Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-07-10
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by the board Of health and our lead
ing physicians, who from sad oxperi-
ence are familiar with the disease in
ell Its forms, creates feeling Of anxi
ETY. and sadness near akin to a panic.
Some days will elapse before the type
and tendency of the fever can be de-
termined. Meanwhile we are assured
by the best authority in the United
States that those who go away for the
next few weeks cannot communicate
the cOntagiOn to other localities and
will be in no danger themselves after
they 60 away. The world is already
aware that we have done all within
our power to render Memphis imper
vious to an epidemic. One or two
cases, or even a dozen, do not
amount to an epidemic. Yet single
case is enough to make the stoutest
heart tremble for moment and to
stop the ordinary affairs of business
The outside world will not get over
tho idea that we have yellow fever
here until the heavy frosts late in
autumn. We can assure the public
thatno essential fact will be concealed
single day. We who have been
through the worst set too high an
estimate upon human life and have
too much regard for anxious friends
and kindred in the country and al a
distance to make the slightest mis-
representation upon the subject. All
the facts that can be gathered up to
the hour of going to press will be
given to-day and as long as a
case remains. The board of
health and the morning papers
acted wisely and humanely in
making public all the particulars
in regard to the first case. Sporadic
cases frequently occur in New Orleans
and other Southern cities without
creating any special alarm or being
followed by an epidemic. That we
will escape a general visitation this
summer is not only the hope but the
opinion Of our best physicians. The
national board of health, of which
DR.. r. w. Mitchell, the intrepid
medical director Of the Howard's last
year, is a member, stands pledged to
report. the appearance Of the first case
in the United States. This will be
done at once through the instrument
tality of DR.. Mitchell and our local
board of health. A notice from the
latter which appears elsewhere, ad-
yises those who can conveniently do
so to quietly remove their families to
places of safety as matter of precau-
ton, until it can be determined what
form, if any. the fever will take.
Subdued and chastened by loss of
friends and many trials, the people of
Memphis are perhaps endowed to-day
with as much patience, fortitude and
heroism as any ever described in his
tory. Therefore nothing like a panic
can take place if those who choose to
so away will do so in quiet, business
like manner, and if they cannot
get off one day will patiently
wait for the next, The widest
rumors of course viii prevail. We
advise and urge everybody to pay no
attention to these, but wait for official
and newspaper reports. These will
net be exaggerated or short of the
truth. A few days will settleit one way
or the other. A few cases should not
alarm us out of reason if many occur
and an epidemic break out we will
organize for the battle and take such
steps as experience and common sense
suggest. One thing bear in mind
all the people of Memphis cannot gel
away on onetrain. The talk aboutstop,
ping trains is sensational and foolish
fit becomes necessary to evacuate the
city to save i FIVE thousand of the
bravest men that ever followed hag
will carry out the movement We
have too much regard for the intelli
gence, the humanity and the friendly
feeling of the people living along tn,
railroad lines to think that the!
would interfere with the running o
the trains. We apprehend no trouble
from this source, in any event foI