The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-31

as suspected that there was germ. Meek
ly, now, the younger physicians observe
the methods OF their seniors, eagerly &C
curing knowledge which the community
hopes they may never have occasion TO
utilize Taking It all In all, 1t Is fortunate
for many of us that It Is the yellow fever
and not the fool-killer that Is abroad.
The tone OF some of the suggestions offer
ed and OF some of the letters written
would indicate the presence of many per-
sons suffering from the tradi-
tional loose screw" One individual adj
vises each of us to take a pinch of salt
at intervals of every few minutes. An
and purify the atmosphere. The vender
of quack medicines cries aloud and spares
not; while the writer's of sensational com
munications are spelling much good sta
tionery. One letter addressed to the board
Of health charged that that body had been
bought "by New York and California.
for 100000 to spread reports derogatory
to New Orleans, and darkly limited that
the public patience is not inexhaustible.
Another, through the medium of vile ORTIZ
ograpry openly expressed desire to
lynch those gentlemen. But the most
blood-curdling of all was couched In the
Italian tongue The paper on which 1t
was written was bordered in black and or
namented with black heart. This organ
was pierced by a dagger. and from its
center oozed great drops of red ink. The
script accompanying this picture babe the
board remember that the Malta still ex-
listed; and warned them that they had but
a few hours longer to live.
One report which circulates among the
ignorant classes, Is to the effect that each
doctor receives $40 (from whom no one
knows for each fever case which he re-
ports; and that the experts receive $50 per
day. Another rumor did not confine itself
to the less intelligent, but penetrated all
strata of society. This declared that the
experts employed wore costume which
could scarcely be surpassed for weirdness.
1t consisted, according to common belief,
of a long, black domino, a mask and a
closely fitting cap. So great was the hue
and cry that the gentlemen under denoue-
ment FASTENED to explain that the sole
addition to their ordinary costume, on en-
tering a sick chamber, consisted of linen
duster, disinfected, that they might not
carry about contagion in their clothing.
AS might be expected, the ignorant en-
deavor, in every way, to thwart the pre-
ventive measures of the sanitary ofilcers.
AS 1t is the custom among the lower class
es to hold wakes and to indulge in large
funerals the wise regulation which pro-
hibits either of these ceremonials Is de-
nounced as disrespectful to the dead.
While the afflicted family are usually COM
paratiVely tractable, the main opposition
comes from mobs, who assemble outside
the house of mourning and endeavor 10 in
cite a riot. They belong to that turbulent
element that seethes, increasingly, beneath
the surface, In every large city, and which
upon general principles, Is always ready
to rebel against authority, for nor eason
except that 1t Is authority.
1t may be said safely that the dislike to
being quarantined u.s. with every one,
greater than the fear Of the disease itself.
Among the prudent no sooner does a
member of the family complain of pains
In the back and limbs and of chiliness than
he is promptly put to bed, given a hot
foot bath, a dose of castor oil Of possessed
of superhuman docllity), and swathed in
blankets: a messenger, in the meantime,
having been sent post-haste for a doctor.
should that gentleman be doubtful wheth-
or TO classify the sufferers complaint as
dengue or yellow fever, the yellow and
white flag (emblematic of suspicon) Is
hoisted outside the building. If desired
mot otherwise, an expert from the board
Of health accompanies him on his next
visit. BY that time, most probably, the
symptoms win have become Enthusiastically
those of yellow fever, and the more deli
cate-hued flag is replaced by the gaudy
banner of yellow and red. The inmates
of the house are imprisoned and are cut
off from all communication with theil
kind. Two. guards are kept on duty-on'