The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-02-06
Yellow Fever--Its Causes and
Nature

Editors Erchonge:
Yellow fever or yellow jack, with
black YOmit, is called vometo. The
disease is more peculiar to the western
continent. Yellow fever will break
out at the same time in different parts
Of the same town or city, where com
munication with infected districts are
impossible. 1t does not spread from
one house, locality or district to an
other in regular progression, often
ravaging certain localities and spar
ing Others in an immediate neighbor-
hood where the inhabitants are in con-
slant communication.
Epidemic yellow fever is often lin
tied to one part of city or town, oc-
casionaIly on one side Of the street, or
single residence and one room of a
house or family, or even a single room
of house, or family, or even a single
room in the attic story OF a building
and those below escape. Individual
and sporadic cases often supervene
when no epidemic prevails.
The pending and preparatory sea-
sons for the disease are, first, a warm,
moist or a rainy spell, followed by in
tense heat and decomposition of ami
NAL and vegetable substances. When
yellow fever breaks out in a family,
one or two inmates of the house are
attacked, and frequently the attend
ants on those sick with the disc; Sos
cape. When it is prevalent in 10
cality the most rigid seclusiOn affords
no protection from the fatal malady.
\ dispersion of the sick and remov-
al of the inhabitants from an infected
district will arrest the progress of the
disease, and such thinning out OF the
people is followed by no transmission
of the epidemic, and even when the
sick are placed in the ward of Il hos
pital, these patients escape the con
tagion. Whatever engenderso or causes
yellow fever Is essentially local or ep-
idemic in its origin.
A person not acclimated is much
more subject to take the disease than
one who is.
No evidence can be adduced to
prove that the epidemic was ever i'm
ported from a foreign district or local
ity, and it is neither contagious nor
infectious.
Quarantine affords no other protec-
ton from the epidemic except to pre-
vent too large crowds from assembling
in a single town, city or locality.
Sanitary preparations in due time
will modify or prevent the disease or (
severity Of an attack. \ second at
tack, or relapse, is more rare than
smallpox. When case of the dis
ease occurs on the eastern continent
and an exposure to it on the western
con ,ineEt, the preseryatiVe influence /
of the FIRST attack does not prevent Il /
relapse. When one escapes from an
infected district during the prevalence |
of the disease, however distant, he isnot |
always exempted from a fatal attack. |
RemittrIt OF bilious fever is nearest /
allied 10 il, and all diseases and fever> |
In IN epidemic season have tendency /
10 degenerate into yellow jack and IA
tai vOmetu. The most reliable safe |
guard from the maiadY as prevent !
i've, Is to give due attention to timely I,
sanitary work in cities or other local |
tiles, and every necessary attention to .
individual hygiene previous to the APP
preach Of the epidemic. accompanied .
with vegetable diet. In conclusion,
there is no truce in battle, and many .
instances OF de>crtion affords no pro /
lection or practicable safety from the /
nlysterious nlalaiY. T. Z. MOORE. |