The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-27
YELLOW JACK.
Poisoning and Yellow
Fever the Same.
From the Atlanta (Ga0 Journal.

From the Atlanta (Ga.) Journal
Dr. J. j. Knott returned from Washing
ton at noon Thursday.
Dr.. Knots visit to Washington was to
see Surgeon General Hamilton and talk
with him about his discovery of the nature
and cause Of yellow fever. The surgeon
general seemed to entertain hopeful views
of DR.. Knots theory, and requested him to
write out full explanation of his discovery,
ETC., and submit it to him, as there were so
many alleged discoveries of the cause and
cure of the dreadful scourge.
To the Journal reporter DR.. Knott made
brief statement as to his discovery, how it
came about, and his theory of the disease.
In 1878 he was in Chattanooga during the
yellow fever endemic and nursed or exam
ined nearly POO cases. During the preva-
lenc9 of the plague he observed white fog
not a blue mist as enormously reported
which hung close 80 the eartn.
This mist shroud vas the yellow fever.
Wherever this fog rests there is phos-
phorus, and phosphoric poisoning is posi-
BILE.
Phosphoric poisoning and yellow fever
are one and the same.
Three things are necessary for the exist
ence of this Phosphorus:
l. Low temperature at night and in the
morning
2. Humidity of the atmosphere.
3. Deficiency of oxygen in the at
mosphere
The deficiency of OK gen in the atmos-
phere prevents the combustion of the
phosphorus. This phosphorus. held in tie
damp atmosphere Of low places, is thrown
off and disseminated in the air. The
humidity of the air in low places, or at
night and in the early morning, preserves
it from combustion, just as it may be pre-
served in bottle of water. 1t is held in
the globuleS OF vapor in the air.
This presence and preservation of pho;-
phorus in the damp air at nights aud at
early morning, may account for the fact
that the epidemic RACES fiercest at those
times.
How is this phosphoric poison intro
duced or taken into the system, doctorp
ut is taken into the stomach by swallow
ing it. | don't think it is inhaled, as the
oxygen in the lungs would cause combus-
ton. After this phosphoric poison is taken
into the stomach it may develop in few
hours, or not before four or five days"
doctor, how do you establish the fact
that phosphoric poisoning and yellow fever
are the samcN
"Tha most skillful pathologst in the
United States, if he compared case of
phosphorlc poisoning with case of yellow
fever, would declare that the pathology
the symptoms-of the two cases were iden-
| tically the same The stages of phosphoric
poisoning correspond ex city with the
stages of yellow lever There is the black
vomit in each; the cells of the liver are in
each case filed with oily globules; and in
eaca case there is also albuminuria, accom-
panied by suppression of the urine"
when did this theory first occur to you,
doctorn'
"Only about three or four weeks ago,
had different theories, founded upon n
similar basis; but did not arrive mt my
present theory until few weeks ago."
DO you think You can produce a case of
yellow fever at any place aud at any
| Tuner
81 do, most certainly: and if the disease
may be produced at will it can be readily
curedn