The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-21

DREADED PLACE.
In the history of the army during peace
there has been no detail so dreaded as that
in Fort Jefferson. The records testify to
excessive mortality in the garrison as we'll
as among the convicts. Men looked out
upon the brilliantly colored waters, chang
ing hues according to depth and according
to cloud and sunshine; they breathed salt
laden breezes; they listened to he rdajes-
tic roar of the surf on the coral reef; they
sickened and died, until Dry Tortugas be-
came known as the llnhealthiest spot over
which the stars and stripes foated. That
was all because just below the southern
horizon lay the peSthouse. In 1873 the gov
eminent stopped building; the prisoners
were moved; the batteries marched out
with thanksgiving Dry Tortugas became to
the army only memory.
A mere relic from the military point of
view, Fort Jefferson has its present utility.
It Is to-day one of the chief defenses of the
could be loaded and fired. Not barrel of
serviceable powder is in the magazine Yet
Fort Jefferson is dealing destruction daily
to foreign foe. Apart from the lone SER
geant Of the army who hoists and lowers
the flag, the fort has occupants. 1t has
ammunition 1t has an armament of the
latest and most efficient type for the war;
rare Waged increasingly against this for
eign foe. The commander-in-chiefa at Fort
Jefferson is mot an officer of the army
He is Surgeon Williams, of the Marine Hos
pital Service. The ammunition he uses is
of three kindS-fumeS of sulphur steam
heat and bichloride solution. His weapons
are boilers and pumps. The foe is yellow
fever. The last time it obtained firm foot
Ing and invaded the Mississippi valley it
cost 1924 lives, and involved financial loss
es of 500 O00, 900.
On spit of sand in front of the great
archway which affords the only entrance
to Fort Jefferson the government has built
wharf and located a diSinfecting plant,
with capacity to deal with whole ships at
once. Alongside of this wharf, with its ar
ray of boilers and furnaces and it's ramifi-
cation of huge pipes, the ship infected at
Havana or some other Cuban port is hauled
Into the hold, with matches battened down,
the fumes of sulphur are forced until they
penetrate every crevice and corner. They
must remain for a wooden vessel, forty
eight hours and, for an iron ship. twenty
four hours. This is but one process In a
tank holding $500 gallons a solution of cor
roslve subllmate is mixed one part of the
deadly basis to 500 parts of sea water This
is taken on board by hose, and the interior
walls of the vessel are washed with it..
terminating the germs in the Ship the bed
ding and everything made of cloth. to the
last article of wearing apparel on the backs
of passengers and crew, without respect TO
rank or station of the person, is going
through the steam chest. During fumiga-
ton all on board the ship come ashore
dress themselves in disinfected clothes
loaned by the station, and occupy the tenn
porary quarters provided on the sand spit
EFFECTIVE APPARATUS.
The steam chest is equipped with racks
and cars. Into the spacious chambers the
bedding and the clothing are stored. The
big iron doors are tightly closed. First the
exhaust is applied and vacuum created
Then the live steam is turned Thirty
minutes of this treatment kills any known
organism. The doctors are not quite certain
what yellow fever is, but they are certain
that half an hour in the steam chest ends
all danger of infection. Strange to tell, the
finest fabrics go through this furious
done properly, without injury. Fumigated
with sulphur, washed down with corrosive
steamed, the ship goes to anchorage and
remains five days. At the end of that time,
If no fever has made it's appearance, the
ship can leave for any American port with
a bill of health which the quarantine Off
GERS everywhere Will recognize. From early
spring until winter the disinfection goes on.
The season Is fairly open now. Some days
there will be six to ten ships awaiting their
turns to come to the plant. Congress has
just appropriated a considerable sum to add
a floating dock in order TO double the facil-
tiles. This disinfection process is costly to
the government. 1t is a tax of time and of
money on the ships. 1t is part of the heavy
penalty which the United States pays for
having such an insanitary neighbor as Cuba.
Eternal vigilance IS the price of not en-
tire but approximate safety from the dis
ease, which never dies in the filthy harbor
of Havana. From that port come four
fifths of the ships which have to be doc
tored. No sooner does craft drop anchor
within the reef in front of Fort Jefferson.
by day or by night. than boat puts off
and Surgeon Williams, the Marine Hospital
officer, climbs on board. Full investigation
of the ships condition is made before any
body is allowed ashore. The regulations of
war are not more strict than those with
which the officers of the quarantine carry
on the never-ending campaign against this
insidious enemy from Cuba.
Fort Jefferson is the outpost OF this quar-
antine service. Surgeon Williams and his
subordinates, constituting the garrison, oc-
cupy the officers quarters. All around them
are the ruins of the past military greatness
and those yawning easements which could
tell endless stories of prison life. 1t is the
strangest station and the strangest service
under the government. And in this garrison
is numbered the last OF the chiefs of