Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-26
THE SANITARY OUTLOOK yoR
MEMPHIS

IhiS has been a winter Of SHOWS.
thundor-Storms, heavy freezes and
changcablo weather. 1t is what We
would call severe winter for the
South, and the first one we have had
for two or three years. All old far
mers know that a cold winter kills the
insects or their germs, and is followed
by good wheat crops. When we have
good crops we usually have a healthy
season. Hail and thunder-storms
have swept all over the Southern coun-
try, and cyclones have played sad havoc
with many smiling village and plain.
The lightnings with their red blades
have lanced the leaden clouds, and
anon have flashed to the earth des-
trOying life and property, while man
and beast, powerless and terrified, have
cringed aud trembled utterly helpless
In the presence of danger. 1t has been
averred that sickly seasons always
follow periods of extreme humidity
and what we commonly term depres-
sion-when life finds less than usual
In the atmosphere to sustain it. Epi-
denies prevail only when peculiar
conditions of the atmosphere exist
when ozone and oxygen seem to be ex-
hausted, and human life placed, as it
were, under a receiver The tremen-
dous conclusions of thunder and hail
storms which have swept over the en-
tire West and Southwest this winter
have certainly purified the air and
destroyed the last germ of contagious
diseases. The air is pure, exhila-
rating and bracing, and we have every
reason to expect as healthy a season.
from now until frost as has been
recorded in years. The public
can rest assured of one thiAg-
the press will tell the whole truth.
Those who conduct the LEDGER to-
day were here in 1873 in 1873, in
1867 and in 1866, and have never
failed to sound the note of alarm
when there was any danger to the
people. We have published the facts
and told the whole truth as far as it
could be gathered without regard to
pecuniary loss or other consequences.
Sometimes we have felt rather lonely,
as there were differences of opinion
and divergent policies by presses and
men, but in the final test at the bar of
public opinion, we can say, without
egotism or self-laudation, that the
course Of this paper in times of public
peril has always been eventually sus-
tanned by the intelligent masses.
When there is any danger ahead the
people will hear of it, as in the fall
of 1878, when we besought everybody
that could do so to get out of town.
We have the best reasons for believing
that this will continue to be an un-
usually healthy year, not only on ac-
count of storms, hail-stones and
shocks in nature, but because the
city is cleaner than it has been since
it was a village, and the work has
been accomplished altogether in the
winter. When summer comes there
will be no deep layers and heavy
mounds of filth to give forth poisonous
VapOrs when touched with the spade
or shovel of the lazy scavengel
in brOiling sun. Our streets
are comparatively clean, and cellers
have been purified thoroughly fol
the first time since they were dug. A
radical change in sanitary conditions
has been wrought by the scientific anC
intelligent efforts of the board o.
health, to say nothing Of the improved
electrical conditions of the air above
and around us. Then, again, two
epidemics in succession at the same
place were never heard of in thii
country This makes three strong
points in our favor. People who have
plenty of money and nothing in par
ticular to do will probably go away a
their leisure, but we believe that 9th
ers can safely, and without cause for
uneasiness, remain here all summer
Every indication points to health!
summer and fall. We may look fol
false reports and sensational whisper
ings. These things should not excit,
sensible people. Knowing that ther,
is a feeling of anxiety among the peo
pie here and their friends elsewhere
we discuss this subject freely, full,
and fairly, and expect to do so as oftel
as occasion requires.