New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-05
HOW TO FIGHT YELLOW FEVER.
SUGGESTIONS BY sURGEoN-GENERAL WOODWORK
ABOUT TEMPORARY CAMPS. QUARANTINE, ETC.


SUGGESTIONS BY sURGEoN-GENERAL wooDwoRTh
ABOUT TEMPORARY CAMPS. QUARANTINE ETC
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIRUNEl
WASHINGTON. Sept 4.-Since the breaking out OF
the yellow fever Surgcon-Gencral Woodwork, OF
the United States Marine Hospital Service, has de-
voted himself assduOusly TO the work Of collecting
data concerning the progress and character of the
epidemic For this work, DR.. Woodwork enjoys
uneaualled facilities. His opinion upon the
subject is of great value at this time. The fact is
recognized by medical men who write to him for i'll
formation concerning the best methods of excluding
the disease from localities where it has not yet
gained foothold. and of preventing its further
ravages in places where it has already appeared,
The extracts given below contain the substance of
questions recently asked the Surgeon-General by
Dr. Tunstall of the Norfolk Board of Health, and
his replies thereto. Some OF the information en-
bodied in Dr. Woodworth's replies was made public
in his circular letter published three weeks ago, but
much of it is new and will be of value to the pub
lie:
Is personal quarantine necessary Should 1t be tried
at all or should II be tried with hmitationi'
'In reply that experience has shown That ~
dealing with fever coming from without 10y infected
ships or non-nected ships nom infected port IL has
been found that the detention of persons LOT peIiO" OF
five or six days, counting from me ua'e OF
leaving infected port # there has been no
sicyness on board. OF from the date OF leaving
the vessel II the vessel Is Injected has been Ound 70 be
ample precaution so far as concerns lsoatlon II ne
personal effects OF passengers ana crew were thor1uGy
dsneced might not be necessary 10 detan the pas
sepgeTs and At all but as the sentiment OF the
people against having the sick OF yellow fever within
non infected city, II was really IN the interest
of tue suspected persons that they should be detained
under observation tne leW Hal HhIed, 80 th"t IL tIyy
sickene they need mol have been moved. moving tho
sick being very dangerous to them II Is not IN my
ouinon practicable 70 carry out absolute quarantine.
IL sure 10 broken or another IL H. there
frring from infected localities, TO adopt
such precautions can he carried out"
rs it ever prudent 10 quarantine such person ire
fugee from infected locality for week or 50 TO cover
period of lncubatiOn:" -
other easily effected precautions are observed think
that refugees good health may safely be permitted to
yOnd such necessary for dsiutectng aud cleansing
their clothing aud other effects TO accomplish when
temporary camp the highest land Ouiedea city would
De safest think II would be objectionable 10 qnardn
line large number Of refugees together in one buhd
5would it be required that the clothing that has
siIoyved 10 come through quarantine o. viii travelling
three suit ~ clothing render the tIdns-
mlssabe germs such suit may contain mUOEl0us y
Two or three days railroad travel would. believe,
render the clothes use ess liable 10 commuui-
cate the disease The undercothlng should surely
be changed and washed. 1 should regard II
'as extreme caution to require the outer ciotl,,
ing TO be dislnfected after several days
travel though to do so would remove the
possibility danger from that source The personal ei
lccts Of refugees contained Ia trunks Yahseh ana boxes
should considered dangerous and dsinfected accord
iugy. Confinement is one OF the tayoring conditions
for the propagation or increased Ntuehee o. Tue
poison"
In conversation with correspondent Of THE
TRIBUNE this afternoon, DIR. Woodwork was asked
what plan he would recommend as a result of the
knowledge gained, especially within the last few
weeks as the best for adoption bya city threatened
or already attacked by the yellow fever,
He said in reply: "When yellow fever breaks out
in city among the resident population, or even
after the yellow fever poison has assumed such viru
lencc as in Grenada. Yicksburg and Memphis, all Of
I'LL Yba p1,p n1H
remove az soon as possible to temporary camps
upon the highest available ground at least
two miles away from the infected city.
This plan was adopted to some extent at Memphis,
but to prevent the camp from becoming infected as
at that place. there should be intermediate camp
esta blished, where the fleeing people should DO
oured to tarry long enough to have their clothing
and effects thoroughly disinfected. Such precau-
ton rgidv applied to all refugees, whether destined
for temporary camps or nOn-infected cities would
increase their own safety and be better safeguard
against the spread of the disease than land quaran
tine"
''How about the mails 7" was asked as there
really any necessity for the precautions taken by
some of the Southern cities in cutting off postal
communication with the infected localitesT
"There IS no authenticated instance" replied Dr.
Woodwork. " of yellow fever having been cad
by the mails. / do not believe th, is
any danger from letters paper If
there be any danger from the mails it
attaches to the mail-bags only, and these
can be easily rendered nnocuous by the use
of a solution of carbOic acid and water. Sponge off
the leather bags inside and outside, and sprinkle
the canvas bags with it, II Isa mistaken precau-
ton and an unnecessary hardship to cut off the
stricken people from communication with their
friends by letter"