The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-11-22

FL t0Pn1fcS Csan ID ~ sA1aTsA-
The wonderful advances of sanitary
science, 10 the last twenty FIVE years,
has demonstrated that epidemics can
he prevented in towns and cities. If
this is true, il is great crime to ne
elect such means. Fifty years ago
yellow fever prevailed as an epidemic
in New York, Philadelphia, and other
points. which in these Inter years
scarcely entertain a fear of this fever
II is claimed that it has been stayed
by sanitnry precautions aud quarantine
efforts. 1t is moreover agreed that
this sanitary work should be done in
the cold months OF December, January
and February
A total of ten or eleven thousand
deaths by the yellow fever pesiilence
may seem comparatively small to per
sons who have based their estimates Of
the probable mortality upon exagger
ated reports of the deadlineSs of the
disease during the months when it was
raging most fercely. Il is vast nun
Der of deaths. however. to have occur
red within ninety days in region OF
the country where there is only one
great city and where the population is
so scattered, aud from disease which
is preventable. The epidemic of 1888.
il Is true, was worse, fREsit..GieEg iassscf
6 647 victims in New Oriea.s a..ss !.
and devastated some of the cities %
the Atlantic coast; but that of Is1o
is bad enough, and il is far less e.c1s
able, for within quarter of cnfury
the advances in sanitary learning, 10
the knowledge of the means of ward
ing off pestilential diseases, nave been
80 great that the science my be said /
not to have existed befre During I
that time cholera has ceased TO be a /
dreaded enemy of our great cities, and /
small pox has been diven away from
New York Epidemic diseases de
pendent on bad sanitary conditions
have been steadily diminished here
and abroad wherever they have been
fought properly, and the death rate at
the principal capitals of the world has
heen hrnnuht dowD
But the mere mortality total does
not by any means represent the whole |
injury inflicted by this TERRIBLE pes
thence. 1t is very small part of It 1
though the most appalling. Many
times the number who died have been
Frustrated by the disease, and the !
poverty aud suffering which have
in its train have been meal
culable Though the contributions
Of the North have been so great, |
nearly million and half
Of dollars in the aggregate, the cry for
more comes from the scourged cities
The Secretary 6f the Howard A>socia-
ion at New Orleans, for instance, tele
graphs that they need 10000 more,
md throughout the winter the number
If applicants for charitable assistance
will be greatly increased by reason of
he epidemic in all the cities where
t has ragged. New Orleans, with its
10000 inhabitants. Memphis, with
is 40 900, and score of cities and
towns along the Mississippi River of
lesser population have for nigh upon
.hree nonsfIs Dvvn sf1disse5ut -rFeff sfse
rest of the world, so far as active busi-
ness intercourse was concerned, and
the pecuniary loss has been enormous
The railroad transportation has been
ihterfered with, the movement Of cot
ton has been delayed. aud enterprise
has been seriously checked or utterly
killed.
What a vast total of loss this is
And it has been due to the negligence
Of the New Orleans authorities in per
hitting the pesiilence to gain foot
hold there. A yellow fever commits
sion is now at work studying the causes
Of the epidemic, and perhaps it may
add something to our knowledge of
hem, though such commissions are
not very often of great practical use
The history of these epidemies, how
ever, shows that they are preventable
and it will be a great crime if New
Orleans does not from this time for
ward use all means within reach to
save itself from longer being yellow
fever hot bed.