St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-05-04

A Southern question that - Vastly
more important to the South than any
mere matter of sociology is how 10 pss
vent yellow fever from becoming ePt
demic. Dr. W. c. Van Bibber. OF hai-
timorc. has published . paper rcad "
him before the Baltimore Academy VI
Medicine. December 4. 1885. ~ "h'c"
he suggests measures BY wS'sn TUG
danger Of yellow fever may be r,S"ee"
TO q minimum. As 4 contribution 'o
the literature Of this dreadful destroyer.
Dr.. Van Bib6efs paper has the merit
sf breyity and directuess- lie writes
10 the people. and his suggestions. be-
ing grounded upon an extensive scien-
tific experience with the scourge. arc
eminently practical and wise. Perhaps
the most VARIABLE hints to the m0s'
Northern States Of those embraced In
the yellow fever di>trict. are those III
reference to quaran:i ipe regulation.
After pointing out that tf!e present sys-
te,s Of quarantine is Wholly ,padequa'o
for tire protection Of cities aga>pst Inc
infection Of the yellow fever germ. ne
proceeds to define low the sanitaIS
conditions of aI exposed city or town
can be rendered such rs to absolutely
prevent the developrncus OF disease
even II tine germ should pas, quarantine.
lie does not argue against iLs contin-
uatiou Of rigid quarantine. but rather
against an absolute dcpendence upon
ii as a precautionary measure. am IN
favor Of change of methods. Ever'
body who read last summers current
reports of the vexatious and even cruel
subectio,.s 10 quarantine rigoros-ness
instigaiesi By unreasonable fear. aud IA
many cases by Ignorance and incons-
pc,cnce to dcsf with matters Of such
vital importance. will understand that
= reform Of quarantirSs methods is most
urgent. In scarcely . State south OF
the Ohio Is there = Board o. Health Or
ganized with competent powers to act
efficiently in cases Of epidemic AMI con-
sequent panic. and in none of them ls
there any humane and adequate system
Of quarantine. such n thing rs inter
state quarantine regulation does not
exist. and when an emergency arises
the most extreme and often unnecessary
measures are reverted t0 for protection
against Infection. 1t is needless 10 say
that these measures are generally worss'
than useless. and result in much per-
sonal suffering and in extensive injury
to vital interests of the States affected
The cruol and inhuman shotgun quar-
antine," which wss made famous last
fall, is the natural result OF this lack of
system and general authority.
Dr. Van Bibber usdeytakes to show
how this state of affairs may be reme-
died by little legislation and the ex-
pendhure of . moderate amount Of
money. He says Of the quarantine OF
the future: I'm this you will se> four
houses situated At 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 tho comfort Of the
sick and afflicted citizens asd strangers.
bus to serve also - schools and models
TO teach private citizens how they can
preserve among themselves continued
cleanliness and give no foothold to pre-
vcn,ible d'srase. Tho humblest man in
the commonwealth cannot then plead
ignorance =, to Low he should and must
build his house and clanagc his domes-
tic affairs so rs to preserve his OWN
health. no, injure that Of his neighbor.
nor impair the reputation Of ~. ofaic-
These four buildings should have aml..e
commun cation with each other and she
outside world by telephone and whas
other al p.iantcs the future may have ID
store Then no one who is qusraDtined
will feel himself isolated or harsl'iy
treated. Tie citizen from abroad and
tine dcnizen can alike receive and send
messages from and to- ali point"
In these houses all actual cases areio
be treated. and those who are simply
held in o,i-iO'iy are To have lodsment
They are designed to provide for The
treatment Il the three most deadly
germ nal diseases. yellow fever. c..oiera
aud smallpox. They would be under :as
con,ro! OF the state Board Of Health. 3
b..ly. which would then have = local
haLiiaiiou u well - name. and full
lowers to deal w.th the exiseBcies ,.s
The situation ~ they should arise
Some such system ma t DO adopt.
- temporary makcshit;s suggested b.
~ presence of immediate danger uJ
lesger su!iicing.
u regard to sanitation DIR. Van Bib
oer's Suggestions are WISE. and in this
respect tine city Of Louisville should
bestir herself. Last summer she Orened
her gates to the flying refugees when
oil others were barrel against them.
The generosity was praiseworthy. but the
risk was great. 1t the occasion should
arise again she should he prepared
70 be generous without; recklessly en-
dangering the lives of her citizens. Not
only should the streets be thoroughly
clenued. but the health authorities
shou Il su ,iect private houses and yards.
front AMI rear. TO . more rigid scrutiny.
AMI compel the though,less and the
careless to more cleanly and less dam
gcrous mode of life. c.-L0uisritie (Ky.)
Commercial.
ACCORDING to the las. report OF the
Board Of Emigration there has been 3
considerable decrease Of late in the
number of immigrants. During the six
M.,~I. AZ fnv~.sY