The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-09-09
DREAD YELLOW FEVER.
TIVE DISEASE HAS INVADED NEW
ORLEANS AND THE CITY
is STIRRED UP.
OPINIONS OF THE DOCTORS
THEY EMPRESS CONFIDENCE THAT
THEY WILL BE ABLE TO
CHECK THE DISEASE.
OCEAN SPRING INVADED LAST WEEK
Dr. WamsIey Disposed to Hold the
Marine Hospital Service Re-
spOnsibIe-The Windy City
Scared Up-GnIvestOn
Has Guaranteed.
OCEAN SPRING INVADED LAST WEEK

New Orleans, Sept. G.-IRaOul Grlpi,
who has been spending the summer at
Ocean Springs, was brought to this city
Thursday, and died this morning in the
city. DIR. Walmsley, acting president of
the board of health, after a short au-
today announced that Gelpi had died Of
yellow fever. The board of health has
taken charge of the house, which will BE-
thoroughly fumigated and disinfectcd.
and will take all steps to prevent u
spread of the disease. The dead man
will be buried this evening. No one
will be allowed to attend the funeral.
Gelpi was 13 years of age. DIR. Walms-
ley says this is the only case in the city.
The Louisiana state board of health
kept faith with her sister bodies of the
south and the rest of the country this
afternoon when it made official an
n0uDccmcnt, as the result of careful
autopsy on the body of Raoul Gelpi -
years of age, determining that be had
died Of yellow fever. Gelpi was the son
of prominent people here and had been
spending some time at Ocean Springs.
In the house in which he lived a lady
had been stricken with the prevalent
fever, and he had been in attendance
upon her. AT the time there was no
fear that yellow fever was prevailing in
The coast town. Gelpi however. was
taken i'll, and Thursday his condition had
become SO serious as to warrant his re-
mOval TO New Orleans. Medical atten-
zion was secured here, but the patient
constantly grew worse and ut u o'clock
this morning he died. DIR. Thaycr, the
physician in charge, Immediately report
ed TO the board and expressed the opinion
that death was due to yellow fever, and
"A dispatch was Immediately sent to DR..
DIiphant to that effect.
h,l
and it proved that DIR. Thayers idea of
yellow fever was correct. Steps were
promptly taken to prevent possible
spread of the disease and TO segregate
the inmates of the Gelpi residence who
have been in attendance on the deceased.
The entire premises were disinfected
and guards were stationed to keep the
curious from the vicinity of the house,
and the board announced that it would
eontr0l the premises till they were salts
fed that all germs had been killed. As
tors expressed confidence that they would
he able to check the spread of the
disease.
The death of young Gclpi following
closely on the opinion Of the physicians
at Ocean Springs, created no little eX-
citement in this city. As a rule how
ever, the physicians express no undue
apprehension and stated their belief that
III was quite possible to arrest Il spread
of the fever.
The board during the day had ordered
"a rigid quarantine against all points on
the gulf coast and had taken every pre-
caution to guard all avenues of commu
nication against the entry of any persons
from Ocean Springs Biloxi and otner
points .on the gulf. The prompt action
Of the board had an excellent effect
81 though there was much dissatisfaction
on the part of those who have relations
in towns near Ocean Springs which are
> unaffected
During the day the bulletin boards
have been thronged about the health
office. and the Western Union wires are
Gfreighted with messages from and 90 the
coast resorts. In the meantime. how
ever reassuring kilograms arrived from
Ocean Springs that the Mississippi board
of health had taken and would take
every precaution possible TO circumSpcc-
ton of the line and prevent itS commu-
nication to the outside world.
I'VE have no fear" said DR.. WAlms-
ley. acting president of the Louisiana
health board. that the fever will
spread in New Orleans. We see no
reason to feel alarmed. People ought
not TO be frightened. This one case
was taken charge of in time, and such
scientific fumigation has been applied as
TO warrant the hope that we snail
promptly and effectively stamp out the
disease. We have made arrangements
to issue tonight circulars TO every prac-
ticing physician in New Orleans, telling
them to report TO the health board every
case of sickness. We have made ar
rangements to act promptly in every in
stance and if. unfortunately. other eases
of yellow fever shall be brought to our
attention. we shall notify the world
through the Associated Press of the
facts. There have been at least four
cases in addition To the Gelpi one of
fever, who have come from Ocean
Springs.
Ten physicians of New Orleans have
been pressed into service and we have
given the closest attention 10 each of the