The Ouachita telegraph., 1879-01-10
THE YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC.
Conclusions Of DIR. Chopin.

NohcAuSlOnS Ol lDr. CnOppln.
Tho Yellow Fever Commission ap-
pointed by the two houses of Congress
Is In session In New Orleans. DIR.
Chopin, President OF the New Orleans
Board of Health, submitted as tho re-
suits OF his observations during the
late epidemic in that city, the fol-
lowing:
l. Yellow fever Is specific disease,
not indigenous to or originating spou.
taneously in the United States, aud its
appearance in this country Is always
due to Il specific cause.
?. That the germ hypothesis of tho
infection Of yellow fever is the only
theory which explain satisfactorily to
my mind the phenomena and spread
of yellow fever, and the only ono which
leaves us hope of relief from Its future
visitations.
3. The habitat or cradle of yellow
fever is In the West Indies, In tho At
lantic and Gulf coasts of South America
and of Mexico, and in South Africa.
4. That al the great epfdemfcs of
yellow fever in the United States, from
the time of its first introduction into
Boston In 1893 to the present time, can
be directly or remotely traced to a for
eign country or to n foreign germ.
8. That 1t cannot be indigenous to
any place where freezing temperature
is annually experienced.
6. That marsh miasm, city filth, or
garbage have no agency In the creation
of yellow fever II the special matter or
germ of yellow fever be not present, a
corrupt atmosphere, however obnox-
ious otherwise, will not produce the
pestiteuce.
Z. If tho germs of yellow fever be
present, defective drains, cesspools, de-
composition of animal and vegetable
matter, heat and moisture may become
the potent distributors of tho germs,
ond Of epidemic disease and death.
s. The infection of yellow fever once
established in the body, this OWL form
Of life must run its course.
8. Medical science, as yet, is power
less to arrest its progress, and the great
point to be arrived at Is to prevent Its
access to the human body, on the sound
doctrine of what VIC can't care we must
3o1ere,,k.
10. The experience Of the present
year has fully demonstrated the efficacy
of quarantine, when properly and faith
fully Administered, as in Galveston,
Natchez, Shreveport, Monroe, In guard
ing their inhabitants from tho ravages
of tho pestilence.
IL. There can be no medtocrity in
the organization of quarantine. If it
does not interpose an insurmountable
barrier between the healthy and in
fected localities, it Is worse than useless.
II. Conditional quarantines cannot
and will not bo effective SO long rs Gu
pidity is an attribute to human nature.
-. Distinction, although valuable
auxiliary agent in the prevention OF
yellow fever and cholera cpidemics,
cannot DO entirely depended upon to
attack such a powerful and subtle foo
as yellow fever infection.
II. The great object we have in Wow
is to prevent tho germs or somitcs of
this dreaded pestilcnce from having
access to our people; and the only ce,'-
htnl and s,oc preventive of yellow fcvcr
in my humble opinion, Is absolute non
intercourse with ports where yellow fe-
YER is indigenous from the " first of
May to the first of November Of each
year"
10. If the several States have not tho
power OF preventing commercial nom
intercourse with foreign ports, impose
such quarantine restrictions as tho un-
loading OF cargOes OF incoming ships,
subjccting them to thorough fumigatton
and publication, with suitable appli-
uACcS IoI tiaI puTpOSo IL thc HuhIollAho
stations, and compel the vessels to re-
turn to sea without coming to our ports.
Their outward cargoes could be taken
to them by lighters or barges.
49, That a properly organized system
of quarantine in New Orleans, SO far
from interfering with the interests, will
provo really beneficial to its CONNER
cial prosperity.
II. That the profits Of our commerce
with ports where yellow fever usually
prevails for the summer months during
which it is necessary to enforce quaran-
tine is not worth more than 81 800, 900.
1S. Pecuniary damage to New Or
leans by an epidemic of yellow fever,
on q money basis, without reference to
our blasted hopes and ruined prospects,
without considering the wholesale suf-
fering and death which arc presented
to us, is over twelve millions OF dollars.
Mr.. A. B. Farquhar, in letter to Dr.
Woodwork, supervising surgeon OF the
II. NJ. s., places it at the enormous sum
of sI75, ,O0O, 900 for the whole country.
10. Now, who is so blind to every
sense of justice and humanity as to
compare tho trivial Inconvenience re-