Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-04-12

forts Of the carly reformers to secure
even proper drainage as far as the same was
practicable, " Quarantine was proposed.
Commerce frowned" Mr. Cable draws
fuIl-lencth picture, the counterpart OF
which can be seen any day or Change, al
the Palace, or anywhere else where men OF
substance mos do congregate Gin the Bay
City. Hesay :" in the very midst OF these
(epideIuic) visitations, II was the confident
conviction and constant assertion Of the
average New Orleans citizen, creole or
American, on his levee, in the 81. Charles
rotunda, al his eouating-room dess, in tie
columns OF MS newspaper, and in
his family circle, that his town was
one of the healthiest IN the world.
The fatality Of the epidenicS WIS prin-
cipally among the unacclimated. de was
not insensible to their suferings; he was
famous for his care Of the SICK ; the town
was dotted with orphan aSyluus.
As for strangers. he threw UP mis- palms
and bis eyebrows Nobody asked them -
come to New Orleans This was the ere
ole.) The mind of the American turned
only 10 commerce: and the commercial
value of well authenticated low death
rate he totally overlooked. Every sum
mer might bring plague-granted; but
every winter brought trade, wealth. 1t
Numbered and tumbled through the streets
The part of good citizen seemed TO he 70
shut his eyes tightly and drown comment
and debate with loud assertions Of the
towns salubrity."
This is a picture of what New Orleans was
before quarantine and sanitation asserted
such degree Of supremacy as has been SO
far attained unto. Let Us hear Mr.. Cable
once more: Yet in the face Of all
set-bacbs the city that once was almost
annually s,ourced. has, in the twenty-seven
years since the great epidemic which viz
tually lasted until 1885, suffered but one
mild and three severe epidemicS In 1873
occurred the last Of these, and the only
severe one in fourteen years In the five
years ending with 1876 the average annual
mortality had been seventy. In the next
five years it fell To fortv-ive. In the five
of the war period it was forty. In the
next it was thirty-nine; in the next
it sank to thirty -four and half
and in the FIVE years which closed
with 1880. notwithstanding the terrible
epidemic of 1873, the rate was but thirty
three and half The mortality of 1879
was under twenty-four and that Of 1880
under twenty-five per thousand
The causes, the reforms in sanitation,
etc, which have 50 reduced the mortality
list in the Crescent City are admirably set
forth in Mr. Cables article. These causes,
these reforms, sanitation, quarantine, isola-
ton, special hospitals, should be put in
operation in California from the Colorado
river to the head of Feather river. In con
clusion | again refer the authorities
health State and municipal-of California
July, 1883, and to the subloined synopsis
of the recent report Of the Surgeon-General
OF the United States Army. All the money
which it would require to effectually bar
out the plague from the State of California
would be but as dust in the balance com
pared to what it would cost TO dislodge it
if it should once gain foothold
Upon the subject of national quarantine Sur
gcon-teneral Hamilton says that the experience
of the United States since the passage Of the
strated that a national quarantine system Is
neceaSary-not such a Quarantine as would in
any measure interfere with or cripple the local
quarantine establishments, but one that would
efficiently supplement them. After speaking in
complimentary terms of the cooperation Of the
local Boards of Health, Dr.. Hamilton says that
the revenue cutter service has rendered the ap-
proaches 10 the coast secure by careful surYCA-
lance Vessels in the Gulf approaching the United
States ports were spoken, and If necessary
boarded while outside the harbOr, and, II from
an infected port, ordered to quarantine for
treatment The Ship Island quarantine he
adds, is a dangerous location. and was only
used because there was not time 10 establish
another station. The very suspicious cases a.
-. -vrfrr coll far
tine in the Gulf at a point more remote from
pOpulOus settlements
Dr Hamilton concludes by suggesting, if it be
decided to continue the endemic fund that in
expensive yellow fever hospitals should be Is
taDliShed at the principal Gulf ports, 70 which
All patients suffering from yellow FEVER could b.
promptly taken by municipal boards OF health.
lie SAYS that rs between the present mode Of at
tempting TO quarantine such patients in the
heartof a pOpulous city, and the method pro
posed OF Immediately removing them TO well
kept. isolated hospital, experience as well rs
theory are IL favor OF the latter. inns plan
would he believes simplify matters, and Wnen
taken il connection with good local hygiene,
cremation and official governmental qus.ra4-
tine. would come Us near preventing the yellow
fever epidernics and Graduating The disease Us
any measure he can now 1Orcsee- TINS ne sum
married in six words. Municipal cicauil-
ness, isolation, hospitals, national guar
antincs" The following estimates IaTt sub
m.tted for the proposed United s."ies
quarantine stations; GulfQuA rantne-coldeU
nation of site ana erection Of hospital $4,000
warehouse 500; wharf, $1,000 South Allan
tic Quarantine-5apelo Station, Riac kbeard
Island, $500. Cape Charles Guaran.ine-site,
etc, $1,000 Running expenses, $1,000.
Possibly there may remain on this coast
and elsewhere some dis5elieyer in the
transInissibility of the yellow fever. Most
fervently do hope that such men will not
direct the counsels or govern the action Of
those who have charge OF the health and
well-being Of California.
ALBEET T. HAWLEY.