Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-07-22


healthy locality may visit with impu-
nifty an infected district, provided
they make their visits in the day time
and DO not remain over night. If
some plausible theory, founded upon
facts, is not brought forward we must
admit that the cases in Judge RAYS
family were home-bred. Now is the
best time for an investigation, that
those who desire to learn more of the
disease could possibly have. Such
another opportunity may not occur
again for years.
The fever broke out in three widely
different parts of the city, Neither
one of the six cases can be traced to
contagion coming from New Orleans
or any other city. All of them could
not have taken it from domestic fami-
lies. all must have originated in one
or several ways. If all six cases can
be traced directly tc families, as the
Mulbrandon case is supposed to have
originated, that will settle it. If they
cannot be so traced, would it
not be a good idea to at least
make an effort to find their origin and
cause?
| should think that facts in regard
to the epidemic of six" as far as
known, would tend to shake the faith
Of those who believe SO strongly in the
importation and contagiOnp 2 theory.
These patients were treated by the
most skillful physicians in Memphis,
gentlemen of great experience in the
treatment Of yellow fever, who should
and do know as much about its treat
ment as any physicians in the South,
and yet, at last accounts, FIVE of the
six had died, and the sixth was not
expected to recover.
From these facts, the disease must
have been of a very malignant charac-
ter indeed, the death rate being greater
than at any time last year.
That these were genuine cases of
yellow fever l have no doubt; and if
the whole city was infected last year
from just such cases as these, why is it
it did not spread in like manner this
year?
1t seems strange that one case of
imported fever will infect whole
city in 1873 or 1878, when six cases of
more malignant type, originating in
different parts Of the city, at nearly
the same time, should fail to generate
enough poison to infect it in 1879.
Was it owing to some condition of
the atmosphere that the disease did
not spread this year? 1t could not
have been want of high tempera
turo. May it not have been a lack of
moisture2 Is there anything in the
location of the houses where these
cases occurred that could in any way
account for it?
We know that cholera has been
known to attack all the people on one
side of street, while those residing
on the opposite side did not take it
at all.
SO, yellow fever has been known to
invade the berths of all the sailors and
passengers on one side of ship before
crossing over to the other side.
| do not wish to say anything that
will reflect upon the medical men or
the people of Memphis, but l think
that the ease with which they have
always traced yellow fever to New Or
leans has been a great stumbling block
in the way of getting at the truth.
The physicians of the South ought
not to leave anything undone which
would advance us in the least toward
a solution of the problem. If it can
be proved beyond doubt that yellow
fever is imported from Havana and
other tropical cities, we can, by an
early and strict quarantine, protect
ourselves from it. If il is an indigo
nous disease the sooner we admit it
the better. Then commerce need be
no longer crippled by quarantine.
Then we may go to work and, if una
BILE to find and remove the cause, we
may at least mitigate it to a great
extent. Who krows but what more
knowledge may be gained from the
Epidemic Of Six" than was obtained
by all the experience of 1878.
W. G. LESTER, NJ. D.