The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-11-13
INFECTnOUs-NOT CONTAGIOUS.

" Y
medical doctors) to demonstrate that
yellow fever is an infectious, and not
contagious, scourge. The subject, espe-
cially at this time, is an interesting one,
and the reproduction Of some OF the au-
thorities given will command the atten-
ton of the newspaper readers, especially
of the medical profession. The gentle
men whose opinions are consulted, en-
brace DR.. John Morris, of Baltimore;
DR.. J. Howard Taylor, Medical Inspector
of the Board of Health of Philadelphia
DR.. J. Berrien Lindsey, of Nashville;
DR.. w. Bailey, of Louisville; DR.. 6. b.
Thornton and DR.. r. LaRoche, of Mem
phis; DR.. w. Selden, of Norfolk; Sur
geen A. L. Gehon, of the United States
Navy, and DR.. Henry F. Campbell, of
Augusta. The opinions expressed were,
for the most part, given directly
after the sweeping fever epidemic of 1876,
though others are taken from papers on
the present ravages Of the scourge in
Florida and elsewhere.
The expression of the judgment of Dr..
Campbell is taken from his paper on " The
Yellow Fever Quarantine of the Future"
and is as follows: 3" Yellow fever is not.
in any of its stages, communicable from
one person to another after the manner
of ordinary contagion." "1t is wide
spread conviction among perhaps the
most noted and influential sanitarians Of
the present day, that the inception and
propagation of yellow fever are not by
contagion, as we apply the term to small
pox," etc. Dr. Campbell recognizes fully
the transportation of the germs of the
disease by foul ships or railroad cars, and
their multiplication in some foul local.
ties. All sanitarians admit these facts !;
which point to perfect cleanliness every
where as preventive, and to inspection
and, if needful, detention and disinfec-
ton of vessels and Of railroad cars COM
ing from places known to be infected
with yellow fever. DR.. Campbell enjoins
this kind of modified form of quarantine
But he urges that passengers should
have free passport into and refuge
in any city, town, village, or other com
munity without hindrance, on account of
their physical condition in relation to
their supposed or manifested inception
Of yellow fever poison" DIR. j. B. Linds-
ley, of Nashville, has written that null
to DR.. Campbell's views" Such, says
the Ledger's correspondent, is a common
sense, as well as scientific, conclusion :;
which, if generally appreciated, ought
to exalt the Importance of sanitation, and
to abolish panic about epidemics. Shot
gun quarantine is barbarism unworthy
of the nineteenth century and Of any
Christian country.
In giving prominence to this opinion,
and supporting it with corroborative ex-
pressions by eminent doctors, the writer
is endeavorlng first, "to make the truth
known, that only certain places are liable
to yellow fever epidemics, and these only
when in a bad sanitary condition. Sec
ondly, to show that yellow fever is a dis
ease of places and vessels, to limited
extent, of cargoes and portable things,
and it is not contagious from person to
person." A stuffy railroad car, he says,
should be treated like vessel when it
comes from an infected place, viz, by de-
tention until clean and disinfected. * But
l shall, in a few lines, show reasons for
the conviction that persons ought to be
allowed to 60 where they will, and that
all persons should be compelled at once
to 60 away from an infected Locality to a
healthy one. Depopulation, not shut
ting in is the right thing for town, or
Gas is often the CASEY part of town
in which yellow fever is known to pre-
vail" He then quotes at length from the
gentlemen before named.
Mr. Morris says that "even in the
most malignant form of the disease the
fear of personal contagion need not be
entertained" Quarantine regulations
need not apply to persons, but solely to
ships and their effects" He advocates
also, of course, the most thorough san-
tary publication of every infected las in
deed of every other) locality.
DIR. Lindsey says: "When the dis
ease broke out, in the summer of 1878,
i'll Memphis, the Nashville board Of health,
by nrOmnt and NiunrnnS mna.nrna nut