New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-24
THE YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC.

THE YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC.
The course run since September by the cpl
demic Of yellow fever now mildly raging in GER
tain parts of the South confirms. on the whole.
the optimistic views already expressed in these
columns of the situation with which the health
and sanitary authorities in Mississippi, Louis-
ana. Alabama and the other Gulf States are now
confronted. 1t Is true that within the last week
the spread Of the infection in the city of New
Orleans has been pronounced as To excite re-
ncwcd distress and apprehension. while in Mo-
bile and in the smaller Mississippi towns in
which the plague has taken root no definite
check has apparently been put upon It's subtle
and inSidiouS progress Worst Of all. the germs
of the fever seem 10 have been carried up the
broad and open highway Of river traffic 10 towns
altogether remote from the original seat of the
outbreak. Cairo ILL.,. has reported four cases OF
real or suspected Yellow Jack To. Marine Hos
pital Service authorities ut Washington. and in
other Mississippi River towns additional fever
patients are not unlikely 10 be discovered. But
in spite Of these rather diSquctng developments
conditions in the fevcr-strckcn districts may be
said in general To DO distinctly rcassur!ng. The
excessive and dcbilltating heats Of September
have AT last been broken by a cool wave, which
has reduced temperatures in many parts of the
South below the point nj which the dreaded
fever germs can readily propagate themselves.
and this welcome natural embargo on the prog
ross Of the Infection has naturally stimulated
Nh" local health authorities To fresh and more
effective efforts 10 stamp out The disease. Even
in Ncw-OrlcanS. tho chief danger spot on the
Gulf coast. the apprchcnSions of the last few
days have been greatly aaycd by the promise
Of early approach OF frost. or M least Of that
cooler autumn weather which invites and ac-
companies the dccadcncc Of each recurring fever
plague.
Yet even without the FASTENED Intervention
Of Jack Frost the present epidemic had prom
iscd 10 spend Itself in comparative rnocuous-
ness. Certainly no ou,h break Of yellow fever
could well have assumed form less dangerous
and malignant than that taken by the infection
developed a month ago AZ Ocean Spri1gs. For
though the roll Of cases In the three States Of
Alabama. Mississippi and Louisiana his been
swollen day by day TO formidable proportions.
the mortality reported So far has been practical
~ dwarfcd alongside the percentages of fa litv
shown in the epldcmics Of former years. About
two hundred and fifty cases Of genuine yellow
fever have now been brought officially 70 the
attention Of the Marine Hospital Service at
Washington. and probably one hundred more
suspected cases have passed under inspection
and treatment By purely local health boards.
Bur the number Of deaths SO far announced Is
estimated AT something less than ) per cent of
tho whole number of cases treated and there Is
no reason to think that the rate OF mortality will
materially Increase, as conditions grow daily
more unfavorable 10 The development of the dis.
ease. Indeed. when It Is remembered that NJ
Jacksonville in 1883 the percentage of deoths
from yellow fever amounted to 10 per cent of
NIL the cases, and that in earlier cpdemlcs II
had risen rs high as 20 per cent the mildncss
Of the present outbreak, rs unlookcl-for rs II *
phenomenal. should be gratefully appreciated
Extensive loss Of life IS therefore not to be
feared as the chief evil likely to be- wrought hv
the prevailing epidemic. The damage II has nj
ready done and will continue 10 do to tbc
SouthS business interests. through the stopnogo
OF traffic and commerce I'm certain sections con
not fall TO assume considerable proportions But
perhaps the most serious harm 1t will entail will
be 10 fix suspicion Of relaxing vigilance on thc
State boards charged with scrutinizinr intcr-
course along the Gulf coast with the nIopue
breeding ports OF the West Indies and the Carib
bean. Under such an imputaiion the Gulf Stot.s
ought not to allow themselves hereafter to rcst
For so long as dreaded diseases like yellow rever
are allowed to creep into Southern ports that
section or the Union cannot hope to assert It's
equality with the rest of the Union as \ nod
for The pursuit Of life or happiness.