Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1878-11-21
MigraiIons of Yellow Fever.


| Yellow fever; like the cholera, is
one of the. great migrating diseases.
Starting from some point within
the tropics, it travels steadily on
ward from point to point as long as
1t does not meet freezing weather
and it travels northward by pre-
ference-compatatively seld6ih to
the south@afd Of the zone from
which it sets oht. Thus Brazil has
suffered comparatively little from
its epidemic visitations, though, as
we shall see, the disease planted its
germs long ago in Rio de Janeiro,
on the extreme southern limit of the
tropics. But its favorte course is
toward the north. ''Upon our At
lautit t.dasts;" Gays DIR. J. G. Mott,
a careful student and bbserveE of its
phenomena; "as OH THE G0ast Of the
cditerranean, it comes from time
to time in one of those immense
WAVES that know no bounds and
stop at tio ithpediniehts. The dis
tance to which the disease extends
seems to depend much npon the
strength of the wave it first strikes
the Gulf, and generally goes no
tartlief. Occasionally it will break
over the peninsula Of Florida and
reach Savannah and Charleston
In 1856, after many years of inn
munlty, it strnck Norfolk with full
force; and only a few ripples, as in
1853, 1856, 1870, have for halt
century rea II ed the Del
aware River and the Bay of New
York; And the same observer,
writing eight years ago, adds some
words which have a grave signifi-
canoe to day: "Yellow fever, af-
ter long absehGe; never makes its
temperance in our Northern cities
without a warning from the Gulf OF
Mexico: It is seen not only for
several years; In vigorous action in
its native habitat before 1t leaps
over its accustomed bounds; but
when once on the tramp, it may
travel from Buenos Ayres to Que
BET, leaving more graves in its track
than Asiatic cholera: There ie
reason to fear that one OF these
eruptions is now marshallihg its
forces."
Let Us gtahes at tie eodfsg OF
one of thess typical Gpidemics-dt
the one, for instance, which started
!, as far away as Rio de JaneIro,
twenty eight years ago, and .rav-
eled in SIX years all the way to
New York-a journey of nearly
four thousand iiiiles-in d great
circle. Agreai many years before
, SO many that the inhabitants oil
Rio had los, all recollection or ira
; diti.n of the fact, the yellow fever
, had visited their city but now the
epidemic broke upon them like
lightning from a clear sky. "This
outbreak says DR.. Mott, "oom
: rnenced In Rio IN January, 1850
, and travelled night and day for sii
years, making its expiring effort il
New York Bay In 1886. | had ln1
eye upon this epidemic from it:
e commencement. watching its stead,
!. course and ravages along the At
lantic, Caribbean Sea, and Cult o
= Mexico f0! several thousand mile;
u When it struck New Orleans 1858
II |, was clear to my mind that on
own coast was doomed, and besor
It reached Mobile | was so certai
g it would come that I moved ID
u family into the healthy pine hius
seveu miles from the town, wher
$, the disease had never been. Ru
J. in spite of all my prudence. th
IT disease not only came to Mobile
= but followed my family ont
Spring Hill, where ] lost four {
ID my childre en- in on6 Week.
re D1ssEMiNATlo OF YKLIow FF
!. vER-How is the disease dissent
IN mated /! In two ways: in a give
"a town or city, by a slow and tegul'
$ progression from house to house
i between distant places, by follow
Ing the lines of travel and con
3 mercc. It is carried with especi
OF frequency bt sailing ships, al
d generally makes It's first appea
no ance in previously healthy pla
he near the docks and wharves.-
n Whether the part OF the town nea
II est the water happens to be a Gle
ey or dirty quarter, a rich or a po
ms one, makes no difference. Cle'
OF streets do not check the disease, n
III does fonlness favor its SPREADING.
D." In 1857 the yellow fever prevail
ng in that part of New Orleans u hi
rat was, by official report, ''in the b.
oi- possible sanitary condition." and
se- no other, though the rest of the c
ICY was and had beeii for years alu
BILE indescrihably filthy: The germs
si- the disease are portable, like d bt
ons In freight, and they, will take n
ion In any soil. They lurk in baggas
cry cars, In boxes, and III clothing,
les any loose-textured Substance Il