Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

To PHILADELPHUS.

SIR,

YOUR address to the Board of Health in the Gazette of the United States of June 3d, contains so much declamation, that argument would be ill offered in reply. You style the opinion of the domestic origin of the fever, "false and absurd," and assert that it has a "direct tendency to ruin commerce and to sink the value of property," and that by the unceasing cry about domestic cleanliness the Physicians advocating the doctrine, appeared to wish "to call off the public attention from the only part where the enemy was like to enter."

As to your mere assertion about the truth of the opinion you oppose, no attention shall be paid; but I must say, that the opinion of the domestic origin of the yellow fever, is far from having a tendency to ruin commerce, has a positive tendency to protect or alleviate it. The consequence of the revival in this city, of the exploded doctrine of the importation of epidemic diseases has been the institution of a most immoderate quarantine, the expences of which will be enormous; and which I am warranted in saying, by the declaration of the first mercantile characters, our commerce will not support. If you mixed with the world and took pains to inform yourself of the events which have ensued in the quarantine, you would find, that many of our first merchants have directed their vessels to stop at New Castle or Wilmington, from whence they will be again laden; others have ordered them to return to New-York or Baltimore, to prevent the possibility of any embarrasment from a visit of an annual course, and to avoid the greater and more vexatious operation of legislative restriction. I will not pretend to hint at the widely extended consequences, and the great loss which will inevitably result from so much of the trade of our once flourishing Capital being diverted into other channels; every one who reflects and is acquainted with commercial affairs, will plainly, and at once perceive them: if you are not capable of comprehending them, it is not my business to instruct you;—but I will refer you for information upon the subject to the ship carpenters, mat makers, rope makers, riggers, ship chandlers, caulkers, joiners, pump makers, day laborers, &c. &c. &c. who will be thrown out of employ. In plain but unadorned and forcible language, they will at once detail to you the immense loss which they as individuals, and Philadelphia at large will suffer, by the prosecution of your favorite quarantine system, and will point out as readily, the immense advantage which our sister states will have over us, by the energy of their health regulations, and by their union of experience with philosophy, and by the preference which they have exhibited of reason, to obstinacy and prejudice.

Again, so far from the value of property being diminished by the prevalence of the opinion of the domestic origin of the disease, its tendency, if duly considered, is directly to increase its value; for the attention of the magistrates and of the citizens generally, is thereby directed to the removal of the causes which are completely within their power, whereas the supporters of the doctrine of importation have said, that the contagion of the yellow fever is of so subtle and penetrating a nature, that it may exist for a great length of time in certain materials, and even be retained in a sailor's old blanket, jacket, pillow case or night cap, to infect a whole city. Now I believe, that no one will pretend to deny that such trifling articles could be smuggled into a city notwithstanding all the quarantines and the attention which it is in human power to bestow; and let me ask, what value will property be at, in a city that is exposed to such a constant and dreadful risque; and with how much more security and ease can we remain in a city, where the belief of the domestic origin of the disease insures an unremitted attention to the removal of its causes?

It is this assertion of the connection between interest and the belief of the importation of the fever, that supports the doctrine; for the citizens have so many convincing proofs of its local origin, that they would willingly acknowledge it, if not swayed by the all-powerful motives mentioned. So far has this prevailed, that some have declared the impropriety of acknowledging the fact, even were it fully proved, because it would "hurt the character of the city." To this weak argument it has been answered, that truth upon all subjects is ultimately favorable to human happiness, while the evils of error are of a permanent nature. It is our barren conception of the subject, which produces so much unwillingness to admit the truth upon this subject; and this is the more remarkable because Boston, New-York and all the other towns where the fever has prevailed, are nearly unanimous as to its local origin, and do not hesitate to resent the idea of its importation, as they justly conceive the credit of their city will be ruined, if it be established, that all the vigilance of their officers is not sufficient to keep out the disease. This is not mere assertion go to New-York and Boston; converse, and refute me if you can.

The contemptuous term of "innovators" which you are pleased to apply to the physicians who support the doctrine you declaim against, will have little weight with those who think before they act, and whose duty requires their attention to this important subject. It may gratify the spleen of those who are of a similar disposition with yourself. but it will not further the cause you have so weakly defended.

Notwithstanding the apparent unpopularity of the opinion of the domestic origin of the disease among our citizens, it is nevertheless evident to the most superficial observer, that the influence of it has been extended to the late arrangements of our police. We see a great attention paid to the removal of the immense sources of putrefaction and exhalation with which all cities, and ours of course abounds; we see immense exertions made to water the city, a large and very offensive open square near the mouth of the common sewer of the city, planted with trees and sowed, from which a great quantity of pure air will be emitted, and we have lately seen proposals issued by the commissioners for cleaning the docks. This latter measure, with every one who knows and reflects upon the very great quantity of foul air diffused near the city by the action of a hot sun upon our muddy docks for several hours, has excited peculiar pleasure. They view it as one of the corner stones of our future salvation from the scourge we all alike deplore.

The attempt to weaken the general faith in the good effects likely to ensue from bringing the water of the Schuylkill into the city, will entitle you to thanks from neither side of this question; all appear to be convinced that it is essential to our future health.

Your sneering offer to insure the city for "six-pence without a pint of water, merely by watching the Delaware," excites no emotion but that of contempt.

A PHILADELPHIAN.