The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-10-07
THE FEVER COMMISSION,
HT BEGINS HTS IMPORTANT EABORs
THIS MORNING,

member OF the commission expected here to-
day, it had been decided that the FIRST session o
tho commission should take place slais mornine
at $3.50 O'Clock; at the UniEersity suilding, on
Common street..
, The appointm ez1t Of Dr., Howard who Is 8
Edlstinguished scientist and chemist of Bati-
The commissions now eonsistsof Da. Bemiss
| Dr: Jerome Uochrnne @nd DR.: HoWarep. to whom
It is pEoPdbie ohsE scientific M ezpsrss will be
| ts one (eyoIving entirely uBon ths &urge On
| densral, whose interest In the matter. Dr. Be-
pleciatsd, supporting his assertion, aa be did
| WitH his private c9rres Uondenee with Dr..
Woodward, which indicates that the inYsstjga-
| ton WILL be an earnest extensive and thorough
| ono.
In answer to our qzsstion regarding the me-
1 person of the legal profession on the eoaamis-
| sion, DIR. Bemfss repliett simply that such d me-
eessIty did not present itself at this time.
| THE FIRST THINE, TO BE IseSE
| said DR.. Eem;ss, colloqatally Is TO ascertain
| cases OF yellow fever thaS have occurred In this
s aad to tha END he sarn97y r. tha
| 1mmedlately CONN un1cae them to the commits
sion without fear Of committing hlmself, for
the names OF all informants will be- kept Sc
cret by the commission whenever it shall b.
the wish OF the informants that their names be
| Judging from the investigation which DR.
Bemiss has been quietly making # his own &C
cJrd. it would seem that there Is reason to
|
| information feel g. certain amount cf daIicaey
in communicating their experience or observa-
tions. lest, they might become involved ia un-
| pleasant discussions or create .eJmities
To these people Dr.. Botniss asks ns to say
that they need not apprehend any risk that
ttetr, names will be diynlsed and that they
| should take into consideration the vast import
| ance OF leaving nothing concealed that might
throw light upon the sublecs that will occupy
| the commission, whose labOrs should be facili-
taed to the utmost exte t by everybody.
On Saturday DR., Bemiss waited upon DR..
| |Choppin, president Of the Board Of Henlth, by
whom, he says. !,e vas received with tho utmost
| courtesy, and who offered him
ALI. THE ASSISTANCE
that might be in his power to give him.
session Of the recording books OF the board.
and had begun the ariuous task Of grouping
| the worst infected sections Of Now Orleans
When this shah have been done the com "a ission
propose to make
PERSONAL v1s1rs
to the localities and acduant themselves as
thoroughly as possible with the FACTS connected
with the disease, examining s. reots buildings
grounds and persons to that effect.
An ice Of he 81 magni9de gf the abors Of
Hee we were prompted to make the follow
ing question::
Will the session Of the commission be private
TEE SESSIONS,
answered Dr.. Bemiss. will be public, and not
proceedings, but invite its criticisms OF stg
gestions. Or course, thero may occur certain
things that should not be published immedi-
ately lest the objects and D&9Doses Of the COM
mission should be hampered or defeated but
the Investigation will be as open rs it can pos
Our interview closed at this point. when DR..
Bemis g furnished us with the following circular
which will be sent to evsEy point OF the South
where the fever has manifested itself:
CIRCULAR.
We. undersigned mem bers Of the commission
appointed to Investigate and report uDOu the
origin and progress Of the Epidemic Of yellow
United States. announce that We have entered
upon the work assigned to us.
We respectfully but most earnestly appeal to
our professional brethren and to all intel igent
uated. asking their cooperation In q labor
whose magnitude aud exceeding Importance
We request that the following blank queries
be filed with plain. practical answers and re-
turned as promptly as possible to lock box 282,
New Orleans.
All lIinformation touching the points Of inquiry
in the blank spaces of the circular, will. it is,
trusted. be communeated p I si g /, by letter,
5FkdM :; \; HHMISs, 4 dS5,HEln3 n R3 GMhairman; q Il
LLOYD HOWARD, M. b
/. Mention the date Of the first case Of yellow
2, Mention those facts which account for tho
sickness Of the first case.
8. Give dates attacks of cases Immediately
following the first case eases.
4. State what connection, If any, existed be-
tween the second group and the first case or
cases. either as respects locality or personal
contact.
5. Mention any instance or facts justifying n
belief that yellow fever was brought to your
G. Describ with as much particularly as
possible, TIE cnaraettr OF such fontes. whether
land carriage., by the mail or otherwise.
7. II possible, give place from which said
fomites were shipped or sent, with date OF
8. Was your place auarantined?
8. What WAS the mode Or establishing and en-
forcing your quarantine?
TO- We're there any known instances Of VIOLA
tion or evasion of the quarantine?
H. State particularly ALL the. circumstances
and facts connect with such violations OF
evasions
II. State any facts which show that auaran-
utlne u mas pro ecfed your place. Or any portion OF
1s. Mention any facts connected with tbs first
cases cases Rhlch 1cl ID your opinion prove that they
IA. State with as much accuracy as possible
some instances in which the period Of incuba-
tion Was precisely mari rked.
ID What measures Of disinfection were prac-
ticed rs it respects localities houses. furniture
or clio hing.
1G. What is your appreciation of tho attempts
at disinfection you have described.
IT. What measures Of proDhylaxis we're re-
sorted to, either by medf1al advice, or through
| popular belief in the efficacy Of certain agents
or measures
the plan or plans descEibed2
19. Report all facts yzhich show tho In 6uenees
e1erted upon the propagation and mortality
| rate the present epidemic by such agents,
conditions or surroundings Of persons exposed
TO Ihe poison, as tte following named:
Firet-ExtraneogB atmospheric impurities
acting upon the human syst0B, e0ineidently
with yellow feEBr coDtagium. For examp pie:
Ia) malaria; tao agu1 poison; fbl impure air
from stagna.nh wateg, swamp surfaces or bot
toms OF dr1Gaponds or creeks; puEelying Or
gan1c ma teG. ftecal matter or fill In Or around
| seconc.-~A supposed unusually rapid prOduc-
tion OF t,he yellow sever poison in certain local
1i1es T4atil by its accumulation epidemic in
tluenGe is intensified by the mere force Of
duartity.
i Gird-A supposed difference in the essential
en- aEaeter Of the yellow fever poison contingent
Upon unknown local effects upon Its growth.
vhen the Epidemic violence as we'll n5 the
( sym ptOmatie phenomena, would be ruled by
the greater O. less vrulence OF the poison due
to changes in it's quality.
Fourth-Meteorologica conditions and
changes.