The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-07-10

The Yellow Fever at Norfolk In 1885 and the
Recent Action OF tho Board OF II slsh.
BY recent order or the Mayor and Board Health 81
this city, the ports Of Bavsna, Massnzss s. Jsgo st.
Thomas, New Orleans. Trinidad dc Cuba Cienfuegos,
ssgua ID Cardenas Ponce Port au Prince are
declared 10 be infected and is made incumbent upon
all vessels arriving thence to discharge their cargces
lighters at Quarantine. Although this order in many
cases, particularly in those where infectious disease
has manifested iser during the voyage would seem to
be harsh and upcaDed for exercise of power eutang
considerable loss Of time and unusual expense upon ship
masters and owners nevertheless the experience Of
former years has proved such course 10 be eminently
udcious and necessary for the the public
health
In support Of the action Of the health authorities In this
matter will be interesting to read the conclusions OF
Commit ee Of Physicians, appointed by the City Councils,
TO ercoate be and origin Of the yellow fever
Norfolk in 1856" These opinions have been lately given
10 The world in octave pamphlet OF forty four closely
printed pages from which We quote
After promising that the climate and situation OF Nor
folk cannot be very favorable to the development Of
yellow fever, nasmuch during period Of fifty
from lses 10 ls65the disease appeared there - an
epidemic but three times Viz: in 1921, 1926 and 1852
and the year 1866 previously The outbreak Of the 70
YER was remarkable either for heat moisture tina
the months OF April and May were unusually dry, and
June very wet that Norfolk vas In - cleany scondon
il had been any time within twenty nine years, during
which yellow fever bad appeared but once; that the
cesbest parts the city had enjoyed creator exemp
most crowded; that the health Of the place Was much
than ordinary for tho rst six months OF the year
fcE and only extended the Iapse of many weeks
Portsmouth ard Goeport, where prevailed TO much
more limited exsentdoubncss owing to the feet that all
wesl India vessels 70 Norfolk, and none 70 Ports
mouth which hes had little that the
OF the epoemcs Of 1871 1852 bad been traced with al
ftvor on board and that The epdemo Of 1926 Of which
tberes DO recorded history was attributed by popular
opinion 70 s%,I soslSs Inc report sves history OF
The fever OF 1850 began In Gosport the first cases being
the both Of june in house adjoining Page Aliens
psnts Of disease The surface Of the yard, it u
true, covered with chips, a. Ia the case
minute personal Examination Of the premises we hsvs
been unable any obvious probable OF
The dock, which has been pointed out As the
fs ct oyiqo mali, the very focus from which the poison
en- apated though partially Oiled with mud and logs Of
enber covered by ss water at high tide, and in
opinion altogether inadequate to the production Of dis
any HIND The marshes around Gospor and which
the in mediate vicinity Of Page Aliens yard,
are IN much ,be same condition they
very rnsshy when the tide is out, and giving rise,
where partially orttruced to intermittent and remitent
but they have never caused yellow fever before
in the last htty hundred years. we are 81 ioss to
uDcersnd bow they could suddenly have acquired this
potency In 1856.
Of fever we're seen In Gospot 1T worthy Of note
that this about The time That has frequently been OBJ
vessel sso The fs csses CT fever sshcre the steamer
Ben Franklin, from st. Thomas came up 70 Gosport and
laid slorgsce the vhar ~ Page Aliens yard ct
the dsnce OF not than one hundred yards from the
bouss which the first occurred Thus ship had lain
org time In the harbor OF st Thomas where the fever
very prevalent she had probably lost several Of her
crew v6ie there and certainly two by fever
the vcysee TO this port when, after remaining thtr
teen days ii she came up to Gospor there WAS
utai nj fave al
beard Of her. While she lay at the yard three other
occurred auofg these employed On board OF her.
day or Cd Of July and Carter the 9Th Of July Cases
continued break board of her After she sent
70 o o Of
that The vessel Was infected.
The fever began In Norfolk Bs<ys row, on the loth
Of july jest seventeen days after lis commencement In
sport twenty egh. days after The Ben Franklin arrived
Page Aliens YARD, an forty Gays after ner arrival Il
from Psge Aliens yard. and OF miles distance from
IL. win only water intervening From the time OF the
'be fever in B.rrys row 'be Wind prevailed sImost con
stantly the southwest We have evidence that
rgvcs from Goeport WAS currently reported at the
time but we irciine to the opinion that the material
cause Of the disease wss transported oy the wind
dusct.y from Coeport the Ben Franklin, and found
susble NOUS for s further deveiopement In the low
dsr,y nsers,icns Ct Barry Neither was ths dis
GAYS, loo .hcr ior Ibis In this opinion We
Fave been strengthened by the TACT that the next year
ib6t the yellow FEVER vaz thve ccnmcnca Cd from YES
scs al uaran,ne 10 the Lo.g Island ehore In the neigh
pcrfoco OF Fort Hamilton, where, when once planted,
ccpuL ued 70 spread until frost
The osease did rot break out simultaneously In oil
psrfs Of the City ~ would have done produced By
Gun nation OF terrepe and netecroegca causes, nor
IL scattered about by accident, rs tho case
win diseases propsgated BY conason but nsr,irg
q central point advanced steadily and regularly In all
dhectcnr until arrested BY frost-there being an inter
vel q tao months between Us commencement 10 Barry
row and It's appearance the Princess Anne road dis
lance Of one and enee'geth mile and more than three
tntbs from the FIRST Goepot tbs OF
tie oiseae IN the extreme limits OF Norfolk. similar
MODE txepson hes been observed In regard 10
rsmteni and Intermittent fever, which are admted TO
eepsnd upon local and atmospheric csusoa
Ibe yellow fever north Of the Cuff Of Mexico ID well
known 10 be disease Of seaport towns ony-never ap
leAfng IN hand towns, unless prevtoueiy ertang 10
isehsorirg sespor;s. when occurs In scspors very
generally eesns Q, she whsIyes In the neighoorhood Of
shpppg We know OF causes, either local or mctcoro
otni which peculiar 10 seaport 70 ~ns and the com
mfrcls parts Of ,hose eeapor, and which are not equally
oppd in inland towrs, except The presence Of shos from
people regardless OF professional dosmss and theories,
has alvey crbed the origin OF The disease TO mpora
ticD N ships
The fever OF 1856 did not appear any that
rrdrr cur observation, 10 be communicated BY con
ssn Incteo. the great number Of instances 10 which
piso,s wbou, conmunicarDs The disease, proves a. far
negative testimony can prove anything thai fhe dis
case rs decidedly not contaeious
Fraily aDer careful consideration Of the foregoing
facts unanimously Of the opinion that the yellow
fever u 1855 Introduced BY The steamer Ben Frank
I'm from 81 Thomas, aud that there no reason 70 sup
Io<e that should have been visited by the epidemic
but for the arrival IN our hasbor Of this other
vessel win the tower on board.
TIE report signed by william sc,tsn, NJ. D.; R,bert
b Tuns,sn, NJ D.; VIM. j. nocre, n. H.; s. ID. Campbell,
n. D.; Robt r. Gordon, NJ d.
Commeu Pisas--specisl Term.
Before Hon Judge Hilton.