Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1878-09-07
YELLOW FEvEE.

lnent, in the West Indies and ON the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts, whose writ
ten opinions have been carefully col
Only y small number eX-
pressed a belief in a contagious
cause, and they admitted that the di-
seasc is seldom impaired from one
person to another III a perfectly
healthy atmosphere; and that the et-
tluyiA then produced its effect, only,
in an impure state Of the atmos-
phere, 1t is exceedingly rare, ont OF
hundreds Of cases which have been
scattered through the country, du-
ring extensive epidemics, carried
from infected cities, that any reason
is given that the disease is thereby
propagated. III cities where the in
lection is limited to certain districts,
only those who reside in OF visit
those districts are attacked, and pa
tients carried thence to a healthy To-
cality never impart the disease to
other persons. The citizens of Lou
i%syille, KY, in offering a place Of ref
uge for all who desire to 60 from the
infected cities, has done a noble act,
and one that will never be forgotten
by the suffering South. These gen
erous keutuckians say, there is no
danger in this people coming among
us; it would be saving very little for
our hospitality not to welcome them
Many OF us were personally &C,
quaiuted with the late distinguished
DR.. Mott, Of Mobile, who rose to the
top round OF the ladder Of flme as
Il physician, and whose knowledge OF
yellow fever, from long and extern
I siye practical experience, was equal
to that Of any other man in the pro-
fassion. What Hid he say, when his
opinion on contagion, as applied to
yellow fever, was requested for pub
lication: In Mobile no one in OF
out Of the profession believes in it,
trmsmissiL.lity and the town is
peculiarly well situated for inyestisa-
ting this point"
Dr. Smith, who probably expert.
meuted as much, and took rs mucI
pains as any member of his profes
sion, TO ascertain the nature Of vel
tow fever IN New Orleans and Gal
weston, says, patients We're removed
from the infected districts to til,
healthy sections Of the city, withou
communicating the disease to thei,
atton1ants, or the inmates Of thei
new abode ; these sections retained
throrghont the epidemic their health
fitness Dr. Smith performed INA
uy dis-ectiols, examined eyerythin,
closely. Immersed his hauds in til
black yoluit and frequently tasted it
lie saws, " after a careful observation
Of the history Of the epidemic, u,
fact has come to light to show tina
the disease was contagious, that is
communicable from a person labor
ing under it, to one in health"
There is less probability of til
{ poison being carried in the clothin.
, Of persons, than in the Dir of ships
This accounts for the exemption c
interior cities from the danger t
which those on the sea coast and riy
| ers are exposed. DR.. lIartshorn, {
t Philadelphia, says, ":the germs c
the disease are extremely seldom,
, eyer, transported by fomites, that il
clothing, bedding, merchandise X,
: If it exist in any such material, it j
3 certainly destructible by cleansin
S and disinfecting measures"
We give these quotations froI
these eminent physicians, and W
, might adduce volumes Of the sam
character, to show what those VIII
ought to know, think Of contagio
r as applied to yellow fever.
If the cause of yellow fever be
miasma. it is one that is generated t
a great extent from purified animt
and vegetable substances, animal e1
crement etc all mingled, "AlI alon
) the wharves and in docks into whic
I the common sewers empty, we hay
! these condition in an eminent dc
gree, ready to be called into oper,
ton, when a high and long contir
ued temperature shall penetrate
the bottom Of the water and set til
/, fermentation into movement; and
is we'll known that these are tn
parts Of cites where the yellow f
yer is most apt to break ont"
The poison which il said to caus
yellow fever may be carried from on
place to another in vessels shut u
with the air, and if it finds putri,
matter to act upon, may act as a fer
mcnt and generate n greater amour
Of the poison, which may spread an,
continue to spread as it finds auita
BILE material to act upon. 1t ha
been compared to the action of yeas
in giving Il start to the Fermentation
that produces yeast. Some suppos
the cause to be a living organized
microscopic germ, either animal o
vegetable, which may propagate it
self indefinitely, when circumstance
favor its development, and may in
crease ana spread with enormous RI
pidity, communicating the atmos
phere of whole cities in u short time
The citizens of. Macon have NJ
rnn.nn T. IN on nAnnh frinhtnnel ~