The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1889-04-18
A SOUTHERN QUESTION.
Now to Prevent the Rise and Spread OF
Yellow Fever,

physician Of Baltimore, Nd, has pub
lished a paper recently read by him
before the Baltimore Academy Of
Medicine, upon the prevention of ycl-
low fever in the South Dr. Van Bib
ber's treatise is notable contribution
to the literature OF the terrible scOurge,
and abounds in valuable suggestions
as to the best means Of guarding
against its rise and spread. Argu-
ments are forcibly presented in favor
OF improved sanitary methods, and a
more enug system Of quaran-
tine in Southern cities. Upon the
question OF proper sanitary conditions,
DR.. Van Bibbsr says:
In 1881, paper was read before
the American Public Health Associa
ton, at their meeting in Savannah,
Ga, under the title Of Two Sugge5-
tions Concerning Healthy Buildings
| The FIRST suggestion made was TO build
houses upon arches or piers in low,
fat grounds. Man has the privilege
OF building under his own control. He
must take the earth as he finds it, but
one style OF building may be more
healthy, convenient and saIubriOus in
one situation than another Instead Of
| springing the houses out Of the ground
in low, fiat situations, it IS better to in
| terpOse a stratum Of air between the
house and the ground. II the house be
| built well up of the ground, and the
earth paved beneath it, with no in
| closed yards, then continued cleauli-
ness could be easily maintained. The
surface ventilation OF the air would be
one prominent advantage Of this style
OF building; surface drainage, an easy
abatement OF certain nuisalIes, with
conscquentincrcascl hea.thiu.uess and
comfort would ne the re,u.,.
If Macclenny and jacksonville and
Decatur had been built in this way,
and had been kept according 70 the III
tention OF such styla Of building,
their inhabitants would have been
saved the recent epidemic. This plan
vt building the houses wei. off the
ground, upon arches, columns or piers,
with clean hard pavemen;s Of brick or
| concrete underneath and around them,
| regard with great favor; it would not
only be an improvement in itself, but
would bring after it many other i'm
provCments. The Objections which
have been raised against It are the eX-
| penSe, the Inconvenience and the dan
ger from violent storms. The expense
might be a little heavier at first, but if
| all did it, this increased expense would
soon be equally distributcd-it the
| house cost more 10 build, the worlsmou
would get more for building it, and
in this way it would not be considered
q burden amongst tho poor. As TO in
| conveniences. il there BE any, they are
not worth balancing against the gain,
and habit would soon make it cease to
be felt. The danger from violent
storms could be overcome by the sup
| ports OF chimney stacks sprung from
the ground, or BY supporting towers
or beams, b. means of which the
houses could be firmly secured, aud all
danger averted.
1T is difficult for some minds to
divest themselves Of the early bias
which they have had from infancy,
from building on the ground with Gel
lnps opI ri+s md Si,,l- 'IbaE,
not suited to low, fiat lands in q warm
climate; q sufficient standard Of cleanli-
ness can not be maintained in their
presence, or where they exist. The
question as to how high the building
line should be off the ground is an
important one, II it ever comes to be
considered as matter Of statute en-
aCtment"
Upon the subject OF the quarantine
OF the future. DR.. Van Bibber says:
LET US speak Of the attractive quar-
antine OF the future. In this, you will
see four houses situated at a proper
distance from each other, in the most
accessible point Of the state, built and
appointed in a manner not only to
make them most efficient for the com
fort Of the sick and afflicted citizens
and strangers. but TO serve also Us
schools and models TO teach private
citizens how they can preserve amongst
themselves continued cleanliness and
give no foothold to prcvcntable dis
ease. The humblest man in the Com
monwealth can not then plead igno-
rance as to how he should and must
build his house and manage his
domestic affairs, SO as to preserve his
own health, not injure that OF his
neighbor, nor impair the rcputa-
ton OF his State. These four
buildings should have ample comma
nication with each other and the out
side world by telegraph, telephone and
what other appliances the future may
have in store Then no one who is
ouarantined will feel himself isoated
or harshly treated. The visitors from
abroad and the denizcn can alike re-
ceve and send messages from and to
all points.
"In these establishments all knowl-
edge OF yellow fever is to be centercl;
here the disease can not only be treat
ed, but studied under the most favor
able circumstanc and from them all
necessary rules for its prevention
should emanate. They should be under
the control of the Board Of Health, who
should be well selected and thoroughly
competent, and they should see that
nothing be wanting to make the estab-
lishment as home-like and attractive
as the most agreea bic resort.
The face is a perfect index OF
character. Learn to read it. The
man who can read men can tell what
sort OF man is carrying a face as
soon as he sees face, The hypocrite