Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-10-12

/ tween one climate over anOthe
Were it otherwise, all climatI
would have similar diseases, nt
would varieties of the season altC
| them. We have become impresse
with the conviction that much errC
has existed ON the subject, and tn,
the evils incident to our locatio
can be greatly ameliOrated.
1t may be probably premature a
this early day of the practical appl
cation of meteorology to etiOlOgy
to venture into much very precis
detail with regard to the element
essential to the existence of the twD
great scourges of our city (yelloN
fever and chOlera). But in the in
fancy of meteorological inquiry, a
at all beginnings, there must be
starting point. The testimony w
offer to the scientific public is sub
mitted with great difiidence, but, a
pioneers, we make our humbl,
offering at the shrine of science, L
be corroborated or refuted by subse
quent observations. If true, w,
cannot overvalue their importance
if not, the experiments to disprOV,
them will lead to valuable results ,
"We have essayed to show" they
say, "what are the precise meteorO
logical or climatic elements neces
sary for the existence not only O
epidemic yellow fever, but of chol
era that is to show what are the
meteorological conditions under
which they prevail at each stage oI
their commencement, progress
maximum intensity and declina-
ton. The difference in the cOmbi.
nations productive of yellow fever
and cholera may be comparatively
small, although the effects are 50
different, nor is this very uncom-
mon or wanting in illustration in
various departments of science and
medicine. A change of wind, with
a difference of five or ten degrees OF
temperature, may produce the most
fatal pleurisy, pneumonia or laryn-
gifts. So the same apparent condi-
tions produce a great diversity of
effects on individuals of different
physical susceptibilities, and a diff
ference of one or two grains of moist
ure in a cubic foot of the air we
breathe may, and often does, result
in the occurrence of the most fatal
maladies."
Finally the commission state /:
'The results we have come to, after
a careful analysis of the records in
this climate at least, during the sew
eral years through which these are
reliable (and have been made with
great minuteness during the past
twenty-one years, and corroborated
as far as they go by those of every
epidemic yellow fever and cholera
that have existed i'm the country, Of
which there are any records; the
more special details embracing nine
epidemics of fever and six of chOl-
era):
"First-That cholera exists i'm a
greater range Of temperature than
yellow fever; that a higher solar
radiation and atmospheric pressure
exists during yellow-fever periods
that these diversities constitute the
pabnlum for its support so far as the
climatic condition is concerned
that for the existence of yellow fever
4 high range of temperature and of
lew point for its commencement
and maximum intensity, and that
4 declension of the former to less
-han 20 degrees, and the latter (dew
point to near 60 degrees puts a
specify end to its epidemic exist
once; that larger quantity Of rain
Usually falls, on an average, during
he existence of yellow fever than
luring cholera and that the aver
lge duration of epidemic yellow
ever has been 1888 days, and the
period of its influence decreasing.
THE POSSIBILITY OF PREVENTING
EPIDENIICs.
If, says the commission, subse-
Iuent observations prove the cor
of these statements, the
uture occurrence and continuance
If epidemic yellow fever will be
with great probability
~ referring to well kept meteorO-
Ogical register. Fever has been
manufactured in certain points (un-
Ter the combinations mentiOned), |
where the filthy wharves and river
,anks have cast their noisome odor
0 poison the atmosphere, and the
dditional aid from corrupt bilge !
water and filthy vessels from abroad, |
he dirty back yards and untitled |
OTIS and OverflOwing privies, have |
dded their mite; the cleaning out |
f canals and the disturbance of |
treets for laying down gas and |
gater pipes have continued |
the season, and although |
he streets have been better attend |
d to than heretofore, they form a
very small portion of the neces-
ary policing OF a great city, and |
he result has been (1S54) that yell
)W fever has again swept off its |
ictims, and will do so until we be- !
ONE wiser by the lessons that have |
cen so often furnished us.
FACTS IN POINT.
But this again, they say, has been |
Irther confirmed by what has oc-
urred in other cities during the |
resent year (1S54. In the city of |
avannah the epidemic of this year
J with great probability attributa-
lie to the exhumation of a large
umber of vessels sunk during the
evolutionary war and that of 1912;
} the filthy land and other debris
erived from the city and the tide,
yhich was thrown upon the bank
ear the town and even spread
pom the streets, over which the
ind constantly blew, and to the
xcavation of the soil of the streets
1t least a mile) for the purpose of
Tying down water pipes.
The epidemic of August was fair
: owing to the cleaning out of filthy
lnals in the city, and the exposure
{ the offensive mud to the hot sum-
ler's sun, to the emptying of the
ty filth on the river, which was
low, and to the distur-
ance of the soil Of the city for the
urpOse of laying down gas pipes.
rATIsTICs OF GREAT EPIDEMICs.
The greatest morality which ever
in New Orleans was in
332, when the city was devastated
y cholera. The number Of deaths
as 8,0S9, from a population of
!, j,O84, or 147.O2 to the 1000. In
353, the year of the great yellow
,ver epidemic, the total number Of
eaths from all causes was 1881,
ut of a population Of 154, ,132, or
2.42 to the 1000. The year 1897
lows the lowest mortality reported
Y the commission Of 1854, which
as ] ,057 out of a population Of
J, OBI, or 24.56 to the 1000. The
lean mortality of the city during
re years comprised between 1887