The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-24
FACTS IN THE QUARANTINE CON
TROVERSY,

day, inquiries for the authority OF the stat,
ment which had been made In MI cditorl.
article relative 10 the quarantino and Boar
OF Health, in our edition Of last Friday.
Ibis statement was to tho effect that II,
doctrine 81 tho foreign origin and imports
"a ton of yellow fever had always been mali
tanned ~ large number Ut persons, inclue
Ing not few eminent scientists. and that Il,
advocates Of this theory adduced, gre,
many facts and arguments in it's supper
Those holding the opposite doctrine, 1t ma
be admitted were as we'll fortified with fact
: and proofs. In this conflict of proofs
facts and opinions this question has bee
for tho last century q Vexatious an
| unsettled one. At several epochs In on
history, however, tho foreign origin and i'm
portati0n idea became dominant and the peo
pie clamored for rigid quarantine, ant
when such quarantine became oppressive AM
: Injurious to trade, this very same peop
camored for its repeal, and In their yea
therefor embraced the opposite theory, thu
81 the domestic origin OF the disease, are
fiereely assault d the officials who had enforced
the quarantine laws.
In the course of the argument we referred
to the historical fact frequently referred +,
by the advocates of the foreign origin theory
the first epidemical visitation OF the French
settlement at East Biloxi in 1904. Our cor
| respondent asks for the reference to any his-
torical authority for this statement. we
readily respond f. his inquiry:
In the first chapter OF Gayarre's history
Will be found very interesting description of
the effects of the arrival OF u French ship with
supplies and recruits for the famished little
garrison at Biloxi in 1904. This ship had
sailed from France, had touched ut San Do
| ningo, then a French colony, and thence pro-
| ceeded to Biloxi.
After describing the joy and relief afforded
to the colonsts b. this timely relief. the his
torian proceeds In his novel style: This was
something to ~ thankful for and 10 occllpy
the minds OF tho colonists for length of time.
But life is checauered with many hue, and
Che antagonistcal agents of the good and evil
closely tread in alternate succession On the
heels Of each other Thus the short-li re-
locings Of the colonists soon gave way TO
grief and lamentations. A hungry epidemic
did not disdain to prey upon the population.
small us 1t was, and thirty-tive persons be-
came It's victims. Thrty-ive, This mum
Der was enormous in those days, and the epi-
donnie OF 1705 became as celebrated In the
medical annals of the country as will the late
one OF 1917 We havenot at hand the various
references which have appeared In the many
able papers that have been published BY dis
tinguished scientists. In which the incident
described by Gayarre is assumed to mark the
first appearance Of yellow fever on this, con-
iinant IL, Il mot
drawn into IN argument on this question: |
which has engaged the investigation and
study OF SO many of the ablest scientists in
the world We content ourselves with mere
statement OF the facts relied on by the two
parties to the controversy
cur correspondent appears to be satisfied
to base his opinion on authority, and certain
y he could cite no higher authority than that
OF that eminent physician, DIR. Warren Stone,
90 any subject connected with medical and
sanitary science. But we apprehend that he
gives too wide q scope to DR.. Stones opinion
when he asserts that he never believed In the
mportabiiity and communicating Of yellow
fever Infection through goods, clothes, blan-
Sets, etc. On the contrary, we know that Dr..
Stone, some years before his death-indeed,
The Infection could be communicated and
in this way
There was memorable incident within his
'Wn observation which produced this convtc-
ion In his mind. In was in 1853 or 1854 when
10 fever had prevailed with great violence III
us city that the doctor, being on q visit to
6ayou Sara, was called On to visit Col d. w.
'luker, prominent and much respected
'lanter, who resided on Thompson's creek.
bout ten miles from Bayou Sara and two
niles from jackson, East Feliciana Col.
'luker had been closely engaged on his ,
lantaton preparing to take off his cane. lie
adj visited no place where yellow fever pre-
allied, but had lately received bale or
lankets from the city. This bale was taken /
2 the slgar-house, opened, and Col f. being :
etalned at the sngar-house overlooking the :
ands engaged in repairing the machinery. /
pread couple OF these blankets on q cot j
NJ concluded to sleep there for the night. !
he next morning he awoke with all the q
remonitory symptoms Of yellow fever. :
hey developed into violent form of the dis
ase, and the lamented gentleman died with
IL the distinctive features of that dread dis
use, Dr. Stone 50 pronouncng it, and ascrb-
~ It's origin to the infection from the
ankets recently brought from this city. Our
is undoubtedly correct Iii as
inning that Dr.. Stone always held that yellow :
'yer could and did originate here, but long
efore his death, and even after the case Of =
oil. Fluker, he conceded that it could be i'm
orted and communicated through wooden
oods.