The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1878-09-04
THE HICKMAN SENSATION.

We have nm mistaken faith IN the COM
mon sense and courage that belong to
nine-tcnths of our people. We know they
are not of the stuff that takes alarm unnec-
essarily, and that the effort made by a few
persons, who unfortunately are clothed with
little brief authority, to create n panic by
circulating false reports, in many instances,
and exaggerated ones in Others, will fail and
the authors be laughed at for their pains.
But there is a small clement-good people,
all of them-who have been wrought into
state of nervous excitement by the rumors
that have been current on and off on our
streets for three or four weeks, and whom
the alarmists and sensation-mongers have
worked into degree Of feeling bordering
on terror. 1t is to these people
that The BULLETIN would say
a few words. No rumor has
been current in the city about this whole
matter from its incipicncy that we have not
traced to its source and given to the public
the benefit of our investigation. OF all the
stories started about the fever among US,
but one has proven an undisputed case, and
that was reported from the steamer John
d. Porter. The Poplar street case is in
dispute with both the weight Of testimony
and common sense against the fever view.
But we let that pass for the present. What
we want to show is that THE BULLETIN has
given complete denial to the hundreds of
other reported cases, and its denial has
never been questioned. And when the
whole truth is known about the Hickman
case we are sure there can be no reason for
alarm even among the most timid. DR.. w.
r. Smith inquired Of DR.. Blanton, Of Hick-
man, yesterday if there was any yellow
fever there. The following reply was re-
ceived. The reader will note the time of
the dispatches:
HICKMAN, Ky, Sept 3d-11;11 AN.
DR., W, Il. Smith:
Yes. Total cases. 40 to so; 10 deaths in
all. Dr.. ID. G. BLANToN.
About twenty minutes later Mr.. Matt.
Fulton received the following telegram
from his father:
HICKMAN, Ky, Sept. 3d.--11 80 \. NJ.
NJ. p Fulton, Cairo, Ills
An eminent physician is expected here
to-day. He will decide about the fever
here. Some deaths last night.
JOHN FUTON.
In the Sun of yesterday evening these
kilograms are reversed as to order Of time
for the purpose doubtless Of making a case
10 sustain It's panicky and terror-stricken
statements. In the dispatch to DR.. Smith,
DR.. Blanton states the number Of cases and
the number of Deaths but the very impor-
tant omission is made of the time covered
10y these deaths and cases. Reliable
information received in this city last night
state that the cases. 40 in number, extend
over a period of twelve days, while the
greatest number of deaths in any one day
during that time has been g. This goes far
TO sustain the belief expressed by the send
er Of the telegram that the fever is of the
type prevalent at this season in Hickman,
and known as swamp" fever to some and
as milk" fever to others. Portions of the
town site of Hickman are proverbially I'M
healthy, and the present death rate there
would excite no unusual comment were it
not for the extraordinary avagcs OF the
scourge in the south. At all
events, even if the worse should
be admitted, Cairo has still little to fear
Her sanitary condition is excellent. No
community could be cleaner and we have
used dsintectants literally. Our atmos-
phcre is pure, cool and light, and the con
ditions for generating organic poisons are
wanting. Upon this rock of common sense
we build our faith and our hope of escape
from the scourge. 1t also frees us from
the influences Of those who rush about the
town retailing the most direful reports and
expressing the most ominous forebodings.
1t is also worthy of note that 10 case has
yet appeared at any point west Of the Mis-
sissippi river. All we have to do is to keep
cool and keep clean. We are out ofthe
n, al a riol holt