of Mrs Captain
Field who died the 3lst OF july Mrs Field lived not
this 1ne SOURCE OF injection cOuid not
he traced it might have come from some cars which
she passed IN the deuot thht had come from 5rioN
fever -ity. Hrr house IN good sanitary CONDITION.
had gone the depot 10 relative on the cars
ana a. the iraH stopped tweniJ minutes ioI Urtn3S
1t j, thought sire entered the ears and remained IN
them time. After her case the disease spread
RAPIDLY among du the families who had visited her
The toudng physicians AT first would not believe 1t TO
be yelio" ic'rr but me new cases i9fetu % onSm TO 40
aCbuOw ledge IT, and IN terrible pall al VINO cOud uo
uIsLed from town; some gong INTO cainps about @,Dou.
three miles distant otlers to nelsnDorng to%%hs %
case. T. is afd Of tho white persons who
reoi'ined 10 Grenada only hye escaped lpc ,leG- mnnG
lauoH much lcss than among tine white Those who
w,u' into camp generally escaped the section OF the
town where the negroes dweit was Tor some he aler
tie introduction OF the disease free from lniecuon
Colonel Hardce. Engineer to the Yellow fever Com
missiou read paper upon the position, Typographical
surroundings and drainage OF New-Orleans. He de
scrbcd the difficulty ofproperly draining the city and
declared the system IN to bo totally insufficient to
produce a satisfactory sanitary condition. He
sad that now as matter % sanitary Without rS
waiting for the greater objects to be achieved has
bech proposed a benefit to the Opendrain system,
be- ira.ad hy the water from the Mississippi RIVER,
which. from the first OF May to the first OF August.
with the river tine watr during that period being higher
than IL. gucrways OF the adjacent streets FOR tne
OF she year IL Is proposed that water be sup
Piled Ih- purpose at irrigation by means OF
stationary engines at intervals along the river bank
Tbs, u l. claimed, VIII purify the atmosphere
by converting each guttrr-way INTO a HVulet
aui-at tie same time cleansing the larger canals or
drains by keeping water in them constantly pure.
great many other points In regard 10 lhe shnltaIy
upon BY speaker and illustrated by his system of
maps. an showing the necessity Of sanitary reform. He
asO al udcd to the fact that although the sanitary con
dillon OF New Orleans not such a. could be desired
yet this recent epidemic Of yellow fever was more vru
lent aud prevailed 10 greater extent In parts OF the
city taat were entirely paved aud well drained than in
th0,e parts where 1t was proved that garbage was
thrown upon the and iu the immediate vicinity Of
the lowest canals and drainage reservoirs.