Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-15

The New Orleans Fever Case.
New Orleans is disturbed by the same
old question which it has been discussing
for the last half century, viz, whether it
shall depend on fumigation and few
days detention at quarantine OF vessels
from yellow fever ports, or shall insist
practically on non-intercourse with such
ports during the danger period.
! Generally after an Epidemic the non-in-
tercourse plan Is insisted upon, but few
I years freedom from yellow fever is suf1-
sient 10 enable those who have trade all
| the year with ports that are infected
pretty much all the time with the fever to
have that plan set aside for one more
satisfactory 70 them.
The Louisiana Board Of Health ms a
new President who, it seems, has addopied
a plan for keeping yellow fever out Of
Eew Orleans that was approved by the
city and State authorities early in the
season. The plan requires the detention
Of vessels at the quarantine station only !
few days.
1t is said that the child that died with
yellow fever at Gretna, a small village
Just across the river from New Orleans,
caught the disease from a ship that was
mOored at the Gretna wharf, ara which
came from a yellow fever port. This
statement may not be correct, but if it is
it shows that the plan adopted by the
Louisiana Board of Health to protect New
Orleans and the Mississippi valley from
yellow fever is not quite so effective as
the non-intercourse plan.
day or two after the Gretna case the
Cotton Exchange of New Orleans passed
resolutions favoring the non-intercourse
plan and the Mexican Exchange passed
resolutions declaring that the present
plan was good enough. The Board Of
Health agrees with the Mexican Ex-
change,
1t is stated in the New Orleans papers
tibet the President Of the Board Of Health
has arranged to have a conference with
the authorities of the lower Mississippi
valley States for the purpose of learning
their views with respect TO the plan that
ought to be adopted to guard the valley
against the introduction Of yellow fever.
There is no occasion for this conference
The President of the Louisiana Board of
Health and every intelligent citizen of
New Orleans know that the people Of all
the country tributary to New Orleans
favor the non-intercOurse plan, unless it
can be clearly demonstrated that some
other plan, that does not interfere 50 Sc
riously with commerce, is as effective. 1t
is doubtful if such demonstration can be
made.
The commerce which New Orleans
would lose by being closed against infect
ed ports for several months each year
would not be very great. That city had
much better stand the loss which non-in-
tercourse would impose than to run the
riskof ahepidemic Of yellow fever. The
people Of the lower Mississippi valley have
not forgotten the epidemic Of 1878. and as
soon as it is announced that yellow fever
has found a Judgment in New Orleans,
that city will be as isolated as
if it were located in mid-ocean
with no means Of communicating with
other parts of the world. It's CONNER
cial life will cease, and its losses in
single season will be greater than it's
trade with infected ports would amount
to in a score Of years.
The people Of the lower Mississippi val
ley do not intend again to run risks of
.beingdh teeted from New Orleans. On
the first appearance of danger the bar
barous shotgun quarantine will be en-
forced. New Orleans has had fair warn
ing and knows what to expect. If it
chooses to take the risk ofthe introduction
Of fever for thesake Of a few dollars worth
of trade it must take the Consequences
If the fever gains Judgment within its