The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-08-14
from bad sewerage and dirty dwellings and habits II

from bad sewerage and dirty dwellings and habits u
the people?'
Nth theory II is an absolute fact that some 81 te
flth.est cities in the world have never deem Fislie
with yellow fever. / think there Is some reason 10
believe that it is produced by an ex-tellurc enan
ton. 1t is well known that whenever there Is az up
turning OF the soil in certain parts or the wor 'no
fever always breaks out with frightful force An
instance OF this was afforded in the cutting OK te
railway from Aspinwall TO Panama. should DO
afraid to give figures for the terrible mortality that
enterprise occasoned Ii Is possible that the cut
ting away of forests may have something 70 DO with
the prevalence of the fever Vegetable life has an
immense effect the condition or the air and often
absorbs and consumes matter that produces disease
in animals
I'll the diseases were produced in this way would
it not be an argument to show that 1t WAS akin to
malaria or intermittent fever?
"ies and that is the opinion OF DR.. stone. the
Oldest medical authority in New Orleans. He holds
that the yellow scourge is only an intensified form
OF malaria am OF opinion myself that II the two /,
not the same disease they cousins german"
Do you think it is capable of spontaneous genera
ton or Is now perpetuated entirely by existent
germinal matter. meeting from time to time with
favorable conditioner?
1T is a curious fact that there has been only
case OF genuine fever in Washington and that case
could be traced to no outside origin. The man
had been opening cellar, and the case would ten.
to support the ex-teluric theory.
How does the disease make it's attack?'
Through the blood. 1t is direct blood poison"
HOW 10 TREAT IT.
''What do you think OF the system Of treatment a
present in vogue?"
IL think it is bad 1t is over-treatment
s'What success has it had?"
Every varied. 1t has saved anywhere from thirty
to seventy per cent in different years. and the
remedies that proved most eficacious ut time
have utterly failed at another. would give less
treatment, but wish 1t to be understood that my
ideas entirely theoretic have not yet had suf5
icient opportunity of testing them in practice. ]
build from general principles and my opinion to
the and mode Of attack of the disease But
may be all wrong"
"What, then, are your ideasY'
II start from the assumption that there is .
specific poison at work the of Sickness and
of relaxation or partly exhausted vitality. Then
would change as far as possible all the conditions
under which the disease was contracted. When the
disease has reached certain point, when the poison
has gained q certain hold the system all treat
ment is useless. The q dead man. If saw
him before it had got that hold I would give him
positive warmth. That is, think. the only way to
reach the disease-that is the only way to kill the
poison in his veins and in the air surrounding him.
air that would let in would be infectious and would
reach the patient just when he would be very sensi
tive to it, would try to alter the condition OF the
air already in the room. l would use no medicine
and deodorzers disinfectants. do not believe
in them. would keep the patient quiet and try to
prevent him from absorbing more OF the disease
''What the infected cities do check the pesti-
lence and prevent its recUrrenceg'
''fhey ought to tear up every inch of wooden
organic material. and doubtless holds the germs or
the disease. Besides the heat and air currents
altering the condition Of the atmosphere. Wooden
houses ought to be got rid of as we'll as all post
organic refuse. All clothes ought to be burned be-
fore another summer comes round. Every post
organic article that comes within reach Of infection
should be instantly destroyed by fire. The dead
should be buried deep, and never under any clrcum
stances exhumed."
What do you think of the eucalyptus as means
of checking the infecton?'
There is reason to believe that it is good. have
mentioned before the effect OF plants the atmos-
phere and in destroying many substances injurious
to animals, but would lay most stress the burn
ing of the wooden and Of all infected art-
cleS."