St. Landry democrat., 1878-10-19
How the Yellow Fever Has
Been Kept out OF Galveston.
New York Tribune !

|
Not single case of yellow fever ha,
been reported at Galveston. Texas. this
year, although that city WAS formerly
accustomed to have an epidemic once. in
three or tour years, and seldom cscapet]
whenever the fever ragged either in o,he,
gulf ports or the interior cities of the
South. The liealtlifunrSs of Galveston
this summer, is uuqnrstinllih!v due
more to the perfect sanitary condition
of the city than to the strict Quarantine
that has been maintained against in
! fectetl ports.
the. sanitary history of Galveston AS
told 10y Col. y II. i'r!o, the prunrip,n,
OF The Galveston News. may bt studied
with profit, not only ly the people o.:
Southern cities, but also 10y the autIori
ties Of all c"nlirrrrI;it rtulrcs in The.
North into which there. is constant dan.
ger that the fever vii! he imported.
The last great yellow fever epidemic II,
Galveston waS in 1867, and it Was on,
ut the worst from which the city had
ever Sutf red. The disease. WAS iutro-
uuc'd from Indiannla, and it spread
like fire among dry rr.irlr grass. t..
nearly all parts of the city. AT that
time there WAS standing water unht,
nearly all of the older hnuSeS in III,
city and under many nf the nrw nuS
and 1t WAS noted that where this ~in.-
nhht water was most abundant III.
fever spread most rapidly an.i MAS mo
fatal: After this discovery it WAS IT,
trrnintd T" raise the grade Of the cit,
tour feet, and to require that III. Sp,,..
hncatI every building that !-n waite
under it should be- filled 40 with ~,,rl
At the S,ne time. the drainage nt til
city, W hirh, like tn It "f New q leans
has to he upon the surface, WAS great,
improved, and more strict sanitary r+y,i-
lHtlonS were adopted and enforced.
Ever since 1867 there have been rrrquc,,
alnl thorough hnu>cto house inspections
during the summer months, beginning
on the first OF NJ ~, the abatement ni nj,
nulS,nre> Hnh careful cleansing and dis
infection of alleys and PASSAGES. |,
this way Galveston has been made IT,
rlrnrrst city in the United States, an
public opinion there is such that no in,
Preference with the board of health.
wrich consists. of eminent ph, sica!
" II" serve without pay, will he permitted.
In 1878 the yellow fever WAS very fat
IN Memphis, Shreveport, and at one O.
two places in Texas. Galveston did not
quarantine against interior places that
were Infected, but allowed itself to be-
made city of refuge 10y people fleeing
from the disease. During the season Il
considerable number of persons who
had contracted the disease elsewhere.
were sick OF yellow fever in Galveston,
and twenty-nine persons died, but the
fever did not spread, and there WAS not
a single case known III which it was
the yellow fever proved not to he con
ragious in Galveston il. 1878.
During the same summer Galveston |
gaiUst New Orleans, where |
here were some cases of fever. A com
mittee of New Orleans physicians visited |
Galveston, for the purpose of showing |
hat there was n" epidemic in the for |
ner city, and during their stay they
we're entertained by the city. On thie
ccasiOn a full discussion of the means
IT preventing the introduction of the
'eftOW fever tQnk place, the participants
,ting gentlemen who had had great ex-
,erience with the disease. anh the con-
'InsiUu reached WAS TINT quarantine
.oul,l not he strict enough to protect a
lily frHm yellow fever nnlesS care WIS
'l$o taken to keep ,ls sa',irary condition
good.
II ls now eleven yeals since yellow
ever has been epidemic in Galveston,
nd the people Of that city Miiryc that
With proper attention to sanitary pre-
autiOrs they need never Suff.r again
IS they did in 1867. 1t will probably Il"
nnnd when the hi>tnrv of the prrsrn,
pilrmic in tl,r South j. written, that in
very city which h, --77,..::t.rrl -: the sol
'ah been prepared for the. iutrohuc;::"n
nd spread Of the di>tase ,y he nt.gItr
D observe sanitary rules. Fne yellow
ever wnuid certainly luse many of it,
''rr"rs if every S"ntInru city. was KEEP
i clean as Galveston.