New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-16
mu1rCAN RE UONkf

THAT CAN BE DONET
We publish from day to day full reports OF
the total number of deaths from yellow fever
since its ravages began, with fresh appeals for
help FROM the stricken districts. A comparison
of the two suggests some facts that may afford
useful subject for consideration in those
border towns which are in daily peril of infec-
ton. but have escaped it so far First The
suffering is out of all proportion to the actual
number of deaths, or peril from death. The total
number of deaths up to date Is given as 5,3OO
i'm the whole South, only few hundred more
than those occurring IN the single city of Phia-
delphia in the Winter of 1S70-'71 from small
pox. a disease as virulent as yellow fever, ana
contagious too, which the present plague is de-
clared not to be- Our readers may ask, If tins
is the case, and if Philadelphia battled through
the time of trial without asking or receiving
any extraneous aid, why the plague
stricken cites now are In such imml-
nent want The reason is that small
pox and similar diseases, which sweep
through this and other cities almost every year
with more or less fatal effect, are communl-
Gated by contact. 1t is possible to guard
against and escape from them, and still remain
in the city where they have obtained foot
hold But the yellow fever belongs to the air
which every man must breathe. once
let it enter n town and there is no safety
but in flight Hence, the suffering in the
South is due not so much to the actual loss
of life as to the immediate depOpulation OF
the towns where it appears. The wealthy CIT
liens. indeed all who are able TO fly, leave the
Mace. as they should do all business is sus-
pended shops are closed the supply of pro-
visions from Outsi sources is cut of, through
the fear Of the country people; the infected
village or town becomes in reality like com
munity of lepers in the East, which no man
dare approach Hence, it is panic, rather than
death, which is ravaging the South-a neces-
sary and rational panic, if ever there was one.
Next, the majority of the towns affected are
noted either for their bad drainage, low maarious
position, or generally filthy condition. Where
| this has not been the case, the attack of the
fever can be directly referred TO some gross
| act of negligence in the use of proper precau-
ton. 1t is well known in the South that the
peculiar poison of this disease feeds upon foul
matter. as for example, an uncovered sewer
or the hold of a ship full Of decaying vege-
| tables or bilge water When it finds such con-
ditions il breeds death with the terrible rapidity
| OF AllILOu'b IaDtu HlOHhLcl. III NpltN Va WHO
| knowledge. we find that the disease Is carried
! from town to town by just such means with
| ont let or hndrance. For instance, the
steamboat John ID. Porter came up to Louis
vile from town where the plague was rag
| ing with patients on board and her hold full
of steaming. fementing filth she stopped
| long enough 10 scatter the seeds OF disease
and then was permitted to 90 on her death
breeding errand. At Gallipolis, French set
| Element on the left bank Of the Ohio, she
anchored, and was permitted TO remain unmo-
Tested, although the citizens knew her condi-
! ton. When the fever broke out violently
among them, they were active enough, but 1t
was in flying headlong from danger. 1t
was not, we believe, until after two days
| that the John ID. Porter was tOwed mp the
river scuttled and sunk. If this simple pre-
caution had been observed weeks before, or
if even the cheaper method of thoroughly
cleaning and disinfecting the boat had been
attended TO, there would have been a large
economy both in life and suffering.
Our reason for making these suggestions TO
our readers-platitudes though they may seem
| is that the exercise of very little common
sense in towns not yet attacked would be in
finitely more useful than money and sympathy
in those that are. In New-York and Philadel-
phia there is an effort at cleanliness, not too
energetic or thorough, it is true. But in many
towns nearer the disease there has, so far
been absolutely none. When the disease
comes there seems to be no remedy but to
empty all the population who can go into un-
infected air, and to feed those who remain
But need it comet That is a question, vital
to us as well as to the Southern people. If
the plague cause the thorough cleaning
of towns and cities, and through the wide
stream Of charity which has flowed southwark
convince our alienated brethren of the warm
sympathy and brotherly feeling still existing
for them in the North, it will not have failed
Of its good purpose.