Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1905-09-01

as other points on the Texas border
and coast, the citizens have armed
themselves with shotguns to reinforce
the quarantine regulations that the
Lone S,ar state has so far failed to
back up with the rifles and bayonets
and cannons OF its militia, Border |
towns in Alabama and Arkansas have |
also met the refugees from Louisiana |
with shotguns and turned them back
or imprisoned them in quarantine
camps. Even as far north as Tennes-
sec and southern Illinois the quaran-
tine is maintained to certain extent,
but in these latter districts 1t is q
modified quarantine and without the
menacing adjunct of shotguns or bayo'
nets. Memphis, it may be recalled, has
as much reason as any city in the
world to impose rigorous quarantine
in times of danger from yellow fever,
as, with perhaps the exceptions of New
Orleans and Philadelphia, no other city
in the world has been scourged so
dreadfully or so nearly depopulated
from yellow fever as has Memphis In
the yellow jack" epidemics of gen.
Grafton ago, when the people of New
Orleans were dying like flies, the pop
ulation of Memphis was being deci-
mated almost equally as fast. But that
was before science had come to the
rescue by stepping to the front and
showing that this greatest of yellow
perils might be controlled and elimi-
mated by simply controlling or exter-
minating certain fy-the female of a
certain mosquito family which science
discovered was the only possible prop
agator of the deadly, but as yet uni
Identified, germ of yellow fever.
Draining of swamps contiguous to
this city and the raising of the grade
OF its streets to height that would
permit drainage by underground sew
ers, to replace the present surface sew
ers, are advocated by many as desira-
BILE steps in the crusade against the
infectious Mrs. Mosquito Indeed, there
are many Improvements of this sort
planned and portions Of them are in
course of construction The pro-
gramme is for complete sanitary
system of water works and sewers. the
cost to be $l6,000,00O But it will take
three years or more before this great
and muchneeded improvement can be
finished.
May Oil All Swamps.
Whether any plan may be found for
rendering the great swamps to the
southeast and south of this city unde-
sirable places as breeding grounds for
the countless myriads of mosquitoes
that swarm into our streets and homes
and business houses when the wind is
blowing inland must be considered ore
Of the greatest problems that New Or.
leans and the state of Louisiana will
. nave to deal with in the near future
Outsiders may consider that we are
never immune so long as we are ex
posed to these two thngs-the capri.
ciousness of the winds of heaven anc
the fecundity of the mosquito tribe
that domiciles in the irreclaimablt
swamps of our coast. But our case
nevertheless, is not hopeless. I'll!
great state will find way to meet al
difficulties. 1t is rich enough and en-
terprising enough to oil all the sWamp
OF our coast every year and it may dt
that very thing if this years test o
the mosquito theory" proves its en-
tire correctness.
Federal Government in Charge.
In response to the appeal of the cit,
OF New Orleans, the federal govern
ment promptly look charge of the figh
against the yellow fever, and Surgeon
General Walter Weyman, head of tn
United States marine hospital service
and his splendid corps of trained help
ers, are waging battle royal day ant
night to stamp out the scourge. TIL
city authorities are lending the hearth
est cooperation and the defense fund o
$4,000 asked by the government t.
| eXterminate the disease has beef
! raised
Though generally people are willin,
to submit to the regulations of tn
health authorities, there are some VIII
refuse to believe in the mosquit
theory and VINO oppose the oiing O
their cisterns and the cleansing @
their premises. The Era club member;
who are women, have Volunteered {
proselyte among this class of the com
munity.
There Is mosquito ordinance tina
requires landlords to screen cistern
Fine or Imprisonment is the penat
for refusal to obey the ordinance Yer
few houses in The city are without eli
terms, and 10000 to $4,000 of them wi
be screened. The city is now spendin
$16,000,000 upon water and seweras
system which, when completed wi
require the abandonment of all eli
n terms. 1t will however be two {
ne three years before this system is
AL operation and III the interval the OF
80 ing and screening process will be e
an sential if the breeding places of Il
OF fever-bearng mosquito are to
ie- wiped out.
oii Famous Investigation in Havana.
The famous investigation made
Gu Havana in 1900 and 1901 by the Amer
w can military commission composed
TO Mai w Road NJ n and Drc 7 ca