The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-11-16

antiue station, in the month of May last.
He had a sudden chill, nAusa and severe
pains In the back, and for TWO days high
fever His eyes became enjaundiced, and
he is convinced now that he had genuine
case of yellow fever Al that time he had
never seen the disease. Since he has seen
many cases, and believes that his case was
precisely like the cases he has seen. Fur
Their. he described his symptoms to DR..
Matsas, yellow fever expert. and give
him history OF the case. and DR.. Matsae
decided that the fever was of the genuine
yellow fever character. DR.. Belden pro-
ceeds to tell where he contracted this
fever. He holds with DR.. Wilkinson OF
New Orleans, that Ship Island has long
been considered q menace to the health Of
the country. more especially so as there
are, so TO speak, no restrictions in COM
municating with the vessels and any one
who so desires can board any of the yes
sells in Ship Island harbor or visit the
quarantine hospital on the island. The
harbor is noted place for fishing, sspc.
cially for Spanish mackerel aad thither
many of the visitors to the summer resorts
of Biloxi. Ocean Springs and other of tho
coast watering places repair in search Of
good sport. These fishermen are at lib
erty to wander wheresoever they list on
the island and the physicians and nurses
on the island mingle with the visitors from
the mainland without considering the dan
ger to which they subject t.ese people.
Having described the existing conditions
at the island the doctor adds:
Il did go over to Ship Island during the
month of last May and contracted a case
OF yellow feser. usually spend my Naca-
tons every summer over at Biloxi and
have place over there. am fond of piss
catorial sports, and as the fishing In Ship
Island harbor is fine, usually 20 over
there to fish Spanish mackerel During
the month of May | made four excursions
over to Ship Island, and on the occasion
OF my last visit. late in the month of May,
] met two OF the nurses from the quarar-
tire hospital, and they informed me that
they had several yellow fever cases in the
hospital. l asked them if they did not
lear spreading the disease among the peo-
pie who were present on the wharf where
the bumboat from Biloxi usually landed.
The nurse laughed and said there was no
rear. as they had had bath Just before
they Joined the party of excurslonists. hut
was at the time OF the opinion that this
was not sufficient, as their clothing had not
oeeh dsiniected. l said nothing at the
.ime and day or two afterward came to
this city.
IL was nine days after this episode that
the chill struck him, and he was FRUSTRATED
with the fever. He adds, from his per-
soral information. that the quarantine
regulations at Ship Island have been very
lax. and there was free communication
with the mainland On one visit which the
nocto' made to Ship Island, there were
thirty-two vessels lying in the harbor wait
ing TO lead lumber, and the tug or hum
ooat made three trips daily from the main
land to the island. carrying large num-
per OF passengers each trip On the wharf
Where the tug landed Its passengers the
nurses from the hospital. as well as the
employees, and Outlines the crews of the
vessels, rsorted TO hear the news of the
gay or to eater into conversation with the
people from the mainland.
The doctors statement shows two thipos.
he nad the fever, and he could have gotten
the Infection from the island. What could
nuppeh 10 MIN could as easily happen TO
others-and all because of the los NO.
OF conducting the National uuarantine.
why therefore. extol the National GUAR.
antine as our only possible means of sal
vation from the yellow fever? II seems
10 us to have been the special agent for
giving this country the fever.