The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-09-27
Yellow Fever and Other Com unicuble Dis
eases.
From the Independent.7

low fever in Florida and its return |
from time to time, in various other
poiots in the Southern States, may we'll
lead us to consider how far it is COM
muulcable and what are the chances of
its occurrence farther North.
While it is undoubtedly disease Of
hot climat.s it is to be remembered that
when it prevailed in Philadelphia it
assumed all the proportions of an
epidemic scourge, and that in New
York there were large numer of cases
and many deaths. 1t is also to be re-
lnembered that twenty-seven cases o.
CURED in the port Of Swansea, Scot
land, by reason Of the unlading of a
vessel arrived from the West Indi2s.
If once it gels a foot-hold in any
Northern city it is not more likely to
be checked than in Southern city ex-
copt by the occurrence of frost. The
Mrst great contention is whether it ever
occurs spontaneously, or whether it is
always brought from the West Indies
or some other warm clima;e in which |
it was, or has become, Indigenous.
Upon this subject there is still divi-
sion of opinion among authorities,
while in ninety-nine cases out of
hundred it is undoubtedly produced by |
a ship arrival yet there are cases in |
which the severe bilious fevers of ma !
larial districts in hot climates seem to
take similar form. So it is not very
clear.
The fever called dengue, or breakbone
fever, has some very marked simlaci-
les, There are those that claim that
originally it was bjige fever, occur
ring on slave-ships from the coasts Of
Africa. The bilious fever Of Africa be-
came modified by the terrible animal
a, cumulations of long voyages, and
hence pest was born more deadly
than the ordinary African fever or the
typhus OF ship fever. BE this as it may,
ii is now certain that its chief source is
through arrival at Southern ports, and
that when cnce having arrived it is 20
be fought by the most scrupulous isola-
liol and the eXactest disinfection. 1t
is more conveyed by localities and
things than by individuals. 1t is not
uncommon for q person to havejt on
arriving North, without it, being COM
municated to others, if trunks, CLOTH
ing, etc, are carefully guarded.
Thus, as in the case at Clostes, Bergen
County, n. j.. during the epidemic at
Memphis, Tenn, none Of the family
contracted The disease. But where the
disease occurs frequently there can be
no doubt the ships and the ground be-
come intensely infected. 1t will ap-
parently travel along the ground, MAX
ing about so many Yards Of distance
each day. 1t clings close 20 the surface
"nle"s waited by draughts or wind.
Physiciansh nshcqulintedw with the locality
can almost calculate what will be its
spread from day 10 day. In the case
Of one OF the last epidemics in New
Orleans, DR.: White, the health otlicer,
caused certain infected district to be
surrounded by small stream Of water
from the Mississippi River and the dis
ease, or con .agion. did not cross the
stream. 1t is wonderful how quickly
it will disappear from the inhabitants
Of locality when they are quickly re-
! moved to an encampment in the coun-
! try. 1t is for this reason that depopu-
lation, if conducted with the precision
Of military discipline, checks and we'll
nigh conquers the disease. When cases
ale occurring to the amount of Il hun-
dred to a thousand OF the population
and new cases occurring each day iii
that propo,,ion; all organized transfer
to camp Of all that are well: and in
slant removal of any taken sick in the
camp will at once reduce the cases to
five. If not able 10 move the house or
the ground or most radically disinfect
the locality the only resort is 70 move
the people. THUS is evident that isola-
ton and dis;nfection are real remedies.
Attack must be made upon each sus-
pected vessel and there must not come
to port until there has been the most
thorough dealing with the vessel itself
and with all lading and baggage. Very
great improvement has been made IN
this direction of late years. DR.. K. B.
S. Hargis, Of Pensacola, was among
the first to enforce and carry out this
method. Boston, and, to some degree,
New York, have profited by the ex-
perience, as have also some of the
Canadian ports. Best of all New
Orleans, under the direction and en-
ersetic action of its present health
officer, DR.. Holt, has perfected and
applied the most thorough methods.
With inventive skill he has rendered
more thorough the modes of introduc-
in" steam, sulphurous acid gas and
Corrosive sublimate solution, so that
instead Of what's usually adopted, and
what Sir John Simon calls "dabs' at
di>infection, We have the actuality. An
infected house, an infected ground,
needs to be dealt with in precisely the
same way. All failure in dealing with