The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-07-15
Yellow Fever In Mexico.

Dr. w. L. Pressly issues the following in the
columns Of the last weeks issue Of the Asso-
clste Reformed Presbyterian:
From letters received from Mexico 1t Is
learned that yellow fever is prevalent II not
epidemic In Tampico There are, 1t seems, q
they have been imported brought from Tam
pico and It is not believed that the disease
will spread in that city.
"Let the Church be instant In prayer to
God on behalf of our missionaries and on be-
half OF the native converts as well that they
may be protected against the fearful disease
this obstruction that wasteth at noon day"
and that all may be overruled for the glory OF
that land. w. L. Pressly, Secretary Board
Foreign Mission"
We thoroughly agree with the pious divine
as to the efficacy OF prayer in many cases. but
II he would relieve the Mexicans OF fever he
ought to urge those practical measures which
are effective in wiping out the disease.
In the epidemic Of fever sanitary measures
would be more effective than prayer. We
must watch as well as pray. We must
observe the laws Of health, II we would be
preserved from the pestilenoe that walketh in
darkness and would be shielded from the
destruction that wasteth at MONDAY. We
must destroy the pestilence. and the causes OF
Lu0 u06tIuCIlOu Luubb Dc r0IQOVeQ.
Beast Butler cleaned New Orleans 30 that
the city which previously had annually lost
Thousands from yellow fever. was not again
visited by the dread disease for q quarter OF a
century. Uncle Sans recent efforts at clean
ing the city of Havana has been entirely sue.
cessful In banishing the disease. The filth uf
the cities of Mexico must be removed before
our prayers can be effective in preventing
fever.
There is. too, in this country fever which
10 more fatal than yellow fever. And It, like
its cousin, yellow fever, does not come unin.
vited. They are both filth diseases, and the
typhoid fever. like yellow fever, is the result
OF cause. So to speak, they are cause and
effect.
In former times the country districts were
regarded as more healthy than the cities, but
Of recent years the facts would lead TO the
belief that the cities are less subject to
typhoid fever than the more remote local..
ties, where every man may pollute the ground
around his we'll, have his own pig pen, and
dig wells into which the vilest filth may be
thrown, the natural effect Of which act Is to
pollute the wells and springs In the vicinity
from which We get our drinking water, while
the pestilence and destruction fill the air,
whiohywe breathe.
In we'll regulated cities these disease invit.
ing acts are in measure regulated by muni
cipal law.
II the citizen Of q we'll regulated town
should establish q pig pen under bis window,
or near his well, the most fervent prayers Of
the most righteous would scarcely be OF sufti.
oient force to induce the Lord to guard his
house, night and day. against the typhoid
fever. And We presume that as long as the
cities Of Mexico reek in filth, that he will
bother himself very little In killing the germs
which bring death 10 the Mexicans. The
Lord may take care Of their souls in proper
time, but 1t 10 the duty OF the Mexlcans to
take care OF their bodies.