The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-09-05
RIcHM 0ED, IA,


is YELLOW FEVER CONTAGIOUS
Since our ighboring cities have been vi
sited by this disease, the above question is
so often asked, that a few facts, having di-
rect bearing upon its solution, will, l hope
to some extent prove acceptable. Ignorance
on this point has already been the cause of .
most severe and unnecessary quarantine re-
striction against the sufferers at Norfolk and
Portsmouth, and many lin other respects)
worthy and charitable citizens have barri-
caded their doors, lest the poor terror-strick-
en- fugitives should contaminate them; and
many Of those who have been so fortunate
as to escape from the infected districts into a
safer situation, have been visited by the dis
ease, and on account of this bug bear conta-
gion hurried from their shelter to an hospital,
and under circumstances when the utmost
quiet is necessary to the recovery of the pa
tient.
The late VIM. Ferguson, NJ. D., an Eng
Iish physician, and Inspector General of Mi
litary Hospitals, thus expresses himself:
ITO pen up ,he Inhabitants upon the infected
ground 10 to sggrsvate the disease hundred fold !;
aud is In isct cruel and absurd it would be
bsrricsde the doors egaBst the escape of the in-
mates of house that had taken fire. en- the insan
pretence that they would otherwise spread the
confsg The quarantine suihorities will no
doubt inteTpose 10 save the world from the dire
al
epidemic atNew Orleans for information how often
tho yellow fever has been conveyed from themes TO
The upper settlements on the same river to which
the iugitives, sick aud well uniformly fly for re-.
fuge, or even to the steamers that carry them +;
how often at Vera Cruz IL has been carried out of
the town even to The first stage the road into the
Interior; how Gften 10 Spain II he's ever
been transported, except 10 another station under
the same circumstances, of heat and drought and
defective rlstion, therefore falling If not having
into ha
same causes"
Again says DIR. F.:
"No experienced men, uubliuded by the preiu-
dlces of the schools and authorities, or biased by
the expectation OF quarantine Office, can seriously
believe II yellow feyer) TO be contagion 1t af-
fects no one from proximity to the diseased, and
cennotbe conveyed TO any low temperature"
DIR G. +. Bone, Surgeon to the forces, Eng
lish,) had long and extensive experience in
the treatment of this disease, in the West In
dies, and his opinion is entitled to much
weight. He says
In hospitals that are well constructed and
where correct hospital discipline is enforced, the
attendants OF yellow fever patients not liable
to the disease. That 10 the Naval Hospital, Bar
BADGES, the total number of patients treated from
2lst June, 1921, to 22i February, 1922 was 243 -
Out of this number l0l were fever patients and 35
convalescent from fever. None of the patients
under treatment for other diseases took the fever
none OF the nurses, 38 In number, other persons
employed In the hospital, SO In number. Twenty.
two OF the fever patients died, and with two
exceptions, post n1ortem examinations were made
by himself or his assistants, and none of them
caught yellow fever"
Ii more proof is wanting, take the disease
as it manifested itself in the epidemic which
visited New York in 1922 From the official
report of DIR. Joseph Bayley, Health Officer
of the port, take the following
Seventy yellow fever cases were admitted to
the Marine Hospital (S.aten Island) out of which
81 died, 18 had black vomlt. The first case was
admitted 18th and died 18th August, and from that
time until the final cessation of the disease, yellow
fever patients were almost daily admitted and In
no Instance did physicians, purses, or those
gagged In transporting the sick from the city to the
hospital contract the disease.
In dwelling house provided for them at Kps
Bay, 3 miles from the city, 10 fever cases were
admitted, and In the same building lived several
families, In all Is person.; here physicians purses
aud inmates failed to contract 1t. Again at the v-
iage OF Greenwich, about m lie from the city SIX
cases occurred;5 Of the died. They were all
from the Infected district. This little village was
crowded with refugees from New York, yet more
OF them were attacked. In addition to the cases
already recorded a large number of persons who
having contracted the seeds of the disease had the
disease developed after leaving the city-there ocs
CURED about SO csses of lis character, and at
22 different localities, and in no instance was II
communicated to any one having access to the
sick y
We may now look at the disease as it ap-
peared here. We have believe, had some
10 or II cases in this city, all fugitives from
down the river. They have been attended
by the Hospital physician and nurses, and
visited by many of the Faculty here, and |
am yet to learn that any one has been cOnta-
minated. Now, with such positive and un-
denlable facts, cannot see why those unfor-
tunate citizens are treated as if they were
lepers. 1t is unjust, unnecessary, and pre-
posterouS A PHYSICIAN.
PROF. JAMES J. SYLvKsTER.-James ]. Sylves-
ter, Esq, formerly Professor of the Chair of Math-
ematics in the University of Virginia, has been ap-
pointed to the responsible Office of Examiner 10
Chief to the Artillery and Royal Engineers, at
Woolwich, Eng. Lord Brougham and other gen.
rlemen high In the literary and scientific world.
were very urgent for this appoint tment as the ap-
pointee was considered as having peculiar qualf.
sations Ia this department of military science.
ACCIDENT TO GREEN. THE DIVER s.eamer
Ploug hboy, arrived at Buffalo N Y. Friday morn.
Ing from Port Stanley, with Mr. John Green, the
Diver, whom she picked up In disabled condition
near the wreck of the steamer Atlantic. Mr.. G.
1ad been down to the wreck, and had succeeded
In hndins tbs chest OF the American Express Gem
pany, which contained a large amount of money,
and while reconoitering his legs became pars y sad
and he was drawn up by his attendant At the
lime he was unable to use his lower extremities
but Ia rapidly recovering the of bis limbs, and
expects 10 be eble to resume the work In few
days. Mr. Green attributes the attack of paralysis
10 his having gone into the water n heated state
aud while covered with perspiration
PREPARATIONS FOR SLAVE TRADING IN CUBA
The New York Herald learns from an authentic
source, that contracts have been made for the in
this year into the island of Cuba of
arge numbers of African slaves. One party alone
has contracted for the supply of seven ihuusand-
Portuguese agents are now in tina. city making an
raIgemeIts.
IMPORTS AT BnsToN.-The following Is q state.
ment OF the value of the imports a. Boston for the
week ending Friday last Dry goods, 1878, ,sl3;
ron and steel, Sll4 600; Coffee, $40 970; Linsesd
$40 Gunny cloth and bags, S34 49i; copper
ore, s2 67s hsh. 5000 other articles S2o5-
362-total, SS6s. 500
HAY IN MAINK.-The market price of hsv in
Aroostook county, Maine, 10 said to be S. Der
ION, and large tracks of grass land are left upcut
Is the farmers believe II will not nav for ,hs chi,