Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-06-12
Observation-Disclosures
THE HIDEOUS GOBLIN NOT YET
PUT TO FLIGHT.

/
Burned.
JACKSONVILLE, June H. Small-po,
and Its determination still occupies the
mind OF onr health board and portion o.
the citizens. This may be to the reader,
OF the NEWS an uninteresting theme, Of
considered twice told tale, but however
this may be, there is no doubt about IFS
being very unpopular one just now upor
which to write from this point of the com.
pass. But correspondents for newspapers
are always expected to give everything OF
Importance occurring in their communi.
ties, and your dd Interim correspondent in
Jacksonville will endeavor in the future
as he has in the past. to give. as
near as he can obtain Them.
facts relative to smallpox as well as
other matters of interest occurring here.
not, however, wishing at any time to be
considered an alarmist or to cause undue
excitement among the people, but as a
correspondent deems it his duty to chroni-
Gle important events whatever they NAV
| be.
The assertion that the business of the
| city is injured by the publication of all
the facts is entitled to little considera-
! tiOn, if such publication in any Way tends
TO timely extinction of the disease, and
as warning to other towns against the
injection, even at the risk ofiniuring bust
| ness for the time being. The apprehension
| at hrSt, in such cases, always exceeds the
realization. 1t is only temporary sus-
| pension, the length of which depends upon
the efforts of citizens and the authorities
to control and eradicate the disease. This
dnnn hIIG of ffoS
| former tenor and the whole trouble is
| forgotten.
Though as unpopular as the subject
may be, it is nevertheless fact. con-
| fessed by all, that smallpox still exists in
Jacksonville, and the injected premises
are not all seven blocks from Bay street
either, and no one regrets the truth of its
presence more than the writer. He is
sensibly reminded of its presence every
morning as he gaZes out upon the sur
rounding cottages and behOlds a half
dozen little pieces of bunting fiuttering in
the morning breeze, catching the first
| CLEANS OF the sun as it bursts forth from
the eastern sky, though far removed
from Bay street (eight blocks) J, yet en-
tirely too near to be comfortable. AS they
are watched the thought suggests itself
that these flags are not at
| all appreciated, yet they neither
surrender or trail in the dust, and none
dare to charge and capture them. But
as hope springs eternal in the human
breast, all are hopeful that the piercing
rays of Southern sun and the skill Of
scientists may yet triumph, and soon tear
the last.One to shreds and conquer the
foul invader.
The disease continues to develop in the
city, though, L am glad to say, the num-
Der is much less this week than last. For
three days no case has occurred in the
county. One case of variOloid is all that
has been reported since Friday, and only
seven cases reported in the city and
county.
The city physicians believe the
end is nigh, as they say if there
had been any of the germs lurking in the
system since the last outbreak, about
fifteen days ago, it would have developed
itself within the past few days. Yet, with
this cheerful outlook we do not feel en-
tirely secure from the disease, and none
can tell what may occur during the next
week, but there is no doubt but that af-
fairs at present, are brighter than they
have been for some time, and certainly
every one is more hopeful of the future.
1t seems almost impossible to confine
the disease to any one locality, but at
present the northwestern suburbs is in.
fected the most. 1t may break out in one
locality to-day and another tomorrow.
For instance, Tuesday last a case was dis
covered at Miss Helen BrOward's board
ing house, opposite the Carleton Hotel, on
Bay street, and another on the corner of
Cedar and Orange streets, mile apart.
1t is among the negroes, and if it is to
be family affair it has very large num-
ber yet to spend itself over before its
work is finished. And here is the secret
of its continued spreading. 1t is well
known to Southern people that to visit
and chat is much admired privilege of
the negro, and do it he will at any risk.
They travel from house to house. and if
kindred has the disease they are certain
to go and see if the malady is really small
poX, and Just so long as this people are so
careless, and float from point to point.
just so long will they be afflicted with
some scourge. The negro population of
this city and county is a large one, far
Outnumbering the whites, and their num-
Der has been greatly increased within a
year by additions from the middle coun-
ties.
The whites must either hire this cOlored
help or do without help altogether, and
to have them about the premises is rum
ming risk. Many whites, rather than
take the chances, have discharged all
the negroes from their premises and en-
tered upon the domestic duties them
selves. The most laboriOus part to per-
form, however, is washing of clothes. In
some instances this is also done by our
wives and children, but the majority is
still given to colOred women, and the risk
taken by the owner of having the clothing
quarantined or lost altogether.
Your correspondent a few evenings
since met an estimable lady in much dis
treSs, and inquiring why so grieved, re-
piled, between sobs: ''Why over there
(pointing to a negro hut are all our
clOthes-a whole weeks washing, sent
oyer to-day-and it is reported that they
have smallpox there, and that guard
won't let us have them back. Oh! what
shall dOY
A prominent gentleman said he had al
most concluded to wash his own clothes,
after relating this bit of experience:
''Last week my wife sent out the weeks
washing, and with instructions that it be
returned Friday morning, but it did not
come to time, so set out to hunt it up,
and when found it also found guard.
L knew what was up, so l got permit to
have the clothes fumigated. / gave a
man fifty cents to get them, paid 50 for
washing and $40 for fumigating- 80.
Ever since they were returned we are
afraid to wear them."
And thus it goes from one person to
another, and no one knows when he is in
danger, but all should be thankful that so
far but few whites have had the filthy
disease-perhaps not more than a dozen
all told. AS well as | can learn there has
been about eighty colored. DIR. Babcock,
in charge of the pest house, says he be-
lieves there has been a decided change for
the better. He yet has large family,
majority of whom are those that
have been exposed to the
disease, and are held at a
safe place to await developments. Many
of these are colored children whose pa
rents have had smallpox. His sick men,
bers are decreasing daily; all suspects
are now sent to house under his care,
where, if any should have the disease,
they can be Immediately transferred to
the pest house. The doctor thinks he will
be there some six weeks yet to watch and
take care of those under his charge, las the
recovery of some are very slow.
Four infected buildings have been
burned during the past week. These
buildings were occupied by negroes-one
family to the room. This plan of burning
was most admirably carried out by the
authorities. No alarm was sounded, but
the firemen were all on the ground ready
to protect adjacent property; the torch
quietly applied, and in a short time the
foul brothels were in ashes. No excite
ment or noise was created, as it was pref
ty generally understood beforehand
throughout the city. Only one mistake
seems to have been made in this cremat-
ing business, and that was by sew
eral young white and colored men,
who became restless and not oonfanf IN