The New York herald., 1878-08-17

the Marine Hospital service have just been issued -
OfPIcE SURGEON GESkRAL
MARINE HospirAL SERVICE,
WASHINGTON, d. c., August l5, ls7s
To MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE MARINE HOSPITAL sgR-
As several OF the medical officers OF this service
have been called upon by the cv authorities TO take
lever md 10 assume other responsibilities under tho
National Quarantine act, II s proper 10 state that
the Quarantine Law was enacted TOO iats ior Con.
effect this yeur, though Dy personal exerton every
thing beng dons winch is possible without the ex
penditure OF money. Tho strictly executive duties
which The act imposes upon The Surgeon General OF
the Marine Hospital service have reference 10 external
quuraLtno TO vessels coming TO ports OF the United
States iron without Tho act expressly provides that
THIS Office shall interfere with or impair any sani-
tary or quarantine laws or regulations OF the
States or cilies, which may be interpreted to
refer especially to land quaraptines and tho
health rules OF cities Medical omcsrs ss,o, .,
the civil health authorities IN all proper and practi-
cable ways, when requested to do So; and 10 view OF
this fact the prevalence OF yellow lever IN several
OF the inland cities OF the United States IL seems de-
srsble that the surgeon General should make known
his individual views in reference ~ the disease nnd
its prcveGontnese views NOT TO DC REGARDED as nav
ing Official force
now rHE FgvER is PRODUCED
The weight OF scientific evidence seems to warrant
the conclusion that yellow fever is produced py an
iDvs bic poison, capable OF semutihhcatioh OUTSIDE
OF the human organism, which IL enters through the
ar passages. The SOP germ or miasm Is pro uct
OF the tropics. In this country yellow fever
has prevailed IN most OF the Cult and Atlantic ciiiss
and in many OF the along the Mississpp Yer.
In instances it has been carried inland with tho
people fleeing from injected localities but II has never
SHOWN disposition TO spread epidemically al points
remote IRON Tue cont uous water roads OF commerce
or 10 lodge in nigh salubrious places The cities OF
disease. Yellow lever ciDn"t bc said TO be epi-
DEMO IN the United States, from the fact
that In some years IL does not appear, though The
germ undoubtedly survives the mild winters
Ii appears TO have about as much resistance of cold
as the ban plant. When the banana stalk Is killed
down by irost the yellow fsver docs not recur
until again imported. The germ Is transmissible. II
Is capable Of being transported in the clothing or per-
effects OF passengers and saiors but its spread
from city TO anoiher Is chilly accomplished ny
vessels. their damp, hlthy hollis and bilge water
beng It's favornc lurking places. Confinement,
moisture ana nigh temperature lavor tho muittpics-
ton virulencs Of tho poison ya
| USE or DIsINPEcrAATs.
When u wharf or spot Of ground house becomes
| Injected the poison at once commences 10 spread,
creeping slowly N all possible directions contlnuaiy
enag the area around the centre OF injection un
less checked by dslntection as had undoubtedly been
dOuc by the use OF caroolic acid IN New Orleans In
| former outbursts. Yellow fever Is cOmmu nj.
Gated from the sick to the we'll, the SICK and well
being only possible carriers OF tho poison
germ or miasnn In support OF this assertion II may
| be stateu that at quarantine hospitals where
ns sso,s ar M snorouuhy asuoe1
the admission OF tho patients the attendants do not
contract tho disease. Thls has bccn demonstrated
many times An well persons whose effects have oeeu
may be considered harmless after SIX OF
seven days nave elapsed from the time oi leaving an
infected vossel as Tho period ofincubaon o
Tho disease IRON two TO Six days. Tns simphet
the question OF quarantine absolute land quar-
being deemed lin practicable aud indicates the diroc
ton Of to the vessel cargo the
locality, II the poison mas found odgment on shore
now ESCAPE.
vessel may escape injection II kept cloan and dry
and all parts capable OF being closed are frequently
subjected to the fumes OF burning supaur ani tht
men employed on board arc compelled 10 oathe ant
change their nanncs daily and not allowed TO sloeI
on dcck or IN hold OF the vessel. There Is an OK
ample OF ship trading between Havana and New
York upon winch these precautions have been en-
forced Tor a period OF twelve years, and not
single case OF yellow fever has occurred on board
| nots suffl lei
stiIl. there seems good reason 10 believe that muci
may bo accom- pshsd by Individual prophy laxts; b.,
the use internally oil small doses OF sulphate o
qu,uia at regular intervals ana OF nncture oil IRON
Of chorate Of pOiassa As the poison enters tho sys
TEN through the arr passages 1t has been suggesie
| that the nasal pis ages be bithed frequently with
solution containing quin,no, obe applied by mean
| OF n nasal spray JOHN N. W0ODwORrH,
Surgeon General United states Marine Hospital Ser
L