The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-08
PERIHELION AND PESTILENCE,
A had Time Ahead-W hat We May Expect
I'm Two Years.
[Science of HEALTH


IL there Is anything in astrological criol-
ogy, we are approaching one OF the most
presidential periods of the earth's history
Since the commencement OF the Christian
era the perihelia of the four great planets Of
the solar system Jupiter, Uranus Saturn
and Neptune have not been coincident. But
this Is about to occur, and in the language of
DR.. Knapp, who has traced the history of the
greatest epidemics that ever afflicted
the human race to the peeriheIia Of these
the DOCTORS" She theory is that when one
or more Of the large planets is nearest to
the sun the temperature and condition OF
our atmosphere are so disturbed as to cause
Injurious vicissitudes, terrible rains, pro-
longed drouths, etc, resulting in the destruc-
ton OF crops. and pestilence among human
beings and domestic animals. DR.. Knapp
has collected mass OF statistical data, all
going to show that perihelion dates have
always been marked by unusual mortality,
and that sickness and death have invariably
correspondent with the planets in perihelion
at the same time. The revolution Of Jupiter
round the sun Is accomplished In a little less
than twelve years OF Saturn in little less
than thirty years; OF Uranus In about eighty
four years. II it be true, therefore, that the
perihelia OF these planets occasion atmos-
pheric conditions unfavorable to life, pesti
lential periods should occur once In dozen
years, and aggravated and still more wide
spread epidemics at longer intervals. In
tracing the history OF epidemics for more
than 1000 years, Dr. Knapp finds the facts
In all cases to validate the theory. Thus,
In the sixth, and again in the sixteenth
centuries, three of these plaques were coin
cident in periheliOn, and those were the
most pestilential times OF the Christian era.
But soon we are to have, for the first time In
1000 years, all four OF these planets against
US. They will be at their nearest approach
to the sun in or soon after 1880, so that for a
few years. say from 1880 to 1883, the vitality
Of every living thing will be put to severe
and trying ordeal. Some persons think they
see In the signs OF the times evidences Of
great disasters in the immediate future: The
prevalence Of flood and disaster at sea. the
general failure of the tobacco crop, the wide
spread chill fever among human beings, and
the equal presence OF the epizootic among
animals are mentioned among the Fremont
tions Of the rapidly approaching perihe-
lion. Well, ito be forewarned is to be fore
armed" Accidents excepted, we know very
well that the persons OF more vigorous con-
situations and more hygeinic habits will
have the better chance to survive whatever
adverse influences the extraordinary perihe-
liza will occasion. 1t is well known to physi-
clans that In all pestilence, plague, typhus,
smallpox, cholera, murrain, etc, the intem-
perate and dissipated. and those whose Sani-
tary conditions were bad, furnished this vic
to make sensation. We state the facts
which all history attests. Readers can judge
for themselves what Importance to attach to
the subject That the conjoint perihelion Of
all the large planets OF the solar system, one
Of which, Jupiter. Is O thousand times as
large as the earth, must disturb our atmos-
phere and temperature very considerably, is
probable; that this disturbance must be
Injurious to health and life is certain; and
that these periods have heretofore been pesti-
lential Is matter Of record. How much we
shall suffer during the next dozen or fifteen
years depends very much how nearly we live
life in accordance with the laws of life.