The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-06
THE WORLDS PLAQUES
SUBJECTS TREATED IN SURGEON
GENERAL WYMAN'S REPORT.
Figures on Recent Yellow Fever Epi-
demic Showed Only 423 Deaths
Out of Abs Cases.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-SurgeOn General
Wyman, of the Marine Hospital Service,
has submitted his annual report to Secre-
tary Gage. 1t shows that during the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1897 the total number of
patients treated at the hospitals and the
dispensaries connected with the service was
SAT-. Although the total number of pa
tients treated was GIL in excess of those
treated during the previous fiscal year, the
expenditures were $685., 1856, which is $21, 900
less than for the previous year. The num-
Der of immigrants inspected by officers of
the service at the various posts aggregated
232, 147.
The surgeon general says: "The necessi-
ty of legislation to secure proper shelter
for deck crews on Western rivers, to which
attention was called in the last report, was
met by the act of Congress approved March
3, 1897 requiring every steamboat plying
upon the Mississippi river or its tributaries
to furnish an appropriate place for the crew
with protection from the weather. This
subject is one that has long engaged the
attention of the Marine Hospital surgeons,
who have made frequent reports thereon,
and this action of Congress will be pro-
ductive of much relief, although the act
does not take effect until June 80, 1885,
To meet the growing demands of the
service new regulations have been prepared
and will shortly be issued. The surgeon
general invites attention to the excellent
work done by the officers of the corps dur
ing the recent visitation of yellow fever in
the South. Medical officers were assigned
to duty in the infected districts, and al
though number of them were not immune
to yellow fever, nevertheless they respond
ed with alacrity and performed their duties
with INDIGNANT o<7i
GERS contracted yellow fever, and one lost
his life by accident in the line of duty.
Under the head of public health service
the surgeon general discusses the subject of
cholera, smallpox, yellow fever and leprosy.
The appearance of cholera in Japan and
China, he says, is now matter of greater
moment to the United States than at any
| previous time, owing to the rapid growth of
commerce between those countries and the
Pacific coast Smallpox is reported as hav-
ing appeared in sixteen States between
Nov. ], 1896, and Nov. 1, 1897. In the year
previous it appeared in twenty-five States.
The prevalence of the bubonic plague in
the eastern hemisphere has offered a new
problem for the consideration of the health
authorities of the United States. The els
ease is reported as increasing at the present
time in northern India. 1t has also APP
peared in certain portions of China and ia
pam Special quarantine regulations with
reference to this disease and regular Off
Ger of the Marine Hospital Service was sent
to the ports of Japan and China during The
summer of 1897, to obtain more accurate
knowledge of the health conditions at these
ports and the liability to contagion extend
ing to the United States. One vessel in
1ected with the plague was received and
properly treated at the United States cuar-
antine station at San Francisco
The report of the international leprosy
conference held in Berlin in October gives
a somewhat imperfect statement of the
number of cases of leprosy in the different
mately 10000 in India, 5000 in Japan 200
IN Hawaii, 1920 in Russia, 700 in Calcutta
go in the United States.
Yellow fever has been unusually prevalent
throughout the island of Cuba during the
past year In the port of Havana alone
1.605 deaths. The disease has also nrevai1ed
extensively throughout the West Indies and
the Spanish main. "A history of the recent
epidemic of yellow fever in the South is also
given with statistics and the operations of
the Marine Hospital Service, which were
conducted through experienced officers This
expert service, DIR. Wyman saws was of
great value in the prompt determination of
the existence of the disease, without which
the necessary precautions would not have
been taken by local authorities The sur
geon general states that there is little doubt
Dut that the work which was done had
marked effect in controlling the spread of
the disease and preventing a much more
extensive epidemic. The total number of
cases OF yellow fever reported to the bureau
up 10 Nov. 10 was 4,19S, and the number of
deaths AS. OF these there were 1722 cases
and 244 deaths in New Orleans.
Inc report gives a full account of the
operations of the eleven national stations
anu measures taken to enforce the national
Tesulatlons at San Francisco and Sabine
Pass, TEX, where, DIR. Wyman says by
reason OF local inadequacy, interference was
necessary. Attention is called to the fact
that an effort was made more than a wear
ago TO supplant the national Quarantine
station on Ship island by a state Quarantine
or the same character on q neighborinp
island near the shore but DR. Wyman saws 4
II failed. Reference is made to attemnts
10 excite concern regarding the Ship island
station on account of it's alleged nroxin1itx,
TO the coast, which the surgeon general
says has been falsely stated as FIVE miles
whereas 1t is twelve miles away The sta
ton, he continues, is well equipped and the
efforts made by the interested parties To
connect IL with the recent outbreak of fever
are not supported by a single fact The ma
to Ship island in 1884 after the destruction
of the Chandelier station by a storm which
swept the hospital out to sea and drowned
five people. Its transfer was legalized by
the appropriation act of 1895.
The surgeon general again refers to the
necessity of more strict national Quaran-
tine law which he has made the subject of
special report in the past two years and
he makes recommendations looking to the
strengthening of the present law both to
prevent the spread of disease and the inter-
ference with interstate commerce during
times of epidemic.