The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-02-03
Is it in the Atmosphere.

Ii III is True, DIS Is dTSucu NY oOmcS
that atmospheric influences impel the
human family 10 excuses which in
ordinary times are never dreamed of,
then indeed this winter must 60 upon
record as most striking exemplifi-
cation of the theory. The prevailing
mania appears as form of delirium,
which believes in no silver lining to
even the least portentious of dark
clouds, but would have it that each
speck in the horizon of existence is
an unerring indication of very lorna
does of destruction and death. The
perfect accord of the weather proph-
cts in their voluminouS predictions
of storms and disasters has undeni-
ably produced an effect upon people
the nervous strain of which has by no
means been lessened by the series of
calamities with the terrible details of
which the public press has teemed
the many weeks.
A very large class of men as well as
of women grow timid and anxious,
and another class morbid by the fire.
quent recitals of blood curdling acct
dents and incidents. while still anoth-
er class foster a most unnatural ap
petite for such dread food. and would
fain see that the supply should ever
exceed the demand. This latter
species magnify moles into noun
tains the morbid, looking through
kindred spectacles, behold the horri-
BILE in veriest shadows, while the tim.
id become as children in dark places
and see spectres on eyer hand. But
for some such sort of prevalent at
mosphere the Baltimore socalled
scourge would have passed as sum-
mer breeze creating the merest ripple
to be speedily forgotten in the every
day tide of life.
None of the larger cities are ever
during the winter months entirely
free from smallpox, and as a rule.
Baltimore may fairly be stated as
more exempt from the scourging of
the loathsome pest than almost any
of the great commercial centres.
1t has, in the topography of its site,
innumerable advantages, as the nu-
merous hills create such a power to
downfalling water as to most thor
oughly cleanse the street at every
rain storm. Strangers frequently re.
mark the cleanliness of the thorough
fares and cite the natural surface
drainage as source of unfailing
health.
Baltimore's mortuary reports have
for years been of the lowest of the
great cities, and at no time during
the winter has the weekly death. rate
increased fifty per cent. over the av-
erage. The statement may appear
incomprehensible to those who have
permitted themselves to be carried
away with the belief that half the
population of Baltimore was in dan
ger of speedy anhiliation from the
small pox. II cannot, however,
prove any more incomprehensible
than the reports of The rayages of the
disease which have been circulated
outside of the city. 1t has been to
Baltimereans the old saying over
again of going away from home to
hear the news. That there was an
attempt to work up a scare in the
city is as undeniable as that its origin
was in the spleen of disappointed
place-hunters.
The "outs" insisted that the sins"
were incompetent, and not a few of
the most disinterested citizens be.
lieved that the contest of words might
tend to a political demonstration of
competency, which would lead to
condition of publication that would
make the spread of the disease i'm
possible. The newspapers, believing
the test one worthy of experiment,
assisted the "scare' by publishing
statistics so placed as to create some
alarm, but when carefully analysed
really gave ground for nothing be-
You'd an apprehension of what the re-
suit might be if energetic methods
were not inaugurated.
The effect within the city was
straightway apparent in the almost
immediate decrease in the number of
cases, but outside the city it was any
thing but assuring. Rival business
centres at once set about making all
the capital possible out of it. No
more rapidly swelled the ranks of
Falstaff's opponents in the voluble
bragadocia of the Shakesperian brag-
CART than the number of small pox
cases in Baltimore in the scheming
brains of interested competitors for
trade and commerce. AS has hither-
to been remarked, the atmosphere
this winter has appeared ever ripe
for the rapid spread of the belief in