The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-12-07
YELLOW FEVER or 1879,

A namnblet entitled "Analya5 Of tho Enr-
ord III yellow Fever III New Orleans During
the year 1879" Ia before rs. II Is a reprint
from the New Orleans Medical and Surgical
journal, and cmhodleR tho very interest Nh
paper of Dr. Joseph Holt, ono 81 oiIi h''FHt
and most prominent santnrana. ID. ROW ~
fortunate In ono respect he has NE hei' :"
inquiry compact and distinct, nnd II thAR
enabled 10 fortiry his conclusions With enafp-
Iy-clt facts, as TO which thme can bo no Gov
frovelay That he has Collated ms ittoilii5's
carefully, thoroughly. yIgiiantly, anh tilhN
hieinductions are logical and inte lliErut might
have been safely assumed nj Tho outset. but
the pamphlet speaks for tsef ~ tha respect
and needs ~ sponsor
or course tho fDfa9 df cvefy inquiry Will
reference &C. yellow fever must be the cues
fton IL III importation ut ltl ap1ntannity AMI
this Ia Tho point to which Rr Holt Directs his
Investigation II Ii worry grateful aud very
encouraging to listen IT, p medical Rnn WI"
disconrse8 upon yellow fewer from stand
point Of courageous dIsdaiu for tho intum"r-
able bumbugs and the ucnculable can't with
which tho subject has been lftcrall y.onvol-
oped. nr. Holt not only iiftR NH inquiry
above tho suFerstitons which have, IN
happily. become cntwinen with 1t, but he do-
Ilberately and omphatYcaily brands them rs
he passes on I5Re Conclusion 1T which h. ar
r1viH n, In his own words:
There Ia not tho aVPhtoe evllonen uron
which could tn founded suspicion fial Nh"
infection was brought into this nr"a ~ npnr-
tation of any kind; het. on tho contrary. me
whole weight of testimony Is In favor OF thN
opinion ttat II was engondered spontaneously
F.N lYNHnI Ttn
To INV that II VIE Tho offspring ~ germs eur
wiling from tho ppdemi nf Eist y"Hr ~ moro
autbbiing Il hgmeut Of tho Imagination. ~ IL
n safe as sumption tnasmueh ns no one can 90
monatrate tn contrary. any moro thnn ehh one
exhibit germ.
We have no doubt THAI II DIR, Holt had
gone to work to sub 9tantlate tho Importation
theory, he might, by TIL" usual suppression 81
some facts ana distortion VI others, together
with little exhibition of arbitrary Inference,
4 have succeeded: for II SO happened That. last
March, d German named jacob iken, sex
swain Of the steamship Baltimore. from ~"
to New Orleans, was taken Ill with II clearly
marked case of yellow fever while nj 4uaian
tine. The case seems to have escaped tho
Board Of Health for tho vessel was rolchRcd
and came OH hor way to the city, arriving Mt
tho wharf March n, with ken, who hal b~n
patient was Mt once removed totho Iouro / u
Urinary where he was attended by Dr.
Loeber and recovered. Now N would
not be a whit moro preposteroHs To attribute
TO Iken all the fever which occurred In New
Orleans during the summer, than y was last
year to claim that the epidemic of 1873 WAS
caused by the two sick mon from the Sou1er.
or course II would be preposterou9 utterly
and nbsurdly 60; but not moro propoatcrons
than the Soudcr theory. Dr. Holt. however,
seems to have devoted himself to ascertain
ing facts instead of decorating and capari5-
oning a hobby, and the unanswcrabe logic
OF his investigation Il that the yellow foyer Of
last summer was. spontaneous. tho result of
local causes, and absolutely independent of
any foreign or exotic causes There was no
epidemic because the atmospheric conditions
forbade 1t, and becausc, for the first time
there was n determined and Intelligent and
systematic effort mt domestic santa
tion Our citizens contributed their own
money and exertions, and with the ell
thusiastlc 60 operation Of the municipal an
thoritiea, set about tho only enlightened
policy-tha policy of Cleanliness. II was to
this example we alluded in our remarks yes
terday with references u rnpulaTi8lnG TN"
Board Of Health 1t IL ny following this IN
ample that future boards Will accomplish
practical results and commend themselves ~
public respect and coHtilonce