St. Landry democrat., 1880-03-27
The Causes of yellow Fever.
BY W. A. SPOTSWOOD, FORMERLY

The science of physiology teaches
that the main and essential requisite
for the maintenance of mans health
strength, and energy, is the breathing
of pure unauthorized air in order to
change the carbonized yenous blood
into artcrial, which, holding all the
life giving elements, trayersts the great
arterial channels and their mlnutest
branches at1ording materials to main
tain the equilibrium OF the two process
cs of decay and renovation, which mark
and determine the development of
mans body from the cradle to the grave,
hence any interruption to this wise
and God-instltuted process for mans
| physical perfection, by the introduce
| ton into the system, of any unnatu-
raj agent, must result in the general
| disturbance OF all the organic functions,
and by diminishing the life sustaining
power OF the arterlal fluid, deranginy
the nervous system, arrestlng the vital
processes of digestion, nutrition and
secretion, must lnaugerate disease, end
lug in Il gradual decay of the vital pow
ers,lf not III death.
Then there is no other way to account
for the cause OF disease, cnervation and
death, than by the modus OperanM of
the great and all-pervading nalarial
one, that has ever brought the infection
OF disease and death on the inhabitants
of all the tropical ports Of the world.
That these foul irrespirable exhalations
existing in tropical climates, is the
evident active factor of yellow fever, so
often brought to our ports from the
West Indies, Mexican coast aud from
Brazil, is now a well established fact.
Post mortem examinations of the fluids
in the cavities of the heart and other
parts OF the body, OF persons after death
made by distinguished medical men,
have shown by the analysis of these
fluids, that they are entirely Invested of
the materials that exist in healthy blood.
They have been found near y as thin as
water and almost as black as ink, hay
ing no power OF stimulating the heart,
arteries and brain, the vital integrity
of which is the only hope and sheet
anchor to ensure mans longevity.
This deterioration, and dissolution of
the arterial blood, the total loss of all
its nutritive and DEMONSTRATING ele |
ments-shoWs conclusively the cause of
death; and analysis of these fluids
taken from the carritus of body after
death, and found to be totally deficient
in all the chemical elements con-
tanned in healthy blood, establishes
beyond a doubt the correctness of nv
opinion, as to the agency of this great |
and prominent cause of yellow fever.
and it's termination in death. Assam
ing that [ am right in the opinion here
IN advanced, it may be asked, how can
this terrible disease be kept away from
seaboard cities, and how the detention
OF vessels, at our seaboard Quarantine
stations, so Injurious to the commercial
interests of the country, can be avoid
ed? In reply, | will suggest the estab-
fishing by the government of the Uni
ted States, and all foreign governments
acting IN concert, all auxiliary uuaran
tine at all the infectious tropical ports
to cooperate with those along our sea-
board, where all vessels, after having
gone through a process of venti)ati0n
and cleansing, fumigation and disiufect-
ION, at the auxiliary quarantine estab-
lshments might be examined, fumi-
gated, ETC., and not substituted to n
detention of ten, fifteen and twenty
lays, as now occurs. In conclusion
hen need ask: Is not this course far
better aud safer against the introduce
iuctlon OF disease, than to permit yes
sells to bring the seeds or cause of dis
Ease battoned down under matches to
De increased in virulence by a passage
'ver hot tropical seas? This, Mr.. Ed
or, seems to me the most effectual
way to prevent the introduction of vel
ow fever into our country. That the t
ever is portable from one port to an {
,ther by vessels having filthy holds, ,
here can be no doubt; hence, the .
most stringent measures necessary to /
is introduction,