THE NEW ORLEANS

MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL.

JULY, 1847.

Part First.

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

I.-Medical History of Alabama. By P. H. LEWIS, M. D., of Mobile. Published by order of the Alabama Medical Society. [A silver-cup was unanimously awarded to this essay by the Alabama Medical Society on the 7th of December, 1846.]

(Continued.)

In the foregoing imperfect sketch, it will be observed that no mention is made of the North-west section of the State, or the Tennessee Valley. Our means of information and knowledge of the topography and diseases of that region being too limited to speak with any degree of certainty, we are compelled to leave it to other hands.

Before entering upon a description of the diseases of those sections adverted to, we will take a brief notice of other causes and circumstances influencing disease, than those arising merely from soils.

The vicinity of eddies of rivers, as those of the Warrior and Coosa are extremely unhealthy; it has been noticed that bubbles of air and wreaths of foam are constantly seen on the surface of the quiet watersthe supply of material for this fermentation never ceases. Mill ponds wheresoever found are exceedingly noxious, never failing when spread out beyond the banks of the creek, to effect the entire neighborhood.The supply of new material for decomposition, furnished by these artificial lakes, is so abundant and constant that miasmatic exhalations continue throughout the entire year.

The waters in common use, as an aliment, are often pernicious:the surface wells of the prairies resting on a base of limestone, the water is infiltrated through and partakes of the properties peculiar to the subsoil we have already alluded to. In the upland country, the waters are frequently so astringent from the deposits of iron and lime

through which they pass, as to produce in many instances a constipated habit of body. We are credibly informed that the artesian wells throughout the prairie region, frequently contain saline properties, the constant use of which tend to change the healthy functions of the sys

tem.

The action of all those waters affects the normal condition of the digestive tube, which may not present any marked feature until disease in some violent form ensues, when the attention is directed to an abnormal condition of the bowels that had for some time previously existed. It is, however, not unfrequently the case that those individuals who suffer with chronic disease of the stomach, have been restored to health by the use of the prairie waters, on removal to that region.

We should do injustice to the beneficence of the laws of nature that so strongly marks the character of our State, did we omit to make mention of those numerous perennial fountains, like the Robinson Springs in Autauga county, which yield an abundant supply of the purest waters. And in most of our upland country every hill side throws forth its stream of mineral water, that can vie in medicinal properties with the most celebrated springs of this country or Europe.

The removal of trees or their foliage from around marshes, sloughs, and habitations, is frequently followed by visitation of fevers, peculiar to the locality only; one instance we will refer to, from many that have been detailed by our numerous correspondents.

"Mr. P. E., had negro quarters situated on the first prairie elevation above the low grounds of a small creek, the fourth of a mile from the houses. This belt of low ground frequently overflowed, causing water to remain in holes over its entire breadth, on the subsidence of the stream, but it was well shaded by a dense foliage, the plantation laying on the prairie in the rear of the cabins. In the winters of 1842 and '43, the trees between the houses and creek, were cleared away, and up to that time, some 8 or 10 years, the negroes living in this quarter had enjoyed uninterrupted health, a case of fever scarcely ever occurring. During the summer of 1843, the first after the forest had been cleared away fever prevailed among the negroes with great violence, continuing until frost. The negro quarters were afterwards removed to the opposite side of the creek, about the same distance from it, but with an intervening growth of timber, and no fever has occurred on the place since." (Doctor Wooten.)

It is the generally received opinion that living vegetation protects the human system from the deleterious effects of malaria, and reasoning by analogy, it would appear that experiments made by scientific men have satisfactorily explained the mutual dependence of the animal and vege. table kingdoms on each other for support.

It has been ascertained that ifair rendered pernicious by respiration be confined in a bottle, into which some green plant has been introduced, and exposed to the action of the sun, the carbonic acid will be absorbed, and the air restored to its original condition. The putrefaction of animal matter and the decomposition of vegetable substances would cause a sufficiency of carbonic acid vapor when united with atmospheric air, to destroy every living being, were it not for this wise provision of na.

ture.

This gas, which is poisonous to the human as well as animal species, is a source of nutriment to every variety of plant, and thus, it would appear, exercises a benign influence in protecting man from the deleterious effects from poisonous vapors.

The Easterly winds that occasionally prevail in August, September, and October, are exceedingly unwholesome. These winds being dry, such a rapid evaporation takes place as to change and derange the functions of animal and vegetable life. The skin becomes dry and husky, the head grows dull and heavy, with vertigo, or coma, and a state of general depression ensues. This effect is most perceptible upon the Gulf coast, invariably giving rise to an increase of such disease as may be existing at the time, with symptoms of a more aggravated nature. Whenever an Easterly wind prevails, we frequently find in the course of one night, a marked change for the worse even in those patients that are deemed convalescent, the fever often assuming a grave and unyielding type..

It seems to be the unanimous opinion of physicians in the prairie region, that the summers of 1835, '36, '41, '42, and '43, have been the most humid and the most sickly.

On the other hand, it is conceded that the summers of 1837, '38, '39, '40, '44, and '46, have been exceedingly dry and healthy.

To these general facts are found exceptions, the most prominent of which occurred in the vicinity of Hayneville, Lowndes Co., Alabama, in 1839. The congestive fever which prevailed there during the autumn of this year was very fatal, and its origin was ascribed to the bring. ing into cultivation a short time previous, a large body of low, humid, prairie soil.

During dry summers, vast tracks of alluvial bottoms of the lower Bigby are exposed to the heat of the sun, and under these circumstances fever is certain to prevail.

In the hilly, granitic, and coal region of the State, as well as on the bluffs of water courses and diluvial elevations of other regions, a different state of things exists.

After a careful study of all the facts collated, we have arrived at the conclusion, that in this description of country the dryest seasons are generally the most unhealthy, and in some portion of the State this has been very conspicuous.

Dr. Kitrell, of Greene Co., says, that during the summer of 1839, and '40, the broken and hilly portions of that country were very unhealthy; every family, even those residing on the most elevated situations were severely afflicted.

Doctor Clarke, of Benton Co., informed us, "in that section of the State, especially such portions as are broken by the hills and ridges putting out from the Alleghany range, they suffered more by disease in 1839 and 40, than before or since. Those Autumns, particularly the former, were the dryest and hottest ever experienced. Springs, hitherto perennial, dried up, the farmers remarking" that the crops were literally made without rain, the dews alone sufficing."

It should be remembered, that in rainy seasons, the waters along the vallies, are fresh and in motion, and the temperature of the atmosphere

is not greatly elevated; both of these circumstances being unfavorable to the elaboration of the elements that constitute a miasmatic influence. As a general rule, dews are more common in vallies or plains, and near bodies of water.

On the level cultivated prairies of Alabama, they are lighter, and less constant than in the hilly region of country, being confined to slight elevations, the river bluffs and narrow belts of argillaceous mulatto soil.

The absence of dews, on the prairie soil, is probably owing to a variety of causes, one of which is, that the sub-soil absorbs and retains with great tenacity, the diminished humidity of summer.

The surface is so perfectly dry and heated, its immediate atmosphere is but slightly modified or lowered in temperature during the night, and the vapour is not sufficiently condensed for the formation of dew. Another reason is presented in the fact, that the prairie soil is so compact and slightly absorbent, as to possess very little power of attracting aerial moisture. From the fact however, that as the cool nights of Autumn approach, the drenching dews fail not to ensue, the first cause assigned, the want of a low temperature, is the principal one in accounting for the absence of dew in that case.

It is true that those hills and mountains which have an elevation beyond the ascent of vapours raised during the day are free from these phenomena; but the bluffs, hills and ridges of Alabama, so far from being beyond their reach, are about the proper elevation, not only as regards the vicinity of the vapours, but more effectually to be brought under the influence of refrigeration.

Argillaceous mulatto soils, being but a very little higher in some instances than the prairie plains, are the depositories of dews in summer nights.

This is no doubt occasioned by the character of the soil, it containing sand finely divided, carbonate of lime, clay and organic remains in such proportion as to render it highly absorbed, admitting access of air to a considerable depth; hence the lowering of the temperature at night, and the great power of attraction in those localities during the day.Dr. B. R. Hogan, of Dallas Co., in a letter to the writer, says, "should June, July and August be dry months, with a low dew point, we usually have a healthy Autumn.

The state of the dew point has an important influence upon the causes of disease proceeding from miasmatic origin and upon the physical condition of the human frame. It modifies the influence of solar-heat to an inconceivable extent, the chemical affinities of all terrestial exhalations of organic depositions, and the functions of vegetable and animal life. We hazard the conjecture that future investigation will establish the fact that the nearer the dew point approximates the temperature of the summer and autumn, the greater will be the prevalence of every form of miasmatic disease."

What agency the presence of dews may have had in contributing to the unhealthfulness of certain localities, in seasons when there were no rains, or what effect they may have had on the plains in dry and healthy autumns, we will not say, but the coincidence is such as to command attention and invite further investigation on the subject.