Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-03

SOI bh COSiAuioN btA oi LSfESihoN-ins DHrhh-
The following statement by DR.. Henry g. Clark
OF this city, says the Boston GLOBE, Is as true to-
day when first written some years ago, for the
Medical and Surgical Journal:
1t is much to be regretted that during the pres
ence and the frightful and fatal progress at the
South and southwest OF disease like yellow fever
any opinion should be announced by leading medi-
cal men, or any orders issued by professional au-
thority, which may in any way Increase the panic
already existing In places which are in communl-
cation with Injected districts or the distress OF
those VINO are endelvOring to escape from Them
Yet the orders enanating from the bureaus of the
surgeons-general OF the Army and Navy are sure
TO do this DR.. Woodwork saws:
I'm some instances IL has been carried inland
with the people fleeing from infected localities 1t
personal effects OF passengers and sailorsD And
although he admits that .'yelow fever is not com
monicated nom the sick to the WELL" he adds that
rlers OF the poison germ or miasm." In the next
sentence Ine same thing Is reiterated in another
persons whose effects have been disinfected
may De considered harmless after six or
sc seven Isov days have elapsed from the time
"Of course, nothing can be more true, and it is
quite as true without either OF the announcement
c arnr named The surgeon-General OF the
army proposes TO make the United states mall
service safe by disnfecting its mail-bags &c
Ever met,cai secretary of the Mississippi state
board OF health asks the PostmasIer-General 70
'piease stop all mail matters except first-class
rom an injected points In this state. We re-
gard inns as important TO our safety" To which
and with the good sense or a "nrst-class sanitar-
IAN, repnes: 1T Is not desirable to direct the ex-
a 2, any class OF matter from the mails be-
cause OF the prevalence OF yellow fever"
III Is not necessary to 20 into the discussion of
,ne general question OF the contagiousness OF yell
low FEVER, for that has been long since conclu-
slveiy settled by the highest and most competent
authorlty, contagion In this connection being de-
nneu py the English board OF health as 1.-THE power
400 Nnf
lhdlVldual laDorlng under II to that OF another,
whether by actual contact, through the medium
vi thr anen' bedding, or any substance whatever;
tnrough the medium OF the air In a room In which
an INDIVIDUAL ldborS under the disease; the capa-
oIiioy Oh being propagated by means Of excretions
OF eXnalationS from the bodies OF those affected,
or, nnally, by means OF exhalations from the
ooIieS OF those who have died OF it,"
Inc rev persons who still remain as the advo-
cates Vi cOntaglon may be comprised under three
clasSes-those who have not had sufficient oppOr-
tunltleS OF studying the disease, and those whose
establishments may be expected to bias their
opinions. Nor IL there on record TO my knowl-
eoge, single well authenticated case OF proven
personal contag1on, nor any supposed case which
cannot be better explained upon some other
hypothesis.
Inc only mode in which the disease can be trans
mltteu Is ny Infection, and the laws which govern
THIS transmission are as well settled as those
when relate TO contagiOn. quote from the board
%Deb ,hn Injection Is meant principle
upon local Causes ana having no relation TO ema-
nations from persons laboring under the disease
or from the bodies or those who have died of It,
Inus, malaria spot or tilthy location is focus
or Infection"
In the first report on quarantine 1 find the fol-
lowing remarks: "a foul ship" that is TO say,
snip coming to healthy from an infected port,
rs not only center OF disease to those on board
out source OF disease TO her neighbOrhood. From
variety OF evidence IL appears tndiSputabe that,
wmle the foul state OF ships hold is the frequent
Cause OF malignant fever To crew, the air Issuing
from such hold and the cargo taken from It are
capable OF producing disease In the nelghborhood
OF the wharf where the unloading takes place, and
OF Affecting persons who come on board from the
Shore"
SO FAR therefore. as a vessel after lying in dock
at an injected port, may bring TO the healthy one
Sectlon, so 10 speak, OF the soil, the dOck-mud,
the Dilge-water, and the atmosphere of that port
an her closed hold, she may and often does, on her
arrival, become source and center OF danger aud
disease THAT she can communicate the disease
Dy the liberation OF the poison on opening the
matches, and especially on breaking out the cargo
and BALLAST" as DIR. Vache expresses IL, cannot be
denied and she should be dealt with accordingly
Tue truth is that no disease emanating from ma
larla Is contagious, and no rson Should De gu IT.
antlned for yellow fever any more than for lever
and ague 1t Is to be hoped, therefore, that the
obsolete doctrines which would infiicJ the incon-
venlenceS the distresseS and the dangers OF quar-.
antlne upon the innocent victims or nOn-cOnta-
SlOuS disease may no longer be the blind guides OF
those VINO have to deal with IL