The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-01

| fatality. Unfortunately 1t is not SO Tht
| type Of yellow fever which has prevailed In
New Orleans has been of the worst character
| and it Is probable that no more than one-third
| have escaped from death.
1T follows from the preceding affirmation
| that over half of the reported cases have
neveribeen attacked by yellow fever, and we
| are carried to the conclusion that at least one
half OF the deaths have been caused by other
endemic fevers common to both the foreign
and the native elements
Now comes naturally the question Of reel
divation Of yellow fever on the same person
| point upon which the commission has much
insisted in Its interrogatOries Nos 20 and %
| dare affirm again. with science. that yellow
fever does not recidlvate The experience in
many epldemtcs and constant and serupulous
observations in all the countries where yellow
lever 1s endemic, almost absolutely contra
dict such theory.
The best authors, however have come, In
their researches, to the following conclusion
That yellow fever recidivates still less
than smallpox. We all know how uncom-
mon are smallpox relapses, and yet It is very
possible to cOnfOund this disease with other
diseases of the same species, but which are not
preservative against smallpox.
With greater reasons can other serious fe-
vers be mistaken for yellow fever, especially
during the prevalence Of epidemics, laboring
under deluSive appearances which are thus
pronounced and recorded as relapses.
We are daily witnessing the official reports
Of the Board Of Health during. the present
epidemic and said board have given us good
cause to doubt the yeSue iof their registra..
tiOns, as they do not dSlssass the least proof
that all the cases a5g even half the eases
reported by them are positively Of yellow
fever. On
Inour own practice we have observed that all
the fevers which are prevailing In New Orleans
and neghbOfhoods for the past three months
have been considered and reported by n ma
iority of physicians as yellow fever.
Upon such basis, can we believe in relapses2
1t Is almost impossible
The study Of preceding epidemiCs has not en-
lightened lis the least more. The same confu-
sion has occurred. All kinds of fevers pre-
yailiug Mt the time were conf0unded with the
various other fevers which were simutane-
ously epidemic
Once, indeed, some physicians stepped for
ward, and even went 50 far as to announce
that the children who did not contract the
fever were spared because of their having had
it previously in mild and unnotieed man
ner. ] suppose
eddy reputed for their profound ssowIedge
and extensive practice. who have, irSgly judg-
ment, cOnfpunded the icterus, SO common on
the newborn Of every country with the yell
low fever of our climate. and have presented
those cases as the demonstration Of their
theory. %
Those cases Of icterus officially recorded as
yellow fever will, in the course of time. falsely
the statistics of other countries, and will in
evitably lead to the most Improbable scien-
title conflicts upon q matter 81 vitality inter
csting to all
The want Of study upon the past epidemics
is sensiby felt to-day. For instance is there
anything tn prove that we knew what was
tho mrrderous disease which decimated the
population Of Shreveport " 1852 II has been
called yellow fever. That 1851 we know about
it, Well, gentlemen, ut that same time typhus
was ravagng the principal cities OF Mexico.
AMI the epidemic which broke out ut Shreve-
port eoincided with the arrival there of n Mex
lean theatrical troupe, The sense Of the peo-
pie attributed to them the origin of the cpl
dernic m
The fatality this time vas enormous When
the disaster was over, every one returned TO
his avoCatiOn, and no more was said Of it In
the point Of view Of science.
However. my attention was deeply attract
ed towards the study OF the Shreveport cpl
demic, by the following case, which came I'M
der my observation in this manner In the
month Of October 1873, q young man, an
from Shreveport and established himself
here, and had been ever since my next-door
neighbor. While at Shreveport he had been
taken with the fever which was still prevail
ing when he left there. We soon became ac-
1uainted, and ! often had him to relate the
various symptoms of his recent disease for
he had not totally recovered his normal state
Df health, and consulted me for advice. |
IOtlUu LDaL MS SKIN was SJiif retaining MI
merOus spots, which were the remnants of n
general eruption from which he had suffered
Turing his Illness. Those spots having been
to syphlitic causes BY another
physician, my patient became restless and
much concerned about it.
From the information that / could gather
rom him reached the conclusion that he
had had the typhus and nothing else.
] have been waiting and am still watine. for
some serious study upon the supposed yellow
ever epidemic Of Shreveport.
| will now add that the same shoemaker,
lfter losing his wife with yellow fever in the
Of this years epidemic, died him
self from the same disease. Both cases proved
% be 50 rapidly mortal that the wife as we'll
rs the husband died in three and half days.
Gould not the mans case be taken as a racid-
yatton OF yellow fever? That genteman's
latne is recorded in Shreveport and in New
orleans among the yellow fever cases.
| have had occasion in my practice to cure
very serious case of bilious remittent fever.
The patient was q foreigner, and his fever
disappeared under n full treatment with
luninc. Having entirely reeoverea, after
'hort cOnvalesccnce the young man was
strongly under the impression, and against
ny opinion that he had had the yellow fever
Dne month lhter ne was again taken sick, but
his time really with yellow fever, and he
lied on the fourth day. There we have
mother apparent reeidivation Of the same
disease. could mention many more Of such
'Nithplt5, VIII, HpWbFtl, tpHGtll my SUI |
With tho foregoing.
Whenever. unfortunately, comes the next
'pidemic, statistics will eloquently demon
trate that at least one half Of those eases re-
ported this year as yellow fever will haze re-
jdivated- unless the current errors Should |
,anish by the progressive light Of science.
But errors are tenacious, and that Of fectdi- |
,ation Of yellow fever will want many more
,pidemics before it can be eradicated.
In regard to the general fever5 Of the cpun-
ny, and principally those Of remittent type, |
which have been very malignant this year it |
8 perfectly acknowledged that they not only |
but also that they are among those
diseases whose recidlvation is the most fire. |
luently observed. 1t II probably owing to |
hat fact that we SO often hear spoken Of re-
apses in New Orleans.
| here close what intended to say6n answer
o the interrogatories set forth by the yellow |
ever commission, Of which, gentlemen, you |
re the worthy members. | hope to have fu- |
ure opportunity to present my contribution |
Q science, with the fruits OF my accumulated |
and labors, earnestly pursued |
rom the commencement Of the present cpl
emic. | am, gentlemen, your most obedient |