San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-15
WHO THINKS IT'S so.

The attention of the Light has been
specifically called to the circular re-
Gently sent out by the medical officers
of this city, to the effect that Our
state is seriously threatened with an
epidemic of yellow fever" This opin-
ion is certainly not shared by the best
physicians in San Antonio, who not
only declare that there is no danger of
yellow fever becoming epidemic here,
but that yellow fever cannot become
infectious in this city. Granting for
the sake of the argument. that it was
in danger of becoming epidemic in GER
tain swampy and malarial sections of
the state, why infiame the public mind
and scatter the fire brands Of a useless
fear by such a proclamation, when
there is no case on record in all the
yellow fever epidemics of the past of
a single case ever originating here, or
being communicated in this city? Was
there any need of publishing a state
ment to the world of this kind and so
Drejudicing the mind of all other COM
munities against us as to cause us to
be Stunned as a pest? Is it conducive
to the health of the city and the re-
CONSIy VI lHOSe dLuCltu Will OlHSI
simple forms of fever to make such
a proclamation to the world outside of
San Antonio? Is not fear one of the
greatest agents in the spread of dis
ease of every kind, the mind having
so great influence upon the functions
of the body? If so, granting that the
state is threatened with yellow fever,
we are not threatened with it in San
Antonio, for it dies here and does not
propagate itself, and why put the COM
fort and peace and trade of the city in
peril for nothing?
But who says that yellow fever is
epidemic anywhere and threatening to
become so in Texas? Galveston and
Houston have been declared taboo,
under quarantine, on account of yell
low fever in those cities, but the prom
inent physicians of those cities over
their own signatures deny the exist
ence of a single case, and moreover
show that not one of the cases libel |
ed as suspects has terminated fatally. |
Does this show any tendency to cpl |
demic yellow fever in this state? A |
disease is only epidemic practically |
according to the statement of DR.. |
Guiteras when questioned herein) |
when as many people die of the disease |
as from all other causes combined. |
During the weeks elapsed since it was
first asserted that there was yellow
fever in Beaumont not a single death
has occurred in this state, that the
most reckless has had the assurance
to affirm was caused by yellow fever.
Why then officially proclaim the state
is seriously threatened with yellow
fever? 1t is not wise to do this
thing. 1t is not necessary as a meas
ure of safety. 1t is productive of evil,
only evil and that continually. The
idea of calling the safety Of this city
or of Houston or of Galveston or any
other city in question from a disease
that has not terminated fatally in a
single instance, is foolish. To declare
that such conditions seriously threaten
the state with an epidemic is the re-
suit of-what? San Antonio has no
threat of yellow fever hanging over
her. Quarantine in this state against
a single poin in Texas is senseless.
This whole scare is without any ade-
quate cause. Write these facts to all
your correspondents, people of San
Antonio, and make the letters large
and plain.