The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1879-01-17
Letter From DR.. Brickell.
Views Of an Eminent Physician on yellow
Fever.

/
Hon. l.. @. c. Lamar, of Congressioua
Committee ON Investigation of Yello,
! Fever:
Dear Sir--Undrr all circumstan
ces known to me it is very Difficult
for the medical man to have him
self properly understood by lay
men, and when the general pres
undertake. to "repOrt his saying
or opinions he is almost sure to b,
victlmiztd.
l shrank from appearing befor,
your committee for more reasons
than one, but one important rea
son was the conviction | entertain
ed that should necessarily cut
most unenyiable figure in the news
papers. lwas compelled to appear
and state facts and give opinions
aud | suppose the same will he EN-
bodied IN Your report TO the cvtil
try and congress. or course | de
sire to appear property on the re
cord, and l most respectfully pre-
sent you the tollowin! summar,
OF facts and opinions, aud beg that
1t be received and appended to
your report. If ! lam not mistaken,
this tavo: has been extend to Dr
Chopin and others
l. | have seen and treated the
discase-yellow tever-from the
epidemic Of 1913 to that Of 1878 in.
elusive: and in city and country.
=, | believe that the disease can
be, aud has been imported.
3. | believe that the disease il
tranSmissible AMI that it is not
that is, that when carried from one
point to another it must fluid the
conditions or surroundings necessa.
rl to It's propagation, Or it will not
spread.
Therefore, the disease has at
times been brought to New Orleans
and to other places, aud has not
spread.
In illustration of this point, |
cited the case | carried to Cooper's
Well in 1853 mot wilIfully), the
case that bought its way through
Gen. Buffers boaSted military
quarantine in September, 1862, and
he case carried from Memphis or
Shreveport into New York City, by
'ail, in September, lS73-as well as
;aSes known to have been carried
ntO New York by rail during the
past SuDlmrr.
4. In view of the foregoing, it is
lifticult to establish the fact that
given ship or person spread vel,
ow fever. Yet ali the probabilities
If the ship or person having done
- may be strong, and even salts
actory to many mind.
5. | believe that it is most pro.
'LbIe that yellow fever was origin.
lily brought to New Orleans; but |
also believe that it has long ago |
'ecome engratted Oh us, and that
has appeared here in summers.
nd will appear again, independent
{ importation from abroad. | am
atistied that | SAW the first case
hat appeared here in 1S67-thc
Dung English servant man of Nj.
. o. Nixon, living on st. Charles
treet, between Julia aud Girod-
ne central and granite paved por-
on OF our city. The most careful
iquiry revealed no connection of
ais man with any ship, or passen-
erS OF a ship; the city WAS per
.ctly healthy at the time, aud /
nly saw the patient af,er the fever
AL passed OF. | predicte,ian episJ
emic on the strength of the case,
Id il came speedily.
u. On the subject OF quarantine,
really desire To see the expert,
ent ot IA thorough quarantine tried.
Will be pure experiment, bIt Itis
rma "ded by all the existing condi-
OuS.
Bat when asked if quarantine
IL, keep fever oat, | say it is my
Jinlon that an absolutely efficient
iarantine cannot be effected.
by ( Because man is not honest
I0ush to quarantine himself. Not
at all men are dishonest, but be.
use many are, and most are more
less weak.
| illustrated this by giving an ac-
unit of my seeing the New York !
violated III 1865, and by {
ling attention to thelaxity which |
/ the ship Emily SOudeI through !
1878. 1 also illustrated the pro- !
sitiou that man can defeat man ]
calling attention to the necessa-
progressive growth of thickness s
iron arinor on ships, in conse-
ence OF projectiles always being
vented to penetrate.
Ii you will allow me, | will add !
other illustration. ,
During the late war the city of ,
cssburg was completely invested .
the army and navy of the United :
ates. Gen. Pemberton desired !,
with Gen Johnston, :,
d a gentleman aud soldier (now !,
ingl was found tn safely carry .
I aud return with dispatches. !,
, quarantine will ever he con- !,
ate as the investment of Vicks- :,
rg. 4
| also called attention to the posi- ;,
e violation of Gen. Buffers mill =
ry quarantine in 1862 through the :,
iueuce of money. n
Z. | condemned the so-called !,
hot gun quarantine" when ex
ided To the voint of railroad lines
d rivers being cut by communi-
$ living thereon. A town has "