Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-13
The Fever atGethan.
Prof. Proctor, the Scientist,
Falls a Victim.
DYING AT A NEW YORK HOSPITAL.

A Talk with the Hoard of Health Presi-
dent-Not Afraid of an Epidemic-A
Strange Disease in u New Jersey Village,
Supposed To Be Yellow Jack, Carries On
Nunber of People-Its suspic Gus
Original Jacksonville.
NEW YORK. Sept lS-Professor Richard
A. Proctor, the astronomer, died at the
Willard Parker Hospital in this city at 7:15
last evening from yellow fever He arrived
here from Oaklawn, Fla, where he has an
observatory, on Monday, and was imme-
diately Frustrated with disease which the
best physicians unhesitatingly pronounced
yellow fever Other doctors doubted that
thu disease was really yellow fever, but their
doubts were removed when the patient was
seized with the black vomit last evening and
died from its effects. The professor had en-
gagged passage for Europe, intending to sail
next Saturday. His family are still at Oak
lawn, Fla, where no cases of yellow fever
have been reported.
President Bayless, of the board of health,
| said:
every sanitary precaution was taken in
| this unfortunate case The room in which
he was taken i'll was stripped of carpets,
| furniture and bedding and was thoroughly
disinfected. 1t is now sweet and clean and
can be occupied with perfect safety. The
officers of the health department are conf
dent that whatever occurs 10 further trouble
| can come from this death. They deny that
there any grounds for popular apprehension,
| even though occasional cases should occur
among refugees from infected districts in
| Florida
"The leading medical men agree that yell
low fever can not become epidemic in this
latitude That such condition prevailed
sixty years ago furnishes no criterion for the
present, as everybody knows what wonder
| full climatic changes have occurred. l am
not doctor and lay no claim to medical
knowledge but feel assured if vote were
taken three-f ourths of the members of the
medical society would vote that yellow fever
can not secure a foothold in New York. We
can handle any cases that may develop here
and the public may feel assured that there
is no fear whatever of an epidemic"
"Have you made ample arrangements to
meet the scourge should it be brought here
by refugees from Floridaf'
"The citizens of New York may rest as
sureu Iubt ytllOW FEVER unusT no clTCuH-
stances can prove epidemic here"
as there no fear that the winds might
carry the scourge to the shore on either
side of the lslandt"
None whatever. The latest and best au-
tbenticated theory of yellow fever among the
medical experts is that it is caused by mi
crobe-a small parasite which crawls along
or near the ground like an iuchworm Ii
can not cross a stream, and, tested under a
powerful microscope, the fact is well demon
strated that it is not an AERIAL infection"
When pressed for information as to
whether any other actual cases of yellow
fever were in New York, Mr.. Bayless de-
clared rather reluctantly that he was not
prepared to say whether there were any
cases in the city at present as there was a
possibility that physicians treating patients
might not give such information. II pa
tient recovered nothing would be heard of it.
The physician would be liable to prosecution
should he send in certificate Of death from
How fever. His only course then would be
TO furnish certificate giving an entirely diff
ferent cause of death While such thing
might happen, he not believe that any repu
table physician would so make shipwrecs
of his honor and reputation.
When asked if he would furnish news to
the press should half dozen or more cases
of yellow fever in mild or severe form de-
velop in this city, Mr.. Bayless smoked his
cigarette second and then said firmly:
mo, | do not think that should 1t would
, only create pancky feeling and would dc
infinite harm. The great fear of thi,
scourge might drive trade from New York
, check the flow of money to Florida, where il
, is needed so greatly, keep merchants at home
force families out of the city, and inflict
loss of millions of dollars to merchants anf
| tradesmenr