The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-07
Mean Mean
Temp. Rainfall. Temp. Rainfall
! Degrees. Inches. Degrees. Inches
IAvge Is Total .14IAvge 76 6 Total 3
EFFECT OF THE HEAVY RAINS.

DR.. Duncan of the sanitary commission
was asked last night what euect the contin.
uous wet weather is likely to have on the
city's health. He said that it couli not be
otherwise than deeterious if continued
long. The danger Is from colds and maa-
ria. The rain has the good effect however.
of flushing the sewers, and if the water
runs off, and does not stagnHte under hot
suns, there will of course be less malaria
He thinks, though, that tho rains would
have been less calculated to be delete
rious if they had fallen earlier, say
ia June. The dangers from malaria
viii, however, be greater out side of the
city, ut in the city damp houses and damp
bedding are calculated to bring on colds
aud more or less malaria will follow; moth
lng, however, to cause great apprehension.
DR.. Dune n said that the danger from colds
and malaria may be lessened by having a
fire to dry the damp walls, and that the win
dows Of tedchnmhers should be kept closed
at night, especially if the couch is near the
window.
NO DANGER NOW.
Another physician expressed the opinion
that the rains will be much less deleterous
now, with cold weather approaching, than
If they had fallen in the spring, followed by
hot weather. Ii will be better now il we
have a few cloudy days to give the water
time 70 be absorbed in the ground and to
run of from the outlying low grounds
The city drainage, he saws, is fairly good,
although some streets need attention and
he particularly alluded to Abercorn street
as one that ought to have immediate atten-
ton. The city is healthy and there
are no low types of fever, Sin fact there is
very little sickness Of any kind" A great
deal of sickness, the doctor said, is due to
neglect. April and October are the most
unhealthy nonths. The warm clothing is
tu1ra ~ aY,I
enough, and little regard is paid to chang
ing clothing with the changes of the
weather.
Rains of long continuance are liable to
produce colds and catarrhal and malarial
fever" said another physician, tut he won't
on to say that he did not apprehend any
danger from the rains of the last week. He
went on to say that there is not a physician
in the city whose time is one-half taken up
with his patients
THE MALARIAL SEASON.
There was a time. he said, when there was
a malarial season beginning about July -,
and from that time on to Oct. | there is
not "A physician in the city who had not
been kept busy and who was not overworked
by Oct. /. Then he had sometimes as high
as twenty cases of nlalarial fever a week,
but he says he has had but twenty cases
n together since Jan. /, and but two of
these cases proved fatal.
How do you account for thisf Z" the doctor
was asked
He replied that first of all the use OF arte-
slan winter bad great deal to do with it.
One going up the Savannah river and
noting what floats in 1t and what il
thrown in it, will see at once that the use of
the river water was fruitful source of
malaria The mortality for the fist six
months OF this year, when tie artesan
water was virtually on trial, shows a de-
crease of l05 deaths over the same period
last year, which means a decrease of 2l0
III year in a city Of increased population
But, said the physician, there are other
factors which have tended to decrease tho
malaria. The drainage outside Of the city,
the abandonment Of the poisonous surface
wells and improvements in sewerage.
OUGHT TO DE THE HEALTHIEsT.
There IL no reason said the physician whv
Savannah should not he the hea,thiest city
m the United States, barring none. l.
There should be a universal use OF TIE arte-
sian water In the city and throughout
Chatham county. IL will come TO that he
said, as wells are being sunk throughout the
county. 2. The filling up Of tho surface
wells, 80 they can never be used again, as
they are poisonous, and sinking OF
artesian wells with pumps wherever abso-
lutely needed for public wells 8
The thorough drainage OF the outlying
swamps. Much has been done in this
direction, which has reduced the dangers
from malaria, but the work should b, c n
tinued until all a'e drained 4. The Il Ing
up of the dry wells whicl are holdi z mora
or less stagnated water, and o her mpuri-
ties. T az they have byen' abandoned and
covered 10 docs not remove the danger. and