National Republican., 1881-09-06
The President and the Potomac Tlats.

The President and the Potomac Flats.
Malariais, literally, bad air" The Ital-
ians might say maleorid. Worcester de-
| fines it TO be "an exhalation from marshy
districts, producing intermittent fevers or
disease noxious exhalation." Every
| body except Congressman and surgeons
tothe President have for years been aware
of the existence of great marshy dis
trict, known to all the world with the
exceptions named) asTHE PoToMAc FLATS.
Just how many acres of these Flats there
are we are unable to say, but they are as
extensive as they are rich. When not
frozen or temporarily submerged for n
few days by freshet they are act
lively generating the noxious ele-
ments which make the region near
them unrivaled for the exhalation
of malaria. 1t covers the White
Lot at night as with mantle, and
the gentlest south winds, which pre-
vail so much with us in summer be-
ing stronger to push these exhalations
northward than the latter are to hold
back, they travel together, taking the
White House in their way. Not zephyr
that comes from the south into that
whited sepulchre but brings with it a
blast from the malarious hell alluded to-
II, as some say, malaria cannot penetrate
trees or cross bodies of water, the White
House can be abundantly supplied with
out any interference with that the
ory. For sixty-six days our President
has battled with that enemy so
subtle and so searching, Frustrated by
nervous shock and by surgical fever, by
discharging wounds and by treacher-
Gus stomach, it has been stoutly main
tanned that malaria could not reach him,
because there was no malaria at the
White. House. 1t struck down one after
another of the attendants and loaded the
air with its venom. At a little distance
it could be seen, and it smelt of NOR
tality. At last, or almost at the last, the
malaria was discovered by the doctors.
DIR. Hamilton was taken to tho Flats, and,
having touched, tasted, handled, and
smelt the "noXious eXhalations," he de-
clared that they would kill well man.
i HIS 10 triumph lOT SClCuCe. lne 0leul-
cal profession will now know that the
Flats are malarious. There are doubtless
other deadly exhalations than those
which manifest their power in intermit-
tent fevers. Cholera, yellow fever, scarlet
fever, and kindred ills may also be
generated there as well us malaria.
Let Congressman take notice that be-
cause of their neglect President Garfield
has malaria in his system. Let them no
longer withhold the attack on this nursery
of death-dealing diseases. 1t will require
IN expenditure of money and an effort of
brain force to do the work. Congress is
not board of engineers. What is needed
is selection by Congress of one board,
with one head, and the desired result de-
manded at their hands, G. o. D.-a wide
channel, the sides made certain, il
feasible and necessary, by walls,
the Flats raised far above the ch3HSa1;t
overflow, and the causeway to ,ie' Virginia
shore removed. GSGHSressmen require
any iurtherargug&Glnt, let them go in small
Doats, US Pr Hamilton did, right into the
avs Of death, and then, ifthey don't die,
let them vote yes or no on having that
crop of malaria harvested and stored in
the White House.