The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-23
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
THE HEALTH BOARD TAKING PRE-
CAUTIONARY MEASURES.

The Reported Outbreak of Yellow
Fever at Plant City and Other Points
in Florida-Health officer Drummer
Advises Excurtionists Not to Go
Below Gainesville or Sanford-The
Probability of Quarantine at Jesup
this Week-Three Deaths Reported
at Plant City.
The Washington dispatches to the MORN
ING NEWS, yesterday, announcing that
several points in South and Southwestern
Florida are suspected of having yellow
fever, created some apprehension here
Upon advices received from Florida by
Health Officer Drummer, a meeting of the
Sanitary Board was called at the Council
chamber at noon.
Every member Of the board was present,
but the meeting was held with closed doors
and nothing was given out The situation
was thoroughly discussed The fact that the
annual excursion of the Savannah, Florida
and Western and Charleston and Savannah
Railways Employees Mutual Relief Associa-
ton will start this morning for Florida was
alluded to, and it was held by some of those
excursionists to risk visit to a locality
where yellow fever is suspected to have
broken out.
DANGEROUS GROUND.
Any point south of Gainesville on the Sa-
vannah, Florida and Western or Sanford on
the Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West
railroad, is thought to be dangerous ground,
and Health Officer Drummer said last night
that he would advise against going beyond
those points. He was non-commit-
tai about the action of the SAM
tary Board, except that it passed
resolutions which Mayor Lester would
under certain contingencies Ringing on
expected kilograms, give to the press in
time for publication this morning DR..
Drummer went further and said that he
would not be surprised if quarantine is
established at Jesup by Thursday. 1t is
not too early, he said for yellow fever to
make its appearance in the infected section.
The yellow fever epidemic at Key West
year ago started in May.
FAvoRs PROMPT ACTION.
DR.. Drummer favors prompt action when
ever it becomes necessary. He admitted
when questioned that his advices from
Florida corroborate the dispatches in the
MORNING NEWS yesterday, and said that
he would advise Savannahians to keep out
Of the suspected territory. While the sub
ject was being discussed it was suggested
that at the meeting of the Georgia Medical
Society tonight the facts will be laid before
that body.
Dr. Drummer predicted last spring that
Tampa would be visited bv yellow fever.
The unsanitary condition of the place and
the near proximity of the quarantine sta
ton to the city, and the fact that it was in
III settled portion of the country uner-
ringly foreshadowed the visitation. 1t is
l., kl-A ~
now, as it is in better sanitary condition
than it was year ago. but Ybor city, the
Cuban town near Tampa, is looked upon
with suspicion.
The mercury went down to 90 in South
Florida last winter, but in houses not thor
oughly fumigated and left open the low
temperature was of little avail to destroy
tie disease germs. Yellow fever, expert
authorities agree, yields only when sub
jected to extremes Of heat and cold At
the New Orleans quarantine infected cloth
ing and bedding are subjected to a moist
heat of 250' Fahrenheit, while vessels are
put in good sanitary condition in ten min
utes by the pumping in with a powerful
steam tug of a sulphuric disinfectant.
DEATHS AT PLANT CITY.
No such effective method of disinfecting
can be applied in South Florida, and if it
has broken out there the health authorities
say that it viii be very apt to spread.
1t is reported that three deaths, supposed
to have been from yellow fever, occurred at
Plant City last week, and that the town
has almost been depopulated. The Florida
health authorities are now in Plant City
investigating the disease. which some be-
lieve is not yellow fever at all A disease
resembling yellow fever, but which is
seldom fatal, usually follows in places
where epidemics have ragged.