Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-14
That Observation-Disclosures.

itdhih- Ofci tHc UtdulHul SlTl he UfSStu Ill
her ear the Hateful words: when the Baltimore
nine wins game"
That Bugbear-MaIaria.
From ''Along Shore on the Potomac"
An impression more general than truthful has
gained hold upon the people of the country
that the entire course of the river from Wash
ingtOn to the bay, is infected with malaria. This
is by no means self-evident fact. The recent
investigations of scientists find malaria every
where-even in the bracing air of the White
Mountains On the Potomac, it is true, it is
found in some places but the causes of it CO.
exists. and once removed the conditions for its
diffusion and it ceases.
Two plantations adjoin; one has malaria
stricken patients the year around, while on the
other the least trace of it is never known and in
nine cases out of ten the occupants of the latter
can point out the causes on the former.
The truth may as well be told i'm a few words,
that in majority of instances where malaria is
reported to exist, there is an utter violation of
the laws of hygiene; in other words, there ap-
pears on the part of the people, who mourn
their afflictiOn, a certain disregard for persona,
safety, which can better be expressed by that
phrase made common since the day when
''Uncle Toms Cabin" left the press
"PURE sHIFTLEssNEss."
An old resident on the shores of the river
sums it up by saying-'toO much corn and
bacon the wear around and bad whisky" This
is harsh. and quite the extreme, for hard-wOrk-
Ing and otherwise prudent families suffer
greatly from it, but they neglect the means at
their disposal to avoid it.
On one of the fine farms on the Potomac shore
thewriter saw some soil that would force grin of
delight from the rock-bound New Englander.
The crops showed evidence of care and thrifty
husbandry. and the whole neighborhood was
with nJItxH ard oyiH of pnrity
yet parents and children were longing for the
day when some Yankee farmer would come
along Ito buy them out" They had shaken"
with the ague until their faces were CHASTITY.
but the grand-lOoking old plantation mansion
and their wearing apparel condemned them for
their almost criminal neglect. Not member
OF the family had piece of wooden next to the
skin. although the autumn air was already "nip-
ping and eager" Their fine parlOr was on the
south and east sides of the house. filed with
highly tinted upholstery, which was closely
barred with shutters from the rays of the sun
1t would fade the furniture The room d.
rectly above was a guest chamber, and rarely
did stranger occupy 1t; therefore it was
closed for the sake of the positive cOlOrs. The
family being farmers, and generally in working
garb, occupied the north and west sides of the
house and here what little chance the sun had
to lend its helping rays, was destroyed by the
Overwrought taste of some idiOtc landscape
decorator, who had, q generation before, planted
trees, now grown to mammoth trunks, SO that
not slender thread of light could penetrate
The bedroom Of the parents had no window
whatever, 1t opened from an adjoining room
which had but one, looking toward the north
The bed-clothes were never aired, and the female
head of the house was honest enough to say
that she never did such thing, nor did her
mother before heri "Once a week on the clothes
line is airing enough" The diet was the GUS
tomary one In that part of the cOuntry-corn
and bacon. In the garden no traces at any
point that the small fruits with their rich, acid
juices. had been cultivated for generation!
Yet they were well-tO-lO people, as measured
by the community in which they lived but they
had malaria, and, as a neighbOr expressed it,
''they had 1t bad" This Is but one case though
it is a typical one.
Lack of drainage the improvident waste of
trees and foliage at some points, and the impru-
dent planting OF groves In other sections of the
plantations, make additional conditions for its
spread Sleeping on the ground floor instead
OF upper Chambers is quite common i'm many
families, and the rude architecture of the past
two generations has allowed the houses to
"squat upon the very earth-edge, without any
foundation The cellars, where they have any,
are Ominable-veritable cloister cells for their
deadly enemy. Out houses in many instances
are cleaned from necessity when they are flied!
Two years ago, large excursion party from
Washington sailed to one Of the sO-called plea
sure resorts. Dancing in the pavilion was at its
height when a summer shower drenched the out
buildings, and such was the horrible stencil
created, that persons of delicate bronchial func-
tons were chOked to coughing, and were glad
when the cessation OF the rain allowed them to
run away from the music and quadrille. Per-
sistent appeals on the part OF gentlemen in
charge of ladies, elected from the proprietor the
usual ''shiftless" answer. that 'there wasn't no
deodoriZer on the place"
Let the reader please note that We do not
throw out these seemingly harsh terms in q vim
dctive spirit. nor do we owe to any section OF
the river unkind feelings. We claim the right
to speak conscientiously. the more so as we be-
long to a class of people in Washington who ex-
peet fair treatment for fair prices. Thousands
of dollars each summer are emptied into the
pockets OF many who have none other than the
selfish motive OF flching all the money they can
for the short midsummer vacation, and we insist
that 1t Is q part of our duty to our citizens to
defend them by exposing wrong-doing along
shore wherever we may discover it.
We have stated above that malaria Is found
Of some points. and i'm this we wish our state
ment to be construed strictly. 1t is only al
some points on the river that it does exist. II
Is not general. Wherever swamps are found
near the shore Of any river such consequences
are to be expected. But the Potomac has not
essentially swampy shores. Speaking generally
they are quite the reverse. In the fresh water
length they are more common than farther
down on the saltwater stretch. Nor are the
inhabitants, as rule. of the type indicated
above The majority are noted for their time
honOred Observances of good and polite breed
ing Many of them descend from old families
of renown. The clear skin. shapely limbs
graceful carriage and the harmonious contour
of face features, especially in the women. be
speak for them as good blood as can be found in
the country. Ii has been the misfortune o.
tourists that these people have kept themselve:
In the background. They do not take boarders
and in many instances. after special entreaty
refuse TO entertain such q proposition. w,
never hear a complaint from this class Of thu
population that malaria Is besieging them. In
deed, word against the name of the rive
which they have learned to revere meets with
ready resentment.
On the other hand, families already at middl,
age enured to the more invigorating atmOs
phere of tie north, have since the war located
upon the shores Of the river. and through al
the ordeal passed in acclimatizatiOn have es
capped the least tinge Of ''shake" Perhap.
their intuitive insight into the very nature O
things has saved them for we do not find them