The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-01
QUARANTINE AND SANITARY BIZ
FORM.

Il
therefore, as we have no doubt they will be-
directed to the measures necessary to pre-.
vent the Introduction into or check the propar
CATION Of this unseen and unknown but most
fearful poison in our midst
Or. Chopin, who, as president Of the New
Orleans Board Of Health, has given the sub
ject full and careful investigation, estimates
the cost Of the recent epidemic to this city ct
over $12,OOO,0O0. Tremedous as these figures
are they are insignificant when compared
with thegrester items Of death. suffering and
sorrow which the epidemic inflicted upon the
people Of the Southwest.
Can human wisdom suggest any measures
which viii protect us from revisitstion Of
the pestilence which wrought such fearful
desolation2 This IL the great question to be
considered by this commission. We do not be-
lleve that any demonstrable conclusion can be
reached even on this point. But the learned
and distinguished gentlemen who constitute
the commission (which IL composed, a. the
DEMOCRAT during the epidemic suggested q
commission should bel II they 60 into a
thorough investigation will be able to say
what measures the weight Of testimony sup
port. For instance. there Ii wide difference
Of opinion between physicians as to tho effl-
caoy Of quarantine, and popular opinion
here seems to be decidedly against quaran-
tine. The commission Is In position to hear
the views and listen to tho facts scientific men
may be able to advance on both sides Of the
question. and. eliminating from the contro-
versy the views and fallacies Of theignorant or
selfish and Interested. to determine clearly
whether or not the weight Of known facts will
justify rigid and far-reaching system Of
quarantine.
Two of our prominent physicians were be-
fore the commission Monday. DR.. Holidays
views were against quarantine; DR.. Hol-
oombe, while expressing the opinion that yell
low fever, nine times out Of ten, originates In
this city, believes that strict quarantine
may be eficacious sometimes In preventing
the introduction Of more active and virulent
germs from abroad. On tho other hand there
are eminent physicians here who, II they ap-
pear before the commission, will testify, and
sustain their views by the most formidable
array Of indisputable facts. that the yellow
fever Is always imported into this city, except
when, after an epidemic. 1t sometimes hiber-
Mates through mild winter and roappears the
following summer.
1t was because We knew the existence Of
these opposite opinions Of our ablest physi-
CLANS sustained OF both sides by q large array
Of facts, that we held, several months age, that
. yellow fever commission should be chiefly
composed Of iurlsts, and scientists other than
physicians. Practitioners however learned
and eminent, must necessarily have their
theories on such subject, sustained by their
experience and collection OF facts. Hence
they are the most valuable witnesses before
such . commission, though, perhaps, the
least likely to make impartial and judicial
members OF 1t. In this investigation their
theories may prove only stumbling blocks in
the search after the truth, while their facts
are Of inestimable value
Perhaps the next most important question for
the commission to pronounce upon is the I'm
portanoe Of strict sanitary measures in pre-
venting the development or spread Of yellow
fever. That cases Of yellow fever are
brought into this city or originate here every
summer there ls no doubt. The testi-
mony Of ell our physicians will concur
on this point. Hence we find that in some
seasons the yellow fever germ or poison
spreads with great rapidity and vir,tlence.
while in others tits incapable Of propa9ating or
even from one room to another. This |
TACT seems to prove beyond doubt that there |
are atmospheric and perhaps telluric condI- |
lions favorable to the spread Of the fever
poison, and that these conditions sometimes |
prevail here while In many years they do not. |
Several questions are suggested by this fact |
. What effect would thorough system Of |
'anitary measures here have upon these
atmospheric conditioner Those measures |
Of laws requiring buildings to be |
constructed with view to thorough drain
lge and ventilation; the drainage OF the city
nd the constant flooding Of the streets In the
ummer by system Of works capableo Of send
ng constant stream OF fresh, running water
through all the streets, and thus In degree
modifying the temperatureof the atmosphere;
he regulation Of the construction OF privy
'aults. 2. What effect has filth on these at
nospheric conditions, and should not the
18th and garbage Of the city be cremated in
tead Of being used to I'LL up streets and
Quares or piled up to ferment and rot?
. Is 1t possible, by long and careful series
4 observations, to discover the barometrical.
hermometrical, and other conditions Of the
atmosphere which favor the propagation Of
ne poison OF yellow fever and which precede
nd indicate the approach of an epidemic?
hat the atmospheric, conditions necessary
the spread Of yellow fever have frequently
pne9red In our Northern cities, and In the
nest and most salubrious portions Of the
fJbe. and that 1t has besn now many years
lnce they have prevailed In such localities,
hat for eleven years preceding the epidemic
1878 they did not prevail In New Orleans,
1ough they did in Memphis, Shreveport, and
'olated localities in Texss and Georgia dur
g that period, are interesting facts to De- n
cou 49, III