The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-09-06


with it that it had natural limit to
course of sixty days; that in that period it
would run out and lose its virulence with
out regard to the occurrence of frost. Most
unfortunately for the sadly afflicted people
of many Southern cities the facts this year
rudely dispel that theory, for the disease
began in June, and now in September
shows even no sign of abatement Must
this epidemic also be taken to dispel the
hope that some day We may get
rid of it altogether? We are not
sure of that, for bad as the malady
has been this year it is a light
visitation by comparison with what has been
experienced formerly, not only on the
Lower Mississippi but also much further
north. Grenada's history was surpassed
by that of Woodville, in the same State, and
New Orleans has not lost nearly SO many
this year as have died from the same disease
in single summer in Philadelphia. In the
last century it was q constant visitor in this
city, and Norfolk, Charleston and Savannah
have in their time known almost as much
about it as New Orleans. 1t is true that
these places cannot be regarded as its home
in the sense in which a point on the Gulf
shore may be SO regarded, but they have
shown that sewerage, pavement and
rigid sanitary system may reduce its pos
sibility for evil to a very low point.
Yellow fever appears, however. to depend
for its existence and propagation upon GER
tain climatic conditions found generally at
particular places, but exceptionally preva-
lent even there in some years more than in
others. 1t is, indeed, rather q local pesti-
lence than fever; though the extensive
use of the word "fever" as synonymous
with one or two Of the symptoms common
to all states of profound constitutional dis
turbance has fastened that name to it;
fact which has perhaps stood in the way Of
the investigation of Its real nature as pes
thence of local and combined meteorologic
and telluric origin. 1t occurs in oil years at
defined points in the West Indies, while the
shores of the Gulf of Mexico, in Mexico itself,
and near the mouth of the Mississippi and
the shores Of the Mississippi for some dis
lance from the mouth, are SO well recognized
as in the number Of its natural seats that its
mere appearance at these places occasions
no surprise, however its ravages may ulti-
mately distress us. Doubtless this fact may
discourage the hope that eventually the
Southern cities will live it down altogether,
but we believe they will be able to contend
more successfully against it.
In some years this destructive and mys-
terious pestilence acquires an energy in
virtue Of which its operations are not only
a hundred-fold more fatal than usual, even
where it is at home; but that gives it the
capacity to act on the air at places where 1t
never originates and to which it cannot Or
dinarily extend. It such years it has been
severely felt in this city. Now, the condi-
tions in virtue of which the malady can
thus enlarge its sphere of operations do not
exist now in this part of the world, and it
is as nearly as may be impossible that they
should exist between this and winter; and
this simple consideration supplies the
most unanswerable evidence that if any
cases of yellow fever are seen here
this year they will be those of
contaminated there, but not able to-
outrun their terrible enemy; not cases of
persons infected here. But what are these
conditions that may in any circumstance
give the malady power over the lives of the
people2 They are heat and moisture in
one alone, but both acting with a constantly
high average that they cannot reach in this
climate in September in o city circum-
stanced as ours is.
AS to some specific particulars it is easy
enough to say what yellow fever is not but
to say what it is is of course, not possible.
That is the mystery. 1t is not a merely
miasmatic disease; it is not O mere disorder
of the animal system, producing an animal
poison capable of propagating the disease,
vet it affiicts cities rather than the country
districts. That some emanation from the
earth is its direct cause is probable
but it is apparently an emanation
that is not constant, or that is
only effective in atmospheric conditions
that are not constant. All the uncertainty
in regard to its cause, however, must be
understood as having relation merely to its
cause at the places of its origin. The
causes by which it may be produced in any
Northern city are very clearly known and
can consequently be guarded against. 1t
must be brought here but not as con.
tagious disease may be brought One who
has been stricken down with it ut the
South and comes here to die dies as HARM
lessly for those about him as he might IL he
died from O bullet wound received on
Southern field of battle. But the clothes
he wears, tho clothes in his luggage, the
blankets and rugs he brought from his
Southern home-these are the true
source of danger, for in the folds
Of thoaa lies entangled n certa;p