Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-01-17
NJ. I. STOCK.
"Toledo, Jan. s, 1879"
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER

WASHINGTON, d. c., JAN 10, 1878.
Surgeon Woodwork has called special
attention to the dangers menacing us from
return Of the yellow fever on the advent
OF next seasons hot weather and its cxten-
sion throughout the North and West, if the
vitality of the germs Of the disease remain
unimpaired till that time comes, in the
houses that have been kept warm and in
other places sheltered from the direct ac-
tion OF the frost. Professor John Gamgee
OF London, proposes not only to provide
means for subjecting all articles of furni.
ture, but if necessary entire dwellings to
the action Of intense frost. At DR.. Wood
worth's request an able draughtsman has
been placed at Mr.. Gamgee's disposal by
the Secretary of the Navy to design a
steamer at some such port as New Orleans
Tor the purpose of overhauling and disin-
fecting by cold air and freezing mixtures
all shipping from infected ports. This prac-
tical method of freezing out" yellow fe-
YER ships even in the Gull of Mexico seems
calculated to reconcile the differences be-
tween SANITARY authorities and ship own
ers. With one of Mr.. Gamgee's thermo-
glacial engines on board this lfe-savng
steamer can clean out the whole of the air
OF a l ,500-ton ship in 20 minutes and while
its passengers and crew are being examined
and disinfected on the refrigorating ship
itself the entire cargo may be purified
| This steamer will carry a machine and
special reserves of refrigerating mixture to
deal with 100000 cubic feet Of air at a
time and in addition to the complete re-
newal of air and the lowering OF the temp
erature of the vessels interior to 20 degrees
below the freezing point, the bilge will be
pumped out and the removed water be re-
placed by an uncongealable liquid 80 as
not to leave trace OF pollution anywhere.
| BY this means any ship can be made safe
to unload its cargo in few hours at most.
into suitable warehouses on shore which
can likewise be kept at proper tempera-
ture calculated to preserve peiishable pro-
visions, fruits, &c., and ehectually destroy
any possible germs OF disease. Congress
will be asked to appropriate sufficient mon
ey to make a thorough trial OF this prom
ising system and so far every precuution
has been taken to start with correct data
and all the certainty that engineering skill
and large experience can give. 1t may be
remembered that Prof. Gamgee kept an ice
rink in an iron ship on the Thames, the
waters of which range in Temperature
| from so to GO degrees. This floating struc-
ture with glass and iron roof like hot
house enabled the Professor to give his
method for artilicial freezing n very satsfac
tory trial and he met with not IL single
failure. A machine at least four times the
power OF the one used in the London rink
will certainly enable him to overcome the
slightly higher temperature of the Gulf Of
Mexico waters as compared with that OF
the Thames And should the sanitary au-
thorilies find that more power ianeeded,
| provision will he made TO supply it. 1t is
| anticipated that some action will I've taken
very soon by Congress in the premises as it
is Of the very first importance that what
ever precautions it is decided to adopt
against the perls threatening the country
from the causes mentioned, should be in
operation before the setting in Of hot
weather in the South renders it impossible
to provide any preventative against the in
vasion of the whole country by the terrible
| pestience that wrought such wide spread
desolation and ruin last Season.
! DEWITT