Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-12-06
SENATOR MARRIs's RESOLUTION.

Governor |. G.. Harris, our senator In con-
gress, deserves the thanks of the whole coun-
try for the prompt manner in which he intro
duced into the senate resolutions looking to
the protection Of the country against cpl
denies; and the readiness with which the
senate passed these resolutions, shows that
congress will adopt rigid system to prevent
the importation of disease. The loss of
human life and the great material interests
of the country by the recent epidemic have
been great, and If any means can be inagu-
rated to prevent like calamity In the future,
they should be adopted regardless of cost.
Congress seems disposed to adopt national
quarantine at the earliest possible moment.
While this important work is going on, the
southern cities should be placed in excellent
sanitary condition, and should be so kept,
IN order to ward off, or at least lessen, the
mortality of any kind of epidemic that may
occur. The cholera is now raging over the
waters, and has reached the African States
on the Mediterranean, and may, and proba-
bly, will, visit this continent before the end
of many months. The Vicksburg Herald,
with great ability, is urging a national quar-
antine. 1t says:
There must be ways to keep this tropical monster
% Vshg Of ana zo 70 Tue Se con ID
hardly believe the history of the pass few months
dead. In a climate unsurpassed on the globe. un-
checked By the best science OF the present civliZl
ton tie fever scattered suffering ana Sea s1d en-
yet past All the material Interests or the south are
The most vital question that can be asked in this
connecticut Is, WIN this dreadful history Tepeat Itself?
shall we have the yellowfever at irregular intervals
in the southern States in the future have had
It IN the past? II so, the direct and Indirect losses
OF the present season from the fever but small
portion Of the evil that may credit TO 1t. II
quietly fold our hands, hugglng the delusVe phan-
next, and We viii be constantly exposed to it
every unusually hot summer. 1t Will
getc citizens; it will check immigration and the IN
flow capital 1t will strike at values Of all kinds of
pr lperty in word, there is no estimate to The evil
it Will work. unless effectual means are taken to
prevent Its vsitatlons. Can this be done? Science
@ ed Cites and it was er6e once many
years ago, even I'm the city OF QIeDec. Since the
been no Jeowever there, and It is not feared that
it viii visit that city again; But it Is claimed that
heat causes its spread. Then its importation must
| be stopped. There is but one way to DO this, and
! and money can make an e1ectuaI quarantine, and
the United States government possesses all these.
The people of Memphis will find much con-
ISOLATION in the Herdld'S comments. 1t shows
that the yellow-fever in former years scourged
Philadelphia and Quebec, but the disease Is
now stranger to these cities, and the people
have no apprehension of return. What
has been accomplished in Philadelphia and
Quebec can be accomplished for the south.
The came cause will produce the same effect;
the same precautions here in Memphis will
make our city as free of yellow-fever as are
the northern cities which were formerly visit
ed by the epidemic. In urgins quarantine
there is one thing the people of Memphis
seem to forget. 1t is this: If a rigid sys-
tenn of national quarantine should be adop-
ted, and afterwards the yellow-fever should
break out in New Orleans, the whole coun-
try from Memphis below would be quarsn-
tined against New Orleans. Having suffered
as they did last summer and fall, the
people, by force of arms, would
stop the railroad trains and prevent any COM
munication. If after all this precaution the
yellow-fever should make its appearance in
Memphis, the country around would quaran-
tine against us. So great would be the ex-
element a train would not be permitted to
leave the city. The bridges would be burned,
the roads would be picketed, and the people of
Memphis would be compelled to remain in
the city as If they were hedged in by an i'm
passable Chinese wall. This would be a
frightful condition, but our people will real
ize it if again visited by an epidemic. This
shows the necessity of improving our sani-
tary condition which would enable US to nit
igate the rayages of disease from which we
could not fly.