The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-20
FACTS ABOUT FEVER.
YELLOW FEVER NOT INDIGENOUS
TO THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
Statistics Compiled by DIR. Jones,
Who Made u Special study of the
Diseasc--Rigid Quarantine.
New orleans Plcayune.

New Orleans Picayune.
The possible influence OF weather cond-
Tors upon yellow fever will be OF intesest
at this time.
DR. Joseph Jones, one OF the most emil
nent physicians and sanitarians in the.
South, has left as the fruits OF hie useful
and laborious professional life, elaborate
statistics of the fever conditions In this
city for a long term Of time.
The years 1858. 1858, 1867 and 1873 were
noted periods OF yellow fever epideinics.
The disease In each year appears. rs was
the rule in those times. to have been con-
oealed by the medical authorities until 1t
had become epidemic and impossible longer
to cover up its existence. The records in
the office OF tho board OF health show the
following for the deaths In each year for
the months here named:
Months. 1859. 1855. 1867. 1878
July ........... 1881 1872 IL 90
August ......... 5.laa l,lio go. 1925
September ...... 49, 1904 1851 1850
October ........ 137 1887 1,O7s 1856
peeember . 49,. q IS is 20 "a !
From the figures given above 1t is seen
that several weeks were required to give
the fever q start. 1t made the most Of the
hot months. and, although there was some
decline In October. the fatality fell off
with great rspidity In November. IL oc-
tober should turn off cool the propagation
OF the disease would BIO retarded but In
November, unless the weather should be
unduly warm, u decided falling off will be
manifest.
yellow fever" said DR.. Jones. in HIS
able work on contagious and infectious
diseases. lis not indigenous to New Or
leans. IL Is not indigenous 10 Louisiana.
II Is not indigenous to the Mississippi VAL
ley. II can b. excluded from New Orleans
and tho Mississippi valley by rigid and
effective quarantine" This fact has been
demonstrated and IL can only appear here
after II has been admitted. The conditions
for Its propagation are warm weather ard
free intercourse between the infected and
unaffected population.
RiSid personal quarantine or isolation
Of infected persons aud premises will stor
the spread % tho disease. II Ill infected
persons and places had been thus isolated
and Nstnteeted, the progress Of stamping
Out would have betn more cffectunl thar
II has proved. The resistance BY conceal
ment OF cascs, due to popular Ignorance
or prejudice against the preventive meas
urcs. has much Increased the iabors and
i N-tsttffNH W tat iCtiin ANtubfllitS. Lu
they have. nevertheless. accomplished ,uuci
1 good.
| Some Of tho theorists have sought ia
connect outbreakA OF yellow fever with
weather conditions. such as Temperature
snd rainfall, hut careful examinatior
OF the statistice compiled by the late ne.
curate and able medical observer and stat
isticlan. shows that there is no appreclnbl.
relation beyond the fact that warm weai no,
and moisture are required for the pron.
agation Of the disease. II has never an.
| ptared In any formidable force until
temperature CT about so degrees is attain.
cd. When the Thermometer shows a fros
temperature, he infection seems incapabl,
| Of propagation.
pr. Jones has compiled statistics show.
ms that for the entire series OF years
| iSli-lSSl, maximum Temperature, OF 10,
degrees was reached only In 1871 and isso
n the FORMER year there was In this cit,
1900 deaths from yellow fever. and IN ~
later there WAS only l07. In the great on
idemic year Of 1853 the maxinum temper
sture rssched was ~ degrees. and the Vel,
low fever carried on 7sis persona. II
1888 the maximum temperature VIZ 20 de.