Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-09-25
SPECTER OF THE MOB
Raises It's Ugly Head to Further
Afflict the Stricken South.
ern Crescent City.
HINTS THAT THE DOCTORS ERR;

That this Epidemic Is Not Yellow Fever
That II Is Being Treated Wrongly, Etc.
Threats Of Shotgun RuIe-Mob Already
Plies the Torch. but Meets a Mayor Who
Says 1t Shall Not Isule-Reports from
Places stricken with Yellow Jack.
| New Orleans. Sept. 25.-The special
! correspondent Of the Chicago Journal
| telegraphs his paper: Is the fever that
Is at present causing SO much excitement
In the south yellow fever? Every day
more supporters are added to the ranks
Of those who hold that it is eitherdengue
or some new and comparatively harmless
fever hitherto unknown to the medical
world az an epidemic disease. just as la
grippe. appendicitis. and other complica-
tions unknown to practitioners Of the
young nineteenth century have suddenly
sprung into existence and prominence
during Its declining years.
The arguments are: First-That the
death rate has been disproportionately
small. 2. That the fever does not re-
sehble yellow fever in the length of time
1t holds the patient. yellow fever being
XIII or cure in five days. 3. That in
many cases an autopsy has to be made
10 decide whether the victim had died
OF yellow fever. when the old doctors Of
1873 fame declare that 1t is not neces-
cary to wait until man Is dead, as the
symptoms manifest themselves plain
enough during life.
Finds Fault with the inspectors.
In New Orleans there have been six
deaths out Of about ninety cases, and it
IS Claimed In many quarters by reputa-
Die citizens. that three Of these deaths
were due to outside causes. The boy
Geipi. fresh from q fever bed. rode in
the sun on bicycle and drank two
glasses OF Ice cream soda; q woman. It
Is SAID, died from fright after having
had FEVER for six weeks, caused by the
enhance into the room Of INSPECTORS.
when, according to all rules, II is essen
tlal that fever patients be kept quiet: :
ana 1t Is claimed that one Of the meE
who died had sprained himself by at
tempting to lift heavy safe. The
neignbors OF the woman, to show their
disbelief in the diagnosis Of the physi-
clans. attended the funeral in a body.
In ocean Springs three OF the women
who died were 81 years Of age.
And Digs Up the Mob Spirit.
IL this be not yellow fever. il all this
trouble. sorrow and loss this breaking
up OF commerce and tearing apart Of
Families. be proven to have resulted from
raise prophesies and inefficient physi-
clans what will happen to the consti-
tuted authorities? There is a popu,er
rage that 1t is dangerous. The cool heads
OF New Orleans appreciate that the state
board OK health. although its Law MEM
bers be not remarkable for abnormal in
teiiectuality. has done what could be
zone under the circumstances; but all
heads are not cool. especially down here
In the south. Brains are beginning 70
boil and simmer.
Threat of . "itepresentative" Citizen.
Here Is the talk Of a representative
citizen. the father OF nine children: .If
one OF my little ones gets sick and thess
board inspectors attempt TO enter nv
mouse 1 shall get together a few friends
with shotgunS and II they persist there
VIII be in that neighborhood more deaths
from giIshot wounds than from yellow fe-
YER. 1t may be mentioned as an inter.
esting fact. without any deductions be-
ing drawn. that a large sum Of money
appropriated by the United States for
the fighting Of yellow fever would have
reverted to the national treasury this
month had nothing developed.