The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-09-14

has the following: The outbreak OF yell
low fever at Ocean Springs, Miss, has
attracted widespread attention once
again to the disease and It's terrors, and
reawakens the hope that the time Is not
far of when science may discover a
specific for its treatment as well as
preventive whose potency VIII be no
more matter OF dispute than IS Inc
vaccine virus In the case OF smallpox
epidemles.
Or. Sanarelll, an Italian physician,
a disciple OF DR.. RouX, and VINO mas
had considerable experience In the Pas-
teur Institute, Paris. claims, II Is true,
10 be the original discoverer OF a MI
crobe which he identifies as the yellow
fever germ. The discovery, he says,
was made during a series of inyestiga-
lions In South America In the early part
OF this year. The doctor then named
the germ the bacillus icterolde. He as
serts that this bacillus was found IN
the blood OF yellow fever patient, and
was not discoverable In the vomited
materials or In the contents OF the IN
testines. The fever, according to THIS
theory, Is due to the poison secreted by
this miorobe.
The bacillus in question Is described
by DR.. Sanarelli as being peculiar in
shape, having the form OF little sticks,
round and pointed at the eNtremitles,
being united pair by pair In cultures
and In small groups in the human body
They are exceedingly minute, being
from two to four thousandths OF mill
imetre in length and generally two or
three times longer than wide.
DIR. SRnarelIpa Experiments.
DR.. sanarelli. in a paper read before
the congress of South American physl-
clans at Montevideo last June, which
has aroused q great deal Of Interest,
stated that he had made five expert
ments on men by making injections of
the antltoXin formed from the bacillus,
and in all cases II was claimed that the
symptoms OF yellow fever were produce
ed. He believed. he said, that the MI
crobe in causing the fever penetrates
the liver when injuries have been In
filcted in that region, or enters wounds
in other parts OF the body; that 1t Is
indigenous to hot climates and thrives
In confined and lily ventilated districts.
This explains, DR.. Saranelli thinks, the
frightful rayages Of yellow fever on
board ships and in badly ventilated,
damp, moist places or apartments,
The claim of DR.. Saranelli to the orig
inal discovery OF the supposed yellow
fever microbe is, however, disputed by
the friends OF DR.. Domlngos Freire. OF
Rio. DR.. Freire's Investigations date
back TO 1882, when he indivldualized
what he termed the cryptococcus zan-
thogenicus, which was subsequently
recognized by DR.. Findlay. of Havana,
and DR.. Gerard OF Panama. DR.. VOL
ford Nelson, formerly of the Panama
a ~ 10 ~ ~ IN
statement that the virus prepared by
DR. Frelre from culture Of the germs
discovered by him has actually been
found to be quite as preventive Of the
dlgease as vaccine is Of smallpox, Or.
Nelson told Herald reporter that DR..
Gerard inoculated himself with the
F'relre preparation after having tried IL
successfully on guinea pigs Subse-
quently DR.. Gerard was bitten by a
mosquito which few from the body OF
yellow fever patient whom he was at
tending and lit on the Doctors hand.
drawing the blood. A mild type of yell
low fever resulted, but his fellow ply
siclans agreed that his life was saved
by his self-lnoculatlon with the Frelre
fluid.
1t must bes tated, however. that med
icai opinions differ very widely with re-
gard to the identity of the yellow fever
germ. and DR.. Sternberg, who has been
endeayoring TO Isolate the much sought
after microbe, recently reported that he
had not succeeded.
DR.. Cleary, OF the Marine Hospital
service, writing from Rio recently. says
with regard to DR.. Saranelli's claims,
that he seems to have satisfied all the
professionals there OF their truth. II
hope II is true" adds DR.. Cleary, but
] have outlived so many discoveries in
the same line that await contirma-
ton"
No Known Specific for the Disease.
So far, too, no specific has been found
for the treatment OF yellow fever, al
though the blchloride Of mercury ap-
pears to exercise some beneficial effect.
Depressing remedies must be avoided.
"cold and evaporating lotions to the
head" says an eminent authority, may
prevent brain symptoms, Ice, efferves-
cling waters or champagne In small
quantities and other remedies for COM
posing the stomach are valuable. AM
monlum carbonate may help oxygenate
the blood. Quiet. discreet nursing.
warm drinks and blanketing and
later. abundant nutrition are found
to be the most successful means
OF cure. The mortality Is very much
greater among patients who have been
addicted to alcoholic liquors than
among others Intelligent nursing, 1t
should be remembered. is prime requi-
site to insure recovery"
Captain John X, Jones, an old Florl-
dian who was health officer Of Tampa
during the epidemic Of 1881. and who
had himself severe attack OF yellow
fever In 1893, obtained excellent practl-
cal results from this treatment: First,
hot bath OF vinegar and water. This
he found in his own and other cases
checked the vomiting and relieved the
pain. Champagne he found an excel
lent stlmulant. but he did not find Ice
effective except when the black vOmlt
threatened. He deemed most impor-
tnnt to get the patient into good
Precipitation and keep him In II. Many
persons he found died from relapse
brought on by refusing TO remain In
bed at the critical point. His expert
ence was that persons who have yellow
fever q second time are not likely to die
II their general health is reasonably
good.
Symptoms and Development.
A person apparently In perfect health
may be suddenly attacked by yellow
fever Very generally the disease
commences with a chill, n general feel
Ing OF lassltude and headache which
increases In intensity. About the third
day jaundloe appears and takos the
place OF a red color OF the integumonts
1T. I.N. A.