Year: 1870

brass or copper cylinder. obong pot in which
burning Goals, deprived Of portion Of the carbonic
acid by chemical process, making but little ashes,
and apparently producing no injurious effect The
use Of them however is not quite safe, as learned
nv experience in Naples, where was very nearly
done for by being put into chamber without fire.
place. and the scaldino filed with common charcoal


instead of the prepared fuel discovered the mistake
in season and had the glowing mass removed before
its deadly fumes had poisoned the air of my apart
ment frequently visited houses in Rome ON mild
DAYS where there moi fire whatever; the windows
were perhaps, open, and the warmth OF the sun
suficed for the comfort Of the family One was apt
TO get a chill however, on such occasions, and pru-
dence demanded an additional garment. IL is said
that the private apartments Of His Holiness are
never warmed by artificial heat, and that he prides
himself on his power to Withstand the Roman cold.
If this be true, and do not vouch for it, it only
shows the strength of his constitution, or the
strength of his preudces and the confusion of his
ideas in regard to personal comfort only hope that
he will not declare crusade against anthracite. and
hickory-logs in the exercise Of his newborn func-
tions and condemn the crowd Of hereics to freezing
in this world as well to penal flames in the next.


The violent transitions from heat 10 cold which
take place in all the cities of Southern Italy as well
as in Rome are now usually considered by the best
informed medical writers more injurious TO inc
health than even the dreaded malaria which has
made the beautiful Campagna desolate waste, and
whose deadly influence is felt during the Summer In
almost every part of the Papal dominion. The fever
from this cause is not often prevalent as an cpl
demic before the month Of July, and it ceases with
the early Autumnal rains in the latter part OF Sep
tember With the thermometer below 63' +. it
loses its most fatal power. Cases OF 1t occur, how
ever at all seasons of the year, and even when it is


II L. g0rra-
Yates every form of disease with which it is compl-
Gated


The sickness which prevailed at Rome, with such
fatal effect. toward the close of last Winter and the
commencement of Spring, was a species of malignant
nervous fever of the typhoid type, from which the
Italian cities in the South seldom entirely Free
am aware of the general opinion on this subject IN
Rome. The permanent residents are unwilling TO
admit that it is an unhealthy city. You will as soon
find an owner of real estate Staten Island or III
Astoria who has ever heard of case OF fever and
ag1Ie originating in those localities as an inhabitant
of Rome who believes in the occurrence OF native
fevers in that city. The same Illusion Is cherished IN
Naples Each city ascribes the cases OF disease
among travellers to the unhealthy climate OF the
other. was told in Naples that no strangers lad
died there but those who had brought the seeds OF
fever from Rome The same thing was said
|
of name But this is sheer folly. myself know Of
persons who took the fever in each city without be-
ing exposed in the other In passing through Rome
| in the month of April was informed that there
were no cases of fever in the city, although knew
that at that moment there were Americans lying SICK
with it in the hotel where lodged. The most stu
dous concealment was observed. If a stranger died
with the disease his body was hurried out of sight as
quickly as possible, perhaps placed in an outhouse
! and buried almost soon as he had breathed his
last 1t was difficult to obtain any information with
regard to sick person. All kinds of deception
were used. friend who called to inquire
after a young gentleman from NewYork, with
out knowing that he had died the day
| before was told that he was doing well,
| and would soon be out During my short stay
on this second visit TO Rome, l met in the street
Catholic clergyman of my acquaintance from New
York, with whom had previously been on terms Of
friendly intimacy who at expressed his surprise
that had ventured 10 return at that sicky
One of his own colleagues he informed me- who had
come to Rome with reference TO the Council though
not member of it, had been at the point of death
with the fever, and was then lying in critical
situation, although there were hopes of his recovery
Several of the American bishops he added, were
seriously ILL., and scarcely of the Fathers of the
Council had escaped without attack of more or
less gravity, even if not from the fever in
fully developed form. There is no use, it seems
to me, in Disgusting the fact. Do what
you will, you cannot make a healthy city
of Rome. The foreign tourist cannot remain there
long, at any season of the year. without peril. IN
less the utmost caution his part be used, he
the risk of grave illness Even if there is no pre-
vaing disease, there is something depressing in the
atmosphere which indisposes TO exercise in the
open air. unstrings the whole system clouds
the clearness of the perceptions impars the energy
of the mental functions, lowers the moral t0ne and
prepares for the invasion of any epidemic that may
spring up under unfavOrable circumstances. The
correctness of this statement may not be admitted
by those whom long custom has made familiar
with the Roman climate and proof against
its effects. With them, habit has become
second nature and they breathe the air Of
Rome freely as that of their native land.
But it took not little time to arrive at this state Of
blissfu Inconsistencies of lurking danger Several
of the Americans who have adopted Rome as place
of residence and who love it better than the country
in which they were born assure me that il was some
years before they became Injured to the climate and
began to feel at home. But have seldom met with


visitor for the season who did not confess that he
found himself ont of tune; there was no apparent
disease, no positive suffering, no symptom which he
could explain to the physician; but he had general
sense of discomfort; his health not what il had
been; something the matter, but he knew not
what. The effect was great nervous prostration.
frequent depression of spirits and taste for active
physical or mental exerton.


The secret of all this, have not the slightest
doubt is the neglect of hygienic laws which charac
terizes Rome and other celebrated cities of Southern
Italy. There is no adequate ventilation the houses
are high and the streets too narrow. the free
action Of sun or air; filth accumulates in public
places till il becomes noisome and disgusting: the
drainage is impeTfect many of the houses have M