The New York herald., 1879-08-05


concealng that they are from the infected districts.
he thought that could be detected by his inspectors
examining them on the boats and trains and In the
event of suspicious cases by at removing them
to quarters provided where they can be isolated.
The Health Officer feels confident that he prevail
upon the Board OF Health to allow him to use his
quarantine. as he feels fully competent to
ease from getting foothold here. The
fact that the Health Officer had received such in
structions became generally known to-day and in
consequence much uneasiness is felt here Business
men dislike the idea of quarantine, they say it
,would seriously injure their business and they
claim that Knoxville. Richmond and other South
eru cities through which the refugees pass, not
quarantined they do not see the necessity of inter-
tering with tho trains and boats at this point
NO DEATHS AND NO NEW CASES AT QUARAN-
TINE-DI DISCHARGE OF MALARIAL FEVER PA
TENTS.
There have been no cases of yellow fever re-
ported at Quarantine Hospital from sea or inland
for over forty y-eght hours and there have been no
deaths among the old patients. 1t is considered
somewhat remarkable that out Of fleet Of thirty
forty from infected ports lying at Upper and
Lower quarantines at this OF the year no
sickness of any kind has bee reported to the au-
thorities for that length of The remaining
yellow fever were stated be doing well last
evening.
nedy third cook OF the Moro Castle is so fur recov-
cred as to warrant his discharge, which will be
given to-day. Charles Otto, steward OF the steamer
City Of New York, was discharged yesterday.
The cases of yellow fever in hospital are:-
Purser Wells, of the Morro Castle, who still
tinues in comfortable state; Chapman. second
mate. and Niels Dumstead, sailor. the British
brig Salisbury, who show no change from yester-
day. Esty, OF the schooner Ebbett, romans easy.
The passengers on board the steamer" Niagara,
from Havana, came up to the city last evening" The
vessel will discharge at Upper Quarantine.
The steamer from Norfolk having on board six of
the crew OF the bark T. L. Gregory. of Baltimore
which arrived at Wilmington, n. c.. with yellow
fever reported on board had not arrived ut Lower
Quarantine at a late hour last evening.
The Quarantine Commissioners met yesterday and
passed resolution requesting the Health Officer to
detail ut Swinburne Island practical physician who
shall remain there until all of yellow fever
have been discharged from the hospital.
GOOD SEWERAGE SYSTEM NEEDED IN MEN,
PHIs-HoRRIBLE RESERVOIRS OF TILrH-THE
OBVIOUS MEANS OF DELIVERING THE CITY
FROM PEsTILENCE.
To TUE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
As you discuss all matters of national Importance.
beg leave to call your attention to some matters
connected with the pestilence raging in Men,
phis. Tenn, referring particularly to the measures
necessary to prevent its recurrence l have never
resided in Memphis, though have been familiar
the place for forty and have been there dur
ing former periods Of pestience. The formation Of
the bluff which the city stands has la.ech to do
River flows by the city from north to
south Wolf River into the Mississippi from
the cast and is the southern boundary of the city.
Bayou Gayoso flows into tho Wolf from tho SOUTH
though the Mississippi running parallel with it.
flows from the nor-b. As the bluff the Missis-
spp is the highest part of the city, all the drainage
flows east into the bayou; hence the bayou is the
great open conveying by the aid of occasional
rains all the garbage and filth OF the city into the
Wolf River, to be carried via Happy Hollow all along
the north boundary OF the city and into the Msss-
sppi. The bayou is very crooked. with little
rll of water passing along it in dry weather,
with long ana deep ponds in the bends, where
the sewage and filth collected by the water
from the rains lie fostering and putre-
flying in the hot sun. generating poisonous MAS
mata calculated to foster the propagation and the
viruence of any malignant form of disease. If hui
man ingenuity had been tasked to invent the most
certain means of producing pestilence could any
efficient agencies have been combined? How
thei is still another agency adding greatly
the efficiency OF this allpervading This bluff
formation is OF porous, tenacious clay. into which
the privy vaults are sunk and it is thoroughly per-
meated with the privy poison and infuscs its venom
not only into the air, but into wells and all imper-
fecons in the cisterns, all of which under
ground. The exceptionally virulent type of fever
which has just destroyed judge Ray and nearly all
his family attributed to privy poison HIS house
is in a high and dry location some distance from
the bayou, and in part of the city reputed healthy
By q very simple system OF underground sewers,
based correct principles all these evils could be
obviated and Memphis made AZ healthy city
any one on the river. would suggest that eight
foot tunnel be started in the front OF the bluff and
drifted through the clay east, about under Gayoso
street gradually rising unit i; intersects the bayou
n distance of say about one thousand feet. From
this point underground should be built
up the southern branch of the bayou. and a
large sewer gradually rising to the point whore
Poplar street crosses the bayou. These emptying
into the tunnel would promptly discharge the
age OF nineteen twentieths of the city into strong
current in the Mississippi River. the lower edge
OF the city. The very limited north OF Poplar
street would be drained into Wolf. 1t is now. 1t
to be observed that there is ample fall from the
BLUM into the bayou to drive all sewage promptly
into the river when washed in either by rainfall
flushing from the water works. As the underground
sewers were extended under the streets the privcs
should bc drained into them. and all other pryies
should compulsorily be kept in dust boxes, to be
emptied weekly at the pubic cost.
1t is idle for property holders to say that they
cannot protect their property from tho caaniitous
effects of continually recurring disease by ef-
cient system of drainage it would be for the cap
tain OF an over aden ship Ia storm to say that he
could not throw part OF his cargo overheard to
Tighten the ship and thus the lives OF his pas
sengcrs and well the ship. Their prop
erty is unstable and it Will continue worthless
until. by wise sewerage system. they render it
habitable for human beings. Tie population OF
large of productive territory depot for
the exchange of commodities city-at this point.
IL the taxing authorities of this district have not
the Legislature OF the State has the power to tax the
property to DO teneited pro rata to construct such
drainage as will protect tue place from pestilence
and render it subscrvicnt to the public uses. Since
ii seems TO be proved that the germs of pesti-
lenco may be preserved from year to year in such
intensely filthy localities and then during the heated
term be scattered through the land ii would seem to
be necessary to remove the cause IL ~ indeed, be in
the power of tho community to do IL. Buonos Ayrcs
was devastated by pcstilence caused by the accu-
mulated sewage OF years. When the city thor
oughly cleansed and drained the public health
restored. The property owners of Memphis may
profit by this example. There is utter ruin and
prostration now, but though cleanliness may DO
achieved it will not DO thrust upon them. p. HIS.
FUND FOR THE REMOVAL OF HEALTHY IN
uADIrANrs FROM INFECTED CITIEs--wHAr
MR.. CoRcoRAN's CHARITY HAS SUGGESTED.
ST. LOUIS, July 81, 1879.
To THE EDITOR HERALD
Tho action of that noble aud philanthrop.c citizen
of Washington city, AFR. W. w. Corcoran, in send
ins generous contribution to the Memphis authori-