The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-04

landing, and virulent focus of infection
was established on tine leyee where she emp
tied her cargo.
ATHREE-MoNTHs' RUN.
An epidemic of yellow fever runs a
ninety-da urse. This rule has had ex-
ception in cases where the Infection &C.
CURED late in the season. Heavy back
frost then checked it. but in nearly all these
instances it bihernated and in the following
spring broke out afre h and completed its
course The death rate usually reaches its
climax in thirty days, keeps even TILL the
seventieth, and tn II begins to wane.
The disease itself is not as dangerous as
typhoid when properly handled. 1t IS a
Single parox, sin," or continuous fever,
lasting about seventy-two hours The pre-
monitory symptoms are usually a severe
pain in the back of the head and III the
loins, followed by a slight chill. The pulse
and tenn erature then rise rapidly, the for
mer attaining usually about ITO beats TO
the minute and the latter 104 degrees in a
few hours. On the second day the pulse
begins to drop and continues to do SO slowly
! until the no mai is reached, while the tenn
perature remains steady, and tins popularity
is the one pathognomonic symptom OF the
disease, as ascertlined by experts who have
studied mary epidemics Toward the third
day the temperature often rises to 105 This
is grave symptom, and unless it can
speedily be reduced "black vomit" or gas
trio hemorrage appears, or the kidneys re-
fuse to act on account of acute intiamma-
ton and destruction of tissue. The fam us
black vomit is not fatal in more than 30
per cent. of cases well tire ted, but when
albumen appears in the urine death almost
inevitably follows UrBmc Commissions
terminate at least 60 per cent. fatal yellow
fever cases; about % per cent. end in black
vomit; 10 per cent. close from exhaustion
on the third day after the fever subsidies,
and per cent die of apJplexy or from
heart failure on either the first or second
day.
NURSING is EVERYTHING.
The treatment of the disease is wholly
expectant. A hot mustard foot bath and a
large dose of castor oil are preliminaries.
After this nothing is given but orange leaf
tea, to promote perspiration, and some
times little extract of jaborandi. Cham
payne in small quantities is found to be the
best preventive of black vomit, and dry
cnpping and blisters are resorted to in case
of tendency to kidney trouble. The nurse
does more than the doctor in yellow fever
to effect cure, and in New Orleans nearly
all the old black "mammes' are experts
in handling the disease, which I'M
doubleday accounts for the very
low mortality IN that city's epIdemics.
To watch the patent, be quick to start a
fire If north wind comes to chill the air,
to keep the clothing adjusted, see that no
talking is allowed and be familiar with the
symptoms forerunning black vomit or kid
ney trouble, and know how to treat them
promptly-these are necessaries in nursing
yellow fever, and in these the darkey women
of New Orleans are more familiar than are
the doctors in other towns. Without as
persion, | can truly say that if a course of
yellow fever were in my horoscope | would
rather choose an old turbaned New Orleans
nanny of experie ce, and resign myself
wholly to her care, than be treated by the
entire staff of Bellevue without her.
On the third day after the attack, when
the fever heat subsidies, the patient is left IN
a weak and horribly nervous condition, and
for many hours is subject to immediate re-
lapse upon the slightest provocation. Then
it is that a tolling bell, the sudden shock of
cannon fired by silly authorities, the slight
est indigestion or exposure to cold or ex-
element will do murder. The stomach is
left raw, and for many days only milk,
Cruel and crackers are given, doled out i'll
miserly quantity. The greatest danger of
relapse comes from the patients belief that
he is being starved and keptin bed unneces-
sarily. He will steal food and get up clan
destinely, and then yellow jack reaches
out for him a second time, and usually
grabs SO hard that not poppy nor mandra-
CORA, nor all the drowsy syrups of the
world can give him relief.
The great need of this country is a
national board of health, composed of men
who know something beyond drawing their
salaries with promptness and dispatch. feel
ing large and doing nothing. Experts in
yellow fever should be selected from New
Orleans, where the disease is known. The
epidemic swiftly becomes an interstate
affair when not properly handled and when
local boards are composed of chuckleheads
who undertake to throttle yellow fever by
firing cannon, burning tar and Illuminating
pompous edicts, it is high time for the
national government to step in and inter-
fere. HENRY GUY CARLETON.