The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-04
EPIDEMICS OF DISEASE.
HOW THEY COULD BE BEST MET AND
MANAGED,
The Care Should be Assumed by the
National overnment-Shotgun Quar-
antine Cruel and Inhuman-The Prin-
ciples of the Germ Theory.

the proceedings of the Mississippi Valley
Medical associations annual convention,
presents for careful consideration questions
which are OF interest to the united people
OF this great country. These resolutions
also demand thoughtful attention, for the
reason that they are the result OF united
conference and agreement OF committee
versed in sanitary science, and familiar
with the scourge toward which they are
directed, and also from the fact that they
received the unanimous adoption of the
association, a representative body of the
medical profession in the great Mississippi
valley. The following are the resolutions:
Resolved, That it is the sense OF this
meeting that yellow fever is not conta-
gious in the ordinary sense OF the term;
that il cannot be communicated from the
sick to the WELL except in an atmosphere
containing germs.
''rhat the mildness OF the present yellow
fever invasion, and the lateness OF the sea-
son, warrant US in strongly deprecating the
fear now existing in many southern com
munities, the present rate oil mortality
being not greater than that which ordinar-
lily obtains in typhoid fever.
"That the self-imposed quarantine regu-
lations now in force in States north OF the
infected districts are not only absurd, but
inhuman, and unworthy OF the age III
which we live.
"That the quarantine regulations, to he
effective, should apply to the bagging,
clothing and effects, rather than to the
person of the individual.
"That when such effects come from in
fected districts they should be destroyed
by fire and the owner reimbursed from
public funds.
THAT cities and towns to the north and
upon lines OF travel may safely provide
hospitals Tor the reception and care oil the
sick"
TO the general reader, and the probes
sional, the term 'contagion' may mean
one and the same thing, or it may not.
The mind of the laity conceiyes OF any
thing which is contagious as synonymous
with the idea OF catching" IL makes
no difference TO them whether the catch
ing" is brought about by contact, actual OF
remote, or not. Medically, this is not the
precise meaning OF the term. DIR. Anglia
da, Of Paris, as long ago rs 1858, offered q
definition subsequently adopted by DIR.
Trousseau, the eminent clincan-of con
tagion which not only represents the idea
in the medical mind, but ioreshadowed
the idea OF the profession oil today. II
was as follows =.
"Contagion Is the transmission OF dis
ease from one person affected with tina
disease 10 ono or more persons through
the medium OF material cause, the pro
duct of a specific morbid elaboration; THU
material cause communicated TO an indi
yidual in a state Of health determines thu
same phenomena and symptoms in turn
ms were observed in the individual from
81. whom the germ proceeded.
There were others who made distinc
ton between contagion and injection
Con,agion was considered the acquiring o
the disease by actual contact, as by tn
breath or secrctions; in short, the morbi'
material was placed upon tho individual
BY and through visible means. Injection
was attributed 10 some entirely difieren
cause OF an occult nature acting throug
hidden influences, such rs the miasma G
marshes, malaria, etc. Figurativell
these distinctions are correct There
and can be no distinction in fact.
This is no matter Of opinion, but dc
monstratablc fact, and the Angladas def
milton Is implied in the expression
'tltough the medium OF malarial caus'
the product OF a specific, morbid elabori
ton, or process" Morbid in It's effect o
the host; natural as regards the materi'
elaborated.
The communication Of n disease TO
person In n state OF health must be unde
stood In the broad sense. The moder
professional idea Of contagion recognize
no disease possible In a state oil perie'
health; hence the ideas Of the past an
today among the laity Of the term, hesltl
IA only relative, OF one OF appearance.
deyiaiion from perfect health may, TO O
binary observers, not be recognized; b
when the individual In question Is subJe
TO the exact methods OF scientific inves'
CATION into the state Of his body, th
recognition becomes possible TO q We
large extent. Unfortunately Tor u.s. STA
OF perfect health Is somewhat rare, 81
for this reason are We struck down
contagion only too often when apparent
In what is termed astate OF health. HenC
In the resolution before us the expressi,
contagious in the ordinary sense oil q
term" will DO understood. That yell'
fever In the actual, literal sense Is CON
gious or catching, there can be no pos
- bic doubt, for the sad and lamentable a
unnecessary epidompic which is NJ
raging in the fair and beautiful soul
only TOO we'll attcs,s.
In order that we may clearly comp
bend the full meaning Of the hrst reso
ton VIC must appeal 10 the platform
principles OF the germ theory. Ana
doing this We must also acknowledge u
as yet the specific germ 10 which We
assign the development OF yellow lever
not fully demonstrated established or
cepted in the professional mind. This
trne as regards the many fully conyln'
of the truth Of the germ theory Tor all Z
eases az we'll as Of the others who DC
the correctness OF the theory. There ~
been germs isolated aud cultivated VII
ON incubation have resulted In the de-
opment Of fever closely resembling
low fever, but the work and results u
been severely tested aud rejected a.
true. That there u germ which OF i's
or through the products elaborated by
presence, Is accepted ~ probable. Am
many IL Is felt that when the germ ior
low fever il found there will be found
germ for malaria. The principles u
which the germ theory relies for Its
reotness and 10 which are submitted
trial all It's tests, are:
1. A proper soilon which tolive,.
2. The specific germ assigned !
specific disease must always, undcr
circumstances be present
3. That the specific disease canno
present save In the presence oil the spe
germ. I'D,
4. That the pure culture OF the spe
germ must, In the presence oil the pr
.ou ronroducc germs OF like nature