The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-07-31
Threatening.

fhe actual presence of yellow fever |
in New Orleans, the prevalence of |
cholera in the ports of France doing a
large trade with the United States.
makes it almost absolutely certain
that we will have here in Texas either
late this season or early next, one or
both of these scourges. With the
most careful and complete preparation
possible, it will be bad enough, but it
will be far worse if the time mer-
cifully given us in which to
make suitable arrangements is
neglected or suffered to slip
by unimproved. In nothing, in
no branch of the healing art has there
been more accomplished within the
&c fury than in the science of proven
ton. Hygiene has engaged the at
tention and called out the best efforts
of medical skill and with results gen
orally satisfactory. Twenty-Five years
since yellow fever was an annual WIS.,
itor to the beautiful coasts of Texas,
id it reveled at will in all our val
leys and carried off yearly its thou
sands upon thousands of victims.
Within the last twelve years we have
had none of it, because the
state government with an intelligent
apprehension of the situation, and in
obedience to the recommendation OF
as able and as unselfish a faculty as
ever labored for the amelioratlon OF
human Ills, adopted system of rigid
quarantine upon scientific principles
and since that blessed day the dread
scourge of yellow fever has not beer
able to effect a Judgement. AT frs
there were found many men to ridi
cule the idea of keeping it out by such
means, but the long exemption trace
able to this cause has silenced thu
voices of the doubters, an,
established the wisdom of the stat
government in it's adoption of tn
policy. For every dollar of the publ
money so expended we have had
return of thousands in the worth o
this almost perfect exemption.
This magnificent result ought t
spur our authorities to still create
vigilance in the future. The success
of the principle of quarantine, or ex
clusion, is on trial. Enough is know
: already to determine its entire worth
and it would be too bad were th
scourge to break over now throug
carelessness or inattention in an
direction. Our accomplished an
and devoted state health officer is eve
on the alert, and he is ably seconde
by his assistants. To their effort
should be added those of the officer
, of the transportation lines doing bus
ness with the West Indies, Mexic
, and above all New Orleans. 1t ri
mains to be seen, as yet, if we ca
keep fever out of Texas when it
epidemic in that city. We doubt tn
, possibility. However, the matter ma
soon be on trial, and then the wort
of intelligence and vigilance in tn
cause of exclusion will be determined
This fact should have the effect c
l doubling the diligence OF the off
Gals.
| The people may meet and assist tn
| officers in this sacred cause by putin
their cities, towns and villages, as we
as their private homes, in conditio
to best withstand the assaults OF tn
Knight of the Saffron Plume. Tn
utmost cleanliness, the liberal and in
: telligent use of prophylactics, and
reasonable and temperate course O
life, are some only of the more intell
gent and useful means used and with
in reach. We trust to see intelliger
and prompt action taken in ever
city, town and village within a
| Tpyas