Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-15
THE DREAD SC0URGE
Health Officer Woodward Discusses
Progress Of Yellow Jack.
has NO FEAR 0F OUTBREAK HERE
Marine Hospital Service We'll
Equipped to Meet Emergencies.
THE DIST RIOT NDS

AoA aiiC oi'p III edh VI yeiioW ASNei, HOW dt-
tracing attention in New Orleans and
vicinity, to spread and threaten Washing
ton, such a development is extremely inn
probable said Health Officer Woodward
today to a Star reporter. Il do not an
ticipa.e any trouble lere''
Contin ling along the lire that this Sec
ton of the country is far from being alb
solutely proof against a visit from the
dread disease, Health Officer Woodward
called attention to the fact that the most
severe epidemics of yellow fever in the
history of the United States have been IN
the north, notably that at Philadelphia.
Great comfort may be had however, from
the fact that the latter occurred toward the
end of the last century.
Not Rapid Spread.
The outbreak at New Orleans and vi
cnity has not been marked by a rapid
spread, said Health Officer Woodward. The
cases have been few in number and sew
eral of the patients are physicians, who were
necessarily exposed 10 contagion. Yellow
fever explained the health officer, differs
from smallpox. The latter is Offset by
vaccination and previous infection. Al
though the period OF incubation for yellow
fever is usually about five days, while that
of smallpox is fourteen days, a person in
fected with yellow fever could. in view of
rapid transit facilities, spread it over
large territory. In five days the cofti
nent could be crossed, and it would be
possibility to transmit the germs from New
Orleans to any other point in the United
States or Canada. in the manner described,
If the very closest quarantine should no:
be observed.
DIR. Woodward Has Faith.
81 have the utmost faith in the marine
hospital service ard the Louisiana state
-cl NN,3{
break is concerned said the health officer.
They beth very efficient. They have
plenty of money, the law is with them, so
that they possess all necessary power and
the time of year'i favorable to their ef-
forts. SO that they will undoubtedly con-
fine the outbreak to the locality where it
is now causing some concern, if not to the
very cities where the patients are under
treatment.
IN the unlikely event that Washington
should be threatened, the health officer
went on to say, I'VE would have to depend
largely on the marine hospital service. II
has the men and the money to act promptly
ard properly. All trains from outside Sec
tions would be stopped and inspected, the
method being to examine the tickets Of the
passengers and the baggage. number of
years ago. during an outbreak in this local
ity, the District Commissioners conducted
a quarantine, having inspectors On duty at
Alexandria to stop all trains and boats
bound fer this city The interstate reguia-
ton of commerce is an interstate matter
and, of course, the United States would act.
Smallpox Hospital 81 Utility.
"Should any cases develop here" contin-
ued DIR. Woodward, I'VE would be COM
PEELED to make use of the new smallpox
hospital. Then We would be greatly hand-
capped by lack of available funds The
emergency appropriation of $1,000 at our
disposal would be entirely too meager to
onn wit m, aIor hux,
tc be paid in order to tempt men to engage
in such work.
Tne emergency appropriation of S, 0oo is
for 'pestience, public insanitary conditions
calamities by ficod or fire and like charac-
ter. am strongly in favor of an epidemic
fund of from $4,000 to $4,000. Why, the
few cases of smallpox we had here few
years ago, and the resulting scare, cost the
District more than $4,000 In all likelihood
we would not use any part of the epidemic
fund nine years cut of ten, but it would be
a great comfort to know that the money
was available IN case emergency should
arise requiring its expenditure"
Valued Assistant
Though Health Officer Woodward has
never had any experier ce during an epi-
demc of yellow fever, he expresses himself
as being highly gratified that there is EN-
p!oyed in the health office a physician-Dr
Woodward by name. though no relation to
the chief of the department-who was
actively identified with the epidemic at
Memphis in 1875 and who did yeoman sery-
ice there, and would be invaluable in case
of an outbreak here.
Spread of Contagions.
Prior to March 3, 1897, the District of
Columbia was without any law upon the
subject, but that day the President ap-
proved an act to prevent the spread of
contagious diseases in the District, includ-
irg, of course, yellow fever. Among other
things the act provides that every physi-
clan attending on or called in to visit or
examining any case Of contagious disease
in the District shall Immediately cause the
case to be properly isolated and at once
send to the health officer notice of presence
of the disease and a description of the
patient.
1t IS provided that attending, visiting or
examining any person suffering from a con-
agious disease shall be prima face evil
dence that any physician doing was
aware that such person was suffering from
such disease. 1t is further provided that
any case of sickness the symptoms of
which SO resemble the symptoms of any
contagious disease that the case cannot be
Immediately distinguished from the con-
tagious disease. shall be properly isolated
until the nature of the case is positively
determined.
Power of the Commissioners.
The act empowers the Commissioners of
their Judgment, threatened or afflicted 4
with any contagious disease, to cause
house-to-house inspections to be made, to
require, especially, the cleansing and dis /
infection of premises or parts of premises,
to provide accommodations for such per-
sons as may be threatened by or afIiict ed
with the contagious disease, TO provide
gratuitous vaccination and distribution Of
disinfectants, and to do or cause to be done
such ether acts not contrary to law as
may be necessary, in their judgment, to
prevent the Introduction or spread In said
District of the disease. The health officer.
and any employe or employees of the health
department of said District duly detailed
for such purpose. SO the act stipulates.
shall have the right to enter and inspect
premises or places in the District where
there IS, or is believed to be, one or more
cases of contagious disease; such irispectf 1na1
to be made between the hours Of O'clock
antemeridian and o'clock postmeridian. CT
at any such other times as may, .n the
opinion Of the health officer. be found nee
essary to secure the enforcement. OF the
provisions of the act.
Any person who shall violate, or aid or
abet In violating, any Of the provisions Of
the act shall be deemed guilty OF a misde-
n1eanor, and upon conviction thereof be