The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-07-11
PREMATURE ALARM.

Although the Memphians have just cause.
considering the terrible scourge Of last yenr,
to view the least tendency towards an cpl
demic OF yellow fever In the light of an awful
menace, still we think in the present instance
the situation has been exaggerated and a
senseless stampede created by the premature
announcement and warning Of the Board 81
Health of that city, that an epidemic was pos
sibly under way, when In reality but five
cases and two deaths form the aggregate list
TO date
IL the cases reported are those Of genuine
yellow fever, it certainly is a matter to be
viewed in a serious light, for even If the fever
be but sporadic 1t is sufficient to start in mo-
ton the local guarantees In every little town
in the neighborhood, terrorize the citizens,
and cast q feeling or uneasiness through the
whole country generally. But we have grave
doubts as to the genuineness Of the malady,
at least in all the cases reported. 1t must be
remembered that many types Of congestive.
malarial, bilious remittent and gastric fevers
bear so close a resemblance to genuine yellow
fever as to battle even experts In diagnosis,
even when their views are corroborated by
post norton examination; and in such a panic
and hurry as doubtless now exists Iii Mem
phis, q few such cases may have been pro-
nounced yellow fever when in reality they are
of a disease much less formidable to the com.
munity at large, even II deadly to the patient
However, looking at the situation in its
worst light, and granting that the five exist
ing cases are genuine yellow fever, there is
no ground afforded for the intense alarm now
ittf hat nit Erarndin off,
occur in the South, sometimes in such mum
bers as to be serious dangers to certain neigh
horhoods, and yet not be followed by a general
epidemic. Witness the example Of this city
in 1876 when over one thousand such eases
occurred during the season in the Fourth
District, and yet there was no epidemic
These sporadic cases may all spring up to-
gether, and occur within limited space and
short period Of time, and still not excite any
apprehension among the health authorities
Of the city itself or its neighbors.
It Is without precedent that two epidemies
should follow in quick succession in the same
place. In 1868 the health of this city was re-
markahly good, ana 1sT7-the year follow
ing the season just alluded to, when so many
sporadic cases occurred-was only marked by
one case. This year the health of New Or
leans has been better than for years, and the
signs are ali against there being even
the run of paludal and the occasional
cases Of yellow fever which frequently
mark the heated term here. It has always
been remarked that epidemic years in New
Orleans were characterized by certain mete
geological conditions forerunning the ealami
ty. and doubtless causing 1t. This year such
conditions have been entirely absent. We
have had an unusually cold winter, d cool and
| changeable spring, q late summer, and vigor.
Gus southerly breezes to shift the atmosphere
and render the heat more hearable The heat
| Ia most Northern cities has been much more
intense than herein fact, New Orleans has
50 far been more enjoyable, meteorologically
speaking than any city Of her size in the
Union San Francisco, perhaps. excepted
which is an exception to everything.
As will be seen BY reference to our loca
columns, the president OF the Board ct Health
AYERS that there has aot been native case o.
yellow fever In the city this season, and that
the three suspicious eases reported were Of