Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-11
FEAR OF EPIDEMICS.
DR.. Lee Says This Country Has Little
Cause to Expect This Year
ANY YELLOW FEVER Or CHOLERA
Well.Equipped Quarantine Stations Doing
Efficient Service.
METHODS OF PREVENTING DISEASE
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HARRISBURG, July 10.-All the men,
bers of the State Board OF Health were pres
ent at the meeting to-day except DR.. Ed
wards of Philadelphia, who was absent on
account Of illness in his family. In a re-
port submitted to the board DR.. Lee dis
cussed number of sanitary matters pre-.
sented to him since the last regular meeting.
He said:
The appearance OF Asiatic cholera almost
simultaneously at six different points In Spain,
covering distance of $50 miles In straight
line and probably 400 by rail, indicates very
considerable survival of germs Of that disease
from last summer along the shores OF the
Mediterranean. Their wide dissemination and
early maturity make grave epidemic in that
region, and, it may be, in Southern Europe
generally, probable.
We in this, country however, have little to
fear. Our quarantine stations; national. state
and municipal, we're never before so well
equipped That OF the port OF New York,
which is the most valuable point, is fully twice
as well prepared as 1t was when 1t SO success
fully checked the invasion of the disease at the
threshold three years ago. Philadelphia, the
next most likely point of attack, has donple
line of intrenchments, the Lazaretto or mnnlci-
pal quarantine station, II miles down the Dela-
ware river, and the United States quarantine
station, so miles below at Cape Henlopen. The
latter is provided with fumigating steamer,
is
the largest vessel in a few hours.
EFFICIENT QUARANTINE.
The Baltimore station is well equipped and
under intelligent management, and suspected
vessels for that port, as well as for Norfolk,
are also detained at Cape Charles by the
United States Marine Hospital Service. The
efficiency of the New Orleans quarantine has
been frequently demonstrated. Its plant Is the
most complete and most scientifically con-
structed of any In the country. Should the dis.
ease pass these barriers, however, Its mode of
propagation is now SO thoroughly understood
that 1t will be rsproaoh to the local health
authorities II 1t 10 not al once stamped out. IL
is their duty to put their cities and towns into
such a condition of cleanliness thatthe germs
will fnd no oungenial soil. The State Board of
Health has In preparation new circular on
this subject. which will shortly be issued.
The report of yellow fever carried to Spain
from New Orleans is more than doubtful.
There is not more fever In South America and
Central America than usual at this season. Our
greatest danger is from Cuba, the ever faith
ful" and ever flthy Isle, via Florida, The pre-.
cautions which are taken Oh the Plant Line OF
steamers. and At Key West and Tampa, make
its introduction by that route unlikely, The
fact that there were no cases Of the disease IN
had all pefishedi
Time enough has elapsed since the last cpl,
e. to greatly shs sas Sns
will enable the authorities 10 meet With entire
eeBtidehee any outbreak that may occur, ard
the existence of state Hoard OF Health viii
prevent the irregular and iil-Advsed action
which has marked previous epidemies,
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST YELLOW FEVER,
The floods In the lower Mississippi Valley
have left many places along that river IN stats
of great dsstilutioh and tha conditions ara such
~ will, probably, induce mhlarial fsvers Of such
virplsnee that they may easily be mistaken for
yellow fever, We may therefore HHpset false