San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-14
No yellow jock Here.
The Air Is Too Dry To POEOgate
The Germs.
That's The Assertion Of Major A.
A. De LOffre, Of The U. S,
Army In An Interview.

A Light reporter called on Major A.
A. De Loire, U. 5. A, post surgeon at
Fort Sam Houston yesterday and ques-
1 toned him In regard to the probability
of yellow fever reaching this city. The
major was very reticent in expressing
| his views, saying that he did not pose
as an expert and was not prepared TO
speak from an experts standpoint.
| Nevertheless from what could be
gained from him he is reasonably Ger.
tain that the disease will not reach this
city, or if it does it will not become cpl
demic AS the Light has always con-
tended, he says the atmosphere is too
dry to be favorable to the development
of the disease.
When informed by the reporter that,
he had heard that he had had consider
able experience in the treatment of the
disease, as well as having contracted it
himself at one time, Major De Loire
said:
Il was resident student in the
Charity hospital in New Orleans in 81
during the epidemic of yellow fever in
that city, treated patients and had the
disease myself. That was 30 years ago,
and have not seen case since.
The suspicious case unearthed in
this city had not been fully investigated
at the time the first meeting of the
board of health was held and it was i'm
possible at that time, owing TO the fact
that the complete history OF the case
could not be.gotten at, TO tell whether 1t
was case of yellow fever or PERM
cious case of malarial fever, and the
cautionary action of the board was pro-
per at the time. From subsequent de-
velopments, however, it has proven be-
yond doubt to have been complication
Of troubles.
No. Yellow fever is not the only
disease in which albumen in the urine
develops. There are number of other
diseases which develop this and it can
not alone be taken as signifying that
the patient has yellow fever.
1T appears to me from the reports l
have read in the papers of the first
meeting Of the board of health to inves-
tigate the suspicious case in this city
that the diagnosis was about equally
divided and and that there was as good
reasons to believe it yellow fever at the
time, from the incomplete history of the
case. as to believe otherwise. From
subsequent developments, however, all
suspicion about it being yellow fever
can be eliminated.
1T is quite late for the disease to be-
come epidemic here and furthermore l
do not think conditions are favorable
for the development of the disease. The
atmosphere is too dry to popogate the
germs. 1t doesn't seem to me possible
that it could therefore gain a foothold
here.
cat the same time l will be on the
lookout for it and it will be my duty to
report to the authorities at Washington
any case that should develop, whic h
would mean the temporary removal of
the troops from the garrison, until all
danger has passed.
However no not apprehend an cpl
demic and / do not believe there is any
cause for alarm on the part of any one.
A few cases would not cause an cpl
demic and could be easily stamped out
with the proper treatment.
'As regards the report that there
has been a case in the post hospital,
that is absolutely unfounded. We have
had plenty of cases of dengue, some in
a very severe form, but nothing bearing
the least resemblance to yellow fever.
Almost every one at in the post has had
the dengue, but that is the nearest we
have come to having yellow fever