The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-11-22
migration OF yei,o,x pexer

Migration Of Yeiloxx Fever
yellow fever, like the ebolara l.
one OF the great migrating diseases.
Starting from some point within the
tropics, 1t travels steadily onward from
point TO point as long as Il does nor
meet freezing weather and II travels
nor Inward by preferenee-compara
lively seldom TO the southward Of the
zone FROM which it SETS out Thus
Brazil has suffered comparatively lit
tie from It's epidemic visita,ions, though
as we shall see, the disease planted
ITS germs long ago in Rio de Janiero.
on the extreme southern limit of the
tropics. But its favorite course is
toward the North. ..Unon onr Allan.
nc coasts, says DR. j. O. Noft. care
iul student and observer of its phenom
ena, cas- on the coast of The Mediterran
can. 1t comes from time TO time in one
OF those immense waves that know no
bounds and stops at no impediments
The distance to which the disease ex
tends seems to depend much upon the
strength OF the wave. II first strikes
the Gulf and generally goes no farther
occasionally it will break over the
peninsula of Florida and reach Savan
nah aud Charleston. In 1855. af er
many years OF immunity, it struck
Norfolk with full force. and only
few ripples, as 10 1858, 1896, 1870,
havein half a century reached the Della
ware river and the Bay OF New York "
And the same observer writing eight
years ago. adds some words which have
a grave signifcance to day: yellow
fever, after long absence, never makes
its re appearances in our Northern
cities without a warning from the
Gulf of Mexico, Its seen not only
for months, but often for several years
in vigorous actin 10 its native habitat
before it iea,s over its accustomed
bound; but when once on the tramp
it may travel rom Buenos Ayaes to
Quebec, LEAVING more graves in its
track than Alafic cholera There is
reason to fearthat one of these erup
tons is now narshalling its force
Let us glamc at the course Of one
of these typed epidemics-at the one,
for instance, which started as far away
as Rio de Jen'iro, twenty eight years
ago, and travelled in six years all the
way to New Yuk-a journey Of Dear-
ly four THOUSAND miles-in great cir
Gle. A great many yeare before, so
many years bebre, so many that the
inhabitants of klo had lost all recollec
ton of the fact the yellow fever had
visited their ely; but now the epidem-
ic broke upon nem like lightning from
clear sky. This outbreak" says
Dr.. Nott, "com nenced in Rio in Jan
uary, 1850, AMI travelled night and day
for six years. making its expiring
effort in New York Bay in 1853
had my eye upon this epidemic from
its commencenen OF, watching its steady
course and rawges along the Atlantic,
Caribbean Sea aud Gulf of Mexico for
several thousands miles, When it
struck New Orleans $3.50 it was
clear to my mind that our own coast
was doomed, and before il reached
Mobile was so certain it would come
that | moved my fsmily into the heal
thy pine hills, seven miles from the
town. where the disease had never
been. But, in spite ofall my prudence
the disease not only came to Mobile
but followed mg family out to spring
Hill, where l bst four of my children
10 one week
How is the disease disseminated?
In two ways--in given town or city
by a slow and regular progression
from house to house; between distant
places. by following the lines Of travel
aud commerce. 1t is carried with es
pecial freq leDey by sailing ships, and
generally makes its first appearance 10
q previously healthy place near the
docks and wharses. We.her the part
of the town neatest the water happens
to be clean orr dirty quarter, rich
or poor one, makes no difference.
Clean streets do not check the disease
nor does foulness favor its spreading
la 1857 the yellow fever pre- vailed In
that part Of Mes Orleans which was,
by official report in the best possible
sanitary condition. and in 10 other.
though the rest Of the city was and
has been for years almost indeseriba
bly, filthy. The germs of the disease
are portable, like bulk 10 freight, and
they will take root 10 any soil They
Turk in baggage cars, in boxes, and IN
any loose textured substance that i
closely shut up. as even in cargoeS OF
sugar. In porons materials ike these
iami;es, as physicians call rhem-the
poison will hide aud ripen for some
two months time. aud develop it full
est strength Of injection. y parcel
sent from New Orleans may start ane
epidemic of yellow fever in Boston or
Quebec
The disease is ono of hot climates
and of low aIluvial ground by prefer
ence. though any kind of soil will do
for it, any elevation above sea- level
that is not too great for the degree OF
heat required That degree is a daily
average. continued for SOME weeks to-
gether, of from II TO 80 deg Fla tenn
perature which is reached for mouth
or more together, and exceeded, during
one more than torrid summer, in al
most any Oh tut wv IL anu NlfiSo nun
Florida to Maine. Yellow fever has
prevailed as far North even as Quebec.
and may extend as far in the future.
OF the mysterious way in which the
disease travels from house to house,
living messenger of death, we know
little. Science has not yet been able
TO seize upon the secret of its cause,
which, in all cases is probably the
same though some observers think that
there are two distinct forms of the
disease. + it in microscopic plant
or insect. TOO small. howeve for detec
ton by the highest magnifying power
vet at our denmsnd, that its exciting
cause consists? That is probab lie
1t is supposed that these germs enter
the blood and destroy it by a process
comparable 10 that which is set up in
yeast by fermentation. 1t has been
suggested, very plausibly, that this liv-
ing germ can enter the human body
only at particular stage OF It's own
growth, and that when it has eompiet
ed its career by Multiplying there, it
has no power to leave that body and
invade the sanctuary of another lite
This the orv would account tor the