The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-20

called a City OF Refugees, SO nobly had its
citizens extended their hospitality to the
fugitives from Norfolk and Portsmouth
when the yellow-fever prevailed there with
isuch violence. Said President Harris:
The deplorable epidemic OF yellow-fever
that has desolated the population OF the
great valley during the past summer and
autumn has filed our minds with awe,
while it has brought wailing and terror into
the homes OF nearly one hundred cities and
hamlets OF the. river States. Now, in the
very last days OF its prevalence for the
present year,. this terrible pestilence leaves
to the public-health authorities throughout
| the United States, and especially to this As
sociation, the duty Of studying its history,
OF penetrating the mysteries and realities
OF Its causes, and OF reaching practical con-
clusons concerning the ways and means by
which such causes shall be overcome, and
the ravages OF this destroyer be henceforth
and forever prevented within the bounda-
ries OF our country.
After thirty years OF observation and
study, and after seasons OF responsible pub
lie care OF yellow-fever patients, and after
careful study into the facts and reasonings
into the causation OF this disease, it does
not become me to speak dogmatically con-
cerning this most separate and peculiar Of
the infectious and destructive pestilences.
Nosolosical distinctions, Archaeological the
ories, and the ever-varying phenomena OF
meteorological conditions and other circum-
stances OF the hot seasons and local condi-
tions which mark the history Of successive
epidemics OF yellow-fever, do not affect the
one most essential fact that this Is not 4 pan
demic pestience. All experience from its
prevalence hitherto proves that the domain
over which its ravages have extended is so
we'll defined and so limited as to warrant the
belief that by united counsels OF the public
health service OF the civilized world it may
soon be found practicable to define the
essential facts concerning the factors OF caus-
alton that enter into the propagation Of this
strange and destructive peStilence within
the geographical limits that are recognized
as the boundaries OF the yellow-iever zone.
We say this with much confidence and with
an ardent desire, for it is in the interests Of
civilization and humanity that this signal
triumph Of sanitary knowledge should be.
1t has been predicted, indeed, by the best
minds in the medical profession. 1t is re-
suit to be expected as an outcome Of definite
and well-directed scientific researches. 1t
is necessary for the welfare of society; for
| this disease, more than any other known
among the people of the earth, strikes with
terror every community in which it appears.
1t obstructs and temporarily destroys the
transactions OF the commercial world far
beyond the limits of its immediate preva-
lence, desolatcs the habitationS OF the
wealthy and the poor alike, while medical
skill is baff1ed and impotent in its presence.
What scenes have Memphis, Vicksburs,
and New Orleans witnessed in the unequal
conflict OF medical skill and this dire pesti-
lence the past four months? Thus it has
been with every successive Visitation OF
yellow-fever epidemics, and in the midst OF
each one it has been as true as in that which
Sir William Lyon described in Lisbon when
last that city was visited by yelloW-feVer
"Disease, in one OF its most appalling
forms, held sway, and Art stood helpless
by." Confessing, as every competent and
conscientious observer and practitioner OF
medicine does confess, this inability OF Gu
rative medicine in the management OF yell
low-fever epidemics. how gladly does every
right-minded person turn and invoke all
the resources of hygeine, all the duties OF
social and domestic life, all the means, all
the concessions and aid that commerce can
give, and all that law and judicial science
can offer to enable the publlc-health service
of cities, States, and the nations which are
concerned, to prevent the spread and, II
possible, to cXtinguish the causes OF this
disease.
TIE FEVER zoNE-THE EVIDENCE AT HAND.
We have said that the recognized geo.
graphical limitations OF the existing yellow
fever zone warrant an undertaking IN the
interests OF the civilized world, and by all
resour ces it can offer to gain the mastery OF
this destroyer. We offer no theory, we
utter no dogma. we expect no miracle; but
we do ask and believe that scientific lnTeS-
LEGATIONS can and must secure this impor-
tant result We pause here for 4 moment
to say, because we know, that the investiga-
ton which is now in progress by the Com
mission under the direction OF the Surgeon
General of the Marine-Hospital Service was
conceived, advised, and is now conducted
strictly in accordance with this firm and
fervent purpose to know, record, and fully
report the course and causes OF this deadly
epidemic, which has oyerleaped all its for
mer limits.
| Members and officers OF the American
Public-Health Association became response
bly, concerned in the organization and plan
OF this important investigation to the eX-
tent and ability of their right to do so. Our
nation and all civilized nations will endorse
the verdict of physicians, philosophers, and
statesmen, that this was duty, and that il
will continue to be duty, to press forward
these researches to definite conclusions, and
TO couple with them also all the best eXpe-
rience Of the past in deyising the public
measures and perfecting the sanitary service
THAT SHALL henceforth stay the progress oil
1.-THE Destilential infection, and as soon as
practicable give such efficiency and compre-
hensiYe means OF certainty to the public
health service in the entire domain OF our ma
ton, and OF all countries with which it is in.
ternationaly allied, that pathways Of com.
merce shall be unmiXed by this infectious
pest and by the crude and ineffective me-
thods Of quarantine and police interference,
over which ignorance and caprice preside.
This National Public-Health Association
conyenes to-day in the capital city Of the
Mother OF States to examine, silt, and ana
lyze the body OF evidence which we have
begun to accumulate, and concerning which
the duties that lie beyond this anxious be-
ginning OF our effort to know the worst and
to know the whole; all the State and muni-
cipal authorities Of the regions visited OF
liable to be visited by yellow-fever are, BY
their working representatives, how cordial
ly gathered with us in council upon these
momentous questions.
THE MEANS OF STAMPING OUT THIS DISEASE.
1t matters not to any of US, even il bat
tered with the conflict of decades repeated,
of campaigns against destructive diseases,
il it should chance to be proved that any
previous opinion, theory, or practice con.
cerning the Intellectual factor or the local
izing causes or the means OF stamping out
this subtle pestilence were disproved or SUI
perseded by means definite and practical,
yerdicts OF such grand court OF Hygiene
as this. 1t matters not to any Of us IL il
should be shown that the yellow-fever
saemed to he personaliy contagious i'm the