Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-08-15
THE FUNNY FEVER.
Yellow lacks Bright Slds---The Eng
Iish Surgeons Remarkable Re.
pOrt---Eastern Customs.
"Lnntern, in New York pO,t.l

and L have thought that something
similar might be done in the case Of
the subject generally looked upon as
a gloomy one, of yellow fever. Why
else should this epidemic alone have
a popular name in English that is so
trivial as Yellow Jack2 How did
this fatal disease-after the Asiatic
plague the most destructive of epi-
to have SO odd name?
One might spend his time more fool
ishly than in finding out who this un-
fortunate Jack was, and why his par
ticular yellowishness rather than that
of Peter or Pembroke should have
given a name to the destroyer of so
many Christians.
The disagreements of the doctors
about the character Of Yellow Jack
would form a long and entertaining
chapter. In Spain public discussion
OF the contagiousness of the complaint
was at one time forbidden by law, in
order to prevent mortal quarrels. |
will quOtelno controversy of our own
day, for we have no law which would
protect me from the possible conse-
quences. But read how an English
surgeon could muddle himself describ-
ing a great epidemic in Gibraltar
" The disease by no means seems in
fictitious, but the whole atmosphere on
the rock is pestiferous, and am in
clined to think that in addition to the
ordinary causes of contagion we may
consider large limekiln in the upper
part of the town as aid and part in the
general mischief" What charming
confusion! 1t reminds one of the edi-
torial writing in the New York Daily
~, but no, | will be discreet for
once, and keep clear of modern in
stances" Another account, as quoted
by COPELAND, runs as follows:
In one ship bilge. water, or chips
and shavings below the timber boards,
which generally exist in all vessels,
are most logically inferred to be the
cause of the distemper. Another ship
has shingle ballast, and 10 the source
of mischief is discovered. A third
has neither shingles, nor chips, nor
shavings, nor even bilge- water to fur
nish an explanation; and as the idea
OF infection (contagion) cannot for a
moment be tolerated by the scientific
surgeon, he therefore arrives at the
very transcendental conclusion that
the pestilence which has seized the
whole crew and killed nearly half is
nothing else than the effects of q
ligneous principle developed from
wood by high temperature.
The same misconceptions prevail to-
day. It is now pretty well established
that yellow fever springs from its own
peculiar living germ, and that this
germ will spread and multiply as well
in a clean place as in dirty one, and,
while clean streets and clean houses
are just as desirable as ever for the
health Of the we'll and for the speedier
recovery of the sick, it is not proven
that single epidemic of yellow fever
was ever averted by cleaning streets
or houses. But | see | am getting on
contrOverted ground; let me draw my
foot out Of the quicksand before | am
quite entrapped. Who are the exempt
from yellow fever2 They are more
numerous and they belong to larger
classes, even in the worst epidemics
than we are apt to suppose from the
accounts given by the sufferers and
the panic.stricken. In the first place
yellow fever is a disease of the prime
of life children and the old are com
paratively exempt. Second-Women
are much less liable to it than men
Third-Negroes are less often attacked
than the whites. Fourth-Hhin, bill.
ious people are more exempt than per
sons Of sanguine temperament and
good digestion. A regular and mora
habit of life tends to exemption, and
one attack generally exempts from
second. To sum up in the concrete
To be quite safe against yellow fevel
one must be either a small child, or
thin, old moral negro woman who ha.
had it once already. This usefu
formula will at least show which way
safety lies.
But Of those who are attacked
majority, except in very virulent epi
denies, recover. Those who do no
dread the disease are by no means
necessarily downcast during an epi
demic. We read the other day tha
marrying is now all the fashion il
Memphis and it is recorded of TIL,
great plague at Marseilles that ther,
was, during its continuance, an in
temperate rage for marriage" In DR.
Bennett Dowler's interesting pamphle
upon an old epidemic in New Orleans
| read this description, quoted by him
"Those who are safe, rho have beer
enveloped in the plague sheet ans
have been set loose armored against
future attack, eat, drink and ar,
merry, almost persuaded of immunit,
from all disease, since they are pre-
served against that which is the mos
dreaded Of all Cheeks are no
blanched by the proximity of death
Carriages pass and repass not belong
ling to the funeral cortege. The dri
vers of hearses are not moro lugu
brious than dFaymen and porters; In
safe-I've had it. " Even che treat
ment of the disease is not without it
lively incidents. | have heard of
skipper who always carried a chest o
numbered medicines to sea with him
Each pill or powder was properll
labeled, from one to 100, and a printe,
list of symptoms accompanied tn
shippers chest, directing the use o
such numbers for such aud such com
plants. Some cases of yellow feve
broke out during a long voyage, an,
| the skipper found that numbers thre
and four we're prescribed for the mos
prominent symptoms. The stock O
these medicines, however, was ex
hausted about the time when tb