The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-06 00:00:00

The Yellow Fever in Swansea•

(From the Swansea Herald)
Under this startling heading several paragraphs
have recently appeared in some of the London and
other papers which, though founded on fact and
correct in the main particulars, still are calculated
to excite exaggerated fears and to lead to erroneous
conclusions. Under these circumstances, we think
it will be well to give a brief summary of the facts
and a statement of the steps which have been taken
by the authorities of the town in consequence, which
may be relied upon as correct, and which will, we
think, show that, although the aspect of affairs was
at one time alarming, and still continues serious,
there is every reason to believe that the worst is
past, and that no further considerable extension of
the fever which has unfortunately broken out among
us need be apprehended.
The facts are briefly as follows :—A few weeks
since the barque Hecla arrived in this port from
Cuba, with a cargo of copper ore for the Cobre Min-
ing Company. Soon after its arrival it was rumoured
that the yellow fever existed on board, and that one
man had died (on the day after reaching Swansea)
of the disease. Immediately upon hearing the
rumour, the mayor took measures for having the
matter inquired into, and the result showed that the
report was substantially correct. How a vessel so
circumstanced was permitted to enter the port we
cannot explain ; it certainly would seem that there
must have been some serious neglect of duty upon the
part of the coastguard. However this may be, it is
certain that the responsibility does not in any way
attach to any officers of the local board, whose ju-
risdiction does not extend to the case of vessels en-
tering the port. Upon being certified that one of
the crew of the Hecla had died of fever, the mayor
at once exerted to the utmost the powers vested in
him by virtue of his office, and even in the opinion
of some exceeded those powers, in order, if possible,
to prevent the spread of the disease. Thevessel was
fumigated, the clothes of deceased were burnt, and
every possible precaution was taken. It was hoped
for some time that no further fatal consequences
would result, but about a fortnight ago a death,
distinctly traceable to the Hecla, took place, which
the medical men of the town agreed in considering
to have been the consequence of yellow fever. This
was followed by others, and altogether we believe
about ten deaths, certified as occasioned by yellow
fever, have taken place. Of course, considerable
alarm was felt, the mjttter was anxiously discussed
by committees of the Board of Health, and various
remedial and preventive measures were adopted.
Meanwhile Dr. Paddon, who had taken great inte-
rest in the matter, communicated with the Privy
Council on the subject, and on Thursday the Go-
vernment sent down Dr. Buchanan, physician to the
London Fever Hospital, to inquire into and report
upon the facts. Dr. Buchanan met and conferred
with the mayor, the medical men of the town, the
custom-house officers, and the agent for the Hecla,
and subsequently visited several of the houses where
fever was said to exist. He expressed his full ap-
probation of all that had been done, and suggested
the removal of the Hecla out of the dock to the end
of the East pier, which at the instance of the mayor
was at once carried out. On Monday, a special
meeting of the local board was held for the purpose
of considering the propriety or otherwise of appoint-
ing a medical officer for the borough, at which, by
invitation, Dr. Buchanan was present. The
meeting resolved itself into a committee of the
whole board, and the question was discussed very
fully. Dr. Buchanan expressed very decidedly
the opinion that it was quite unnecessary
to appoint a medical officer simply for the purpose
of dealing with the fever which had broken out ;
this, he had no doubt, would be confined within
narrow limits, and would speedily be eradicated.
But looking at the question broadly, and with a
view to the due carrying out of sanitary measures
generally, he thought the appointment of such an
officer decidedly desirable. Several of the members
of the board expressed their perfect willingness to
support the appointment upon general grounds,
though they would have resisted any motion for
appointing an officer to act simply with reference to
this isolated event. The members of the Works and
Nuisances Removal Committee stated that they often
felt the need of such an officer ; and ultimately it
was unanimously resolved that a medical officer
should be appointed, at a salary of £lOO a year ;
and it was arranged that a meeting of the board
should be called for Monday next, to receive a report
as to the duties he will be required to perform. The
opinions expressed by Dr. Buchanan were of a
decidedly re-assuring character, and we confidently
hope to be able very shortly to report that all trace
of the fever has disappeared. The Board of
Guardians, at their meeting to-morrow, will consider
as to the desirability of taking steps for the establish
ment in the town of an hospital for the reception o.
persons afflicted with contagious diseases.