The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-09-19
THE PLAGUE OF THE SOUTHWEST
Interesting Comment upon its History and
Peculiar Features.

| The earliest account given of yellow
fever was by Ligon, in his history of the
Barbadoes, in the year 1647. From that
| time to the present 1t he's been investi.
gated and written about by many of the
most eminent physicians both in this
country aud Europe. Rush and La
Roche, Of Philadelphia; Clark and Flint,
of New York DickeEson aud Michel, os
Charleston; Stone and Joseph Jones, Of
New Orleans; Cochrane and Michel, of
Alabama, have all given to the world
valuable contributions upon this SUBJ
Ject, not TO mention many other able
men of the profession in America.
It Is fever that is found in both
hemispheres, but is confined 10 certain
geographical limits being rarely found
beyond 48 degrees north latitude or 35
degrees south latitude, and between 81
degrees west aud 81 degrees east longi-
tude. The altitude to which it is On.
abled to ascend varies with its peculiar
geographical conditions. Thus, in the
West Indies it has been found at the
height of five thousand feet, ns was the
case in an epidemic at Newcastle, Ja-
macia ; while In the United States Il is
never found higher than six hundred
above the level Of the sea. 1t il essen
TALLY q fever of hot climates, and de.
mands diurnal temperature of 72 de-
grees 70 exist rs an epidemic. It's pecu-
liar homo appears to Se the tropics, for
in them alone is it found to be endemic
throughout the year, as in the islands of
ST. Thomas and San Domingo.
The United States has been 30 fire.
quently visited with this fever that it
scarcely becomes necessary to point out
the years. 1t is, however, chiefly con-
bned to the coast and leading water
courses, from the port Of Charleston to
the Rio Grande, and, as before observed,
never ascends the streams beyond six
hundred feet above sea level. New Or
leans, Mobile aud Galveston have been
more frequently visited than any of the
sea coast towns, while Montgomery
Memphis, Vicksburg, Natchez and
Shreveport have chiefly claimed its at
ten.ion in the interior. W..
The peculiar element causing this
disease has given rise to much discus
sion in the profession, and has been the
source OF developing great c0ntrariety of
opinion. Like the causes that give rise
10 the malarious aud contagious diseases,
aud. in fact, to the major portion of
the known diseases Of the world, every
thing is involved in mystery and 1t re-.
mains for the future, if ever it will be,
to demonstrate the peculiar features of
these causes. There are facts, however,
in connection with the production of the
dsease that have been ascertained. IT
dwe!ls where the malarious diseases
exist IN their nlost aggravated forms, and
depends, like them, upon heat, moisture
and decomposition, but must have
putrefactive rs we'll as vegetable decom-
position. In addition it requires GER
tain degree of density of population
1t 10, in the temperate zones, a to,on and
ciiy disease, and never RACES as an epi-
demic IN tho country. The peculiar
poison, 1t bas beeu argued, consists oi
| cells and cell germs, that are capable oi
reproducing themselves to an indetermi.
nate extent. These prevade the atmos,
phere, travel both with and against the
wind; are moro rapidly propagated
when coming in contact with an excess
of moisture; they penetrate clothing anG
enter goods of all kinds; they travel il
! ships for thousands of miles, and wher
put upon shore, provided they find Z
warm, moist and filthy resting place
| commence ut once to develop q sufficient
| number of kindred germs to doom the
place to an epidemic of fever. Some
writer's speak of this peculiar noisor
| as belonging to the fungi group; others
as bacteriods. An American writer
Cochrane, of Alabama, calls them cool.
loed bodies, blt we have preferred to de.
scribe them in manner that has had
many advocates and which lie moro tan.
gible to the human mind.
IL the disease contagious or infectious
or is 1t both, that is, q contingent con.
tagion This is an open question, but
by far the majority of writer. agree that
1t is absolutely an infectious disease. and
never contagious. 1t will rot spread
from individual to individual among q
small population /; it is confined to Too
narrow limits, where it is epidemic. for
1T TO be contingent disease. Again.
complete seclusion in an infected dis.
tfict will not render the person or per-
sons safe from contracting the disease,
Does the disease ever come spontaneous.
ly In the United States? This is also ar,
open question, yet the majority of writer's
believe that 8. is always an introduced
and never 70 endemic disease. During
the war every Southern port. where
there was an effectual blockade. was free
from this fever. At New Orleans. where
the blockade was rigidly enforced from
the commencement of the war until ita
capture, not one case of fever was known,
and during the occupation by the ensmy'
after limited traffic was opened up. the
fever appeared upon some of the gun.
boats, but nos within the limits of the
city. On the other hand, at Wilmington
In our own State, where vessels were
constantly coming in from the West
Indies, the city was visited with q fright.
full scodrge of fever.
Again, in the epidemic Of 1873. which
occurred at New Orleans, Mobile. Pensa.
cola, Montgomery, Shreveport and Mem.
! phis, the fever was clearly traced TO the
arrival of tro infected vessels from Ha
vana-the bark Valparaiso at New Or.
leans on the 10TH of June, 1878, and the
Golden Gate, on Inc 10Th vf tins Gam,
month and year, at Pensacola. From
these points 1t was conveyed either b,
individuals or steamboats, to the varion!
other points where the fever sprang up
This has been clearly demonstrated by
those who have Investigated the subject
The duration of the disease az ar
epidemic differs in different localities
In some of the epidemics at New Or
leans it has disappeared prvious to {
killing or "black" frost. This, however
has been extremely rare; but of ont
thing we are always assured, that witt
the fist killing frost the epidemic Is a
an end. The persons who had become
infected previous TO the freeze will, o
course, have the fever, but no one re
turning TO or coming into tho place afte
such frost will have it. Natives of in
fected places are less likely to contrac
this disease than strangers, while Afri
CP na ara much mara osronar, Ahn,, .niAho