Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-11-29
THE PREvENTION OF DISEASE.

done or what more satisfactory disposition
than by fire can be made OF the clothing,
bedding, etc, in the apartments of those
who have had contagious or infectious
diseases? In other words, can not some
other measures efficient enough be
adopted to render them innocuous, than
that of their total destruction by burning,
so as to save the expense of paying the
owners for the destruction of their pro-
perty, which is a serious burthen?
This subject has engaged my attention.
and | have thought that | would present
my views thereupon, so that the matter
might be investigated, and such measures
might be decided ON as, after diligent in
quiry and mature deliberatiOn, it might
be found would accomplish the object.
1t was aptly stated BY the President of
the Sanitary Association DR.. Thomas },
at one of the meetings of the association,
that diseases were divided into the pre-
ventable and the nOn-preyentable," that
is. that there are certain diseases which
can be prevented. and others which can
not be prevented by any known means.
Among the preVentable' are those for
which quarantine regulations are en-
forced systems of sewerage established,
plans for distinction formed, and sani-
tarv associations instituted. 1t has been
remarked that las well as the cure of
disease, there is that of its prevention,
very important matter. And the con-
viction that prevention of disease is bet
Ter method than cure, even if cure were
invariably attainable, which it is not, is
now generally prevalent" Before / pro-
ceed to indicate what | conceive to be eff
cient. and quite sufficient means of treat
ing articles capable of transmitting con-
tagiOus or infectious matter without the
necessity of destroying them by burning
them up. let us look into the subject of the
| causes of disease.
The causes of disease, formerly said to
/ be terrestrial, or as our late worthy Mayor
/ and intelligent physician, DIR. Arnold, used
4 to call them. tetlufic, that Is, diseases OF
/ telluric origin. without any definite idea
/ of what their real nature was, whether
gaseous or otherwise, are now reckoned,
many of them kROlcn to be germs, whose
| origin and growth putreiactlon en-
/ cOurages. or else by the other theory,
minute particles, in atomic activity, are
waited from one organism to, or otherwise
I brought into contact with other organisms,
i'm which they set up changes similar to
those being undergone by themselves.
The special causes which give rise to
contagious diseases are derived from the
bodies of those affected with them, which
/ diseases are communicated not only by
coming in contact with, or in proximity to-,
patients affected with them that is, what
/ is called contagiOn J, but by means of what
/ are called fOmiteS-a Latin term applied
to substances which are supposed to re-
7 tain contagious etfluYia, as wooden goods,
feathers. cotton. etc, to which contagious
matter has adhered. In this way certain
4 diseases, such as smallpox, scarlatina,
diphtheria, etc. may be disseminated at
points far distant from the source of their
/ Special causes, This term, fOHjteS, is
generally restricted to the transmission of
! contagious matter, but it is believed that
other special causes may be transmitted
in the same way, which, though not COM
municable, may be portable.
The theory though by no means new
/ one now most prevalent among scientists
/ is that essential mOrbitic agents, in their
( causes. are living germs or organisms of
animal or vegetable origin; that a certain
period is required for their development
/ and multiplication within the body to give
/ rise to diseases. In this way may be eX-
! planned the fact that for period which is
! extended to days, weeks, months, and even
/ wears. the special causes remain in the
! body, completely latent as regards any
morbid manifestations, examples of which
we find in smallpox, searlatina, diph-
4 iberia. and especially hydrOphobia.
These germs or minute organisms are
reproduced within the body, and their
Z reproduction affords an ineligible eXpla-
nation of wkat are called Yiruses or the
mOrbitic agents by which diseases are
/ communicated, and what is more, the
selflimited duration of these diseases are
/ explained by supposing that after sue
( cessiYe generations these organisms die
out or are in some way destroyed or elimi-
mated from the body, With our present
/ knowledge, the way by which these causes
! Of disease enter our bodies, and the mode
/ in which the susceptibility to these causes
+ are destroyed. cannot be explained.
Assuming the causes to be germs or
minute. microscopic organisms, it is well
+ known that their evolution and develop
4 ment require certain conditions. The
seed must have its appropriate soil, and
various circumstances may ON the one
/ hand promote and on the other hand pre-
vent its termination.
These germs or tiny organisms are call
cd bacteria, Greek word, signitying lit
orally, walking stick, cane or rod, from
their rOd-like shape. Pasteur, the distin-
guished French scientist, calls them mi
crobes, two Greek words, meaning, liter
allv. little life, minute or microscopic
I h dies Experiments are being instituted
to find out what these bodies are, and also
TO shed light ON the problem as TO the pa
thogenc that is disease producing pro-
/ perties of these minute organisms, by the
incubation of the different ingredients of
infectious substances. but the results are
/ as vet too contradictory TO warrant GER
tain conclusions. Enough has, however,
4 been established to show that living or
/ ganisms are active agents in the contrac-
ti0n OF all infectious diseases, This is my
opinion formed from the statements of
! those experimenters and observers truth
+ full enough to warrant faith in their hon
I eSty.
These organisms called bacteria, and
+ by PaSteur microbes, as above stated,
+ which intest the human body. are really
I parasites, and include both animal and
vegetable organisms. some parasites are
harmless; others cause sooner or later
/ serious and even fatal disturbances in the
animal economy. They may produce in
I furious effects. first. by withdrawing
I nOurishment from the body, feeding upon
/ and degrading the blood; secondly, by
4 exciting Inflammation, and thirdly, by
mechanical injury. They may act, also,
as organized ferments, or as generators of
poisonous substances. 1t is not my object
i'm paper of this kind to discuss the sub
iect eXhaustively. but simply to present
such views as are accepted by the profess
sion, and may be understood by intelli-
gent, educated readers.
therefore proceed to state that these
parasites (truly so called are divided
into two classes. First, animal parasites,
infest the outer or inner parts of the body;
and, secondly, vegetable parasites, en-
bracing the fungi and bacteria. The main
fungi or mould have been found i'll dis
eased-especially the necrotic-( dead It's
sues of the body exposed to the air. In
number of diseases of the skin fungi have
been discovered, which constitutes an
essential pathological element in these
affections. The bacteria belong to the
lowest form of vegetable life, and, under
conditions favorable for their life and
growth, possess an enormous power of
reproduction. they are found in various
organs of the body. in the blood, or lymph
vessels, in the secreting tubes, in the tis-
sues or upon free surfaces. The same
forms are said to be found in most decom-
posing fluids, and those engaged in these
Investigations have as yet failed to find
any differences in the bacteria present in
a great variety Of diseases such as dlphthe-
ria. smallpox, etc.
Enough having been said to establish
the existence of organisms capable of pro-
ducing disease in our bodies, the question
comes up as to how we are TO limit their
propagation and dissemination? and what
are the agents at our command to accom-
pIish this purposes tits well known that
carbOlic acid added 10 the delecta OF
typhoid fever patient not only cOrrects the
offensive Odor, bnt prevents them from
producing any ill effect as there is good
reason to believe. Wherever heterogeneous
matter is undergoing decomposition,
disagreeabe Odor is perceptible, and with
the decomposition of such matter certain
feyers, and especially typhoid, is pro-
H. L.