Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-07


nome here. Soon AFTER arriving. despite
, me pest medical attendance, he died. DIR.
ihearo' the physician In charge, i'm
neciately reported TO the Board OF
nealtn, and expressed the opinion that
'ne death was due to yellow-fever.
ihis afternoon an autopsy proved that
Dr. yheard's idea of yellow-feyer was
correct steps were promptly taken to
prevent possible spread OF the disease.
as the case was one OF importation, the
doctors expressed confidence that they
would be able TO check the spread OF
the disease.
The death OF young Gelpi naturally
caused no little excitement In the city.
Physicians. however, expressed no ap-
prehension. and stated their belief that II
was quite possible to arrest q spread OF
the fever The board during the day
had ordered a rigid quarantine against
all points on the Gulf coast, and had
taken every precautlon TO guard ali ave-
nues OF communication against the entry
into the city Of any person from Ocean
Springs. Biloxi. or other points on the
sound, which II was thought the fever
might reach.
During the day the bulletin-boards have
had throngs about them, the Board OF
Health Office has been besieged, and the
with messages TO and from the various
coast resorts. In the mean time, how
ever, reassuring telegrams arrived from
ocean Springs that the Mississippi Board
Of Health had taken every precautiOn
possible to circumscribe the limits OF the
epidemic, and prevent its communication
TO the outside world.
NO FEARS OF SPREAD.
1--WE have no fears" said Dr. Walms-
ley acting president of the Board OF
Health, that the fever will spread in
New Orleans. The Board of Health Is
prepared 10 spend 81 10000 TO stamp II
out, and we see no reason to feel
alarmed. People ought not TO get
frightened. This one case was taken
charge OF I'm time. and such scientific
fumgation has been applied as 10 war
rant the hope that we shall promptly
and effectively stamp out the disease.
We have made arrangements to issue
tonight a circular to every practicing
physician In New Orleans, commanding
him promptly TO report to the Board of
Health every suspicious case Of fever
We have made arrangements TO act
promptly In every case, and III, unfor-
tunately, other cases of yellow-feVer
shall be brought to cur attention, we
shall, without delay. notify the world,
through the Rssociated Press, Of the
facts.
There have been at least four cases
In addition to the Gelpi one of people
suffering from fever, who have come
to New Orleans from ocean Springs.
Ten of the most prominent physicians
of New Orleans have been pressed into
service, and we give the closest atten-
ton to each OF these cases. In every
instance, meteorological examinations
showed the existence only CT malarial
germs, and no evidence Of yellow~fever
microbes. ] am well within the truth,
therefore, when | say the Gelpi case is
the only one of yellow-fever in New
Orleans up to the present time. and l
am sure we have the city fully COW
cred"
During the week ending August 2lst,
reports reached President Oliphant, of
the Board of Health, of the prevalence
of a sickness at ocean Springs, the nature
Of which was in doubt. DR.. Olphant,
with member of the Board of Health,
went there and learned that there had
been up to that time some 400 cases.
Among these there had been only one or
two deaths, but in several cases the
symptoms were so suspicious as to give
rise TO the belief that the fever was of
virulent type. DR.. Oliphant then
brought on Drs. Ceserwisky and Solomon,
and DR.. Patton. secretary of the Board
of Health, all experienced in the treat
ment Of yelow-fever. They visited eleven
patients. and after careful and thorough
examination and investigation, unani-
mously reached the conclusion that the
fever was dengue. The physicians agreed
that none of the cases showed any symp-
toms that would lead TO n suspicion of
more serious disease. These physicians
have had experience in yelow-fever cpl
denies, and are prominent in their pro-
fession.
APPEARANCE OF THE SCOURGE.
During last week, however, yellow
fever i'm viruient form appeared at
Ocean Springs. The quick death of DIR.
Bemss aroused suspicion. and bysSatur-
day the Boards of Health of Mobile and
New orleans were I'm possession Of info:-
nation that justified the fear that yellow
fever had slipped into Ocean Springs.
Official reports to the Boards OF Health
of Mississippi Louisiana, and Alabama
were to this effect. and representatives
Of these boards went to Ocean Springs.
They were at once convinced that their
gloomy apprehensions were not unfound-
ed Careful autopses were made. but
aside from DR.. Saunders, of Mobile the
experts were disposed 10 await further
and complete autopsy to remove all
doubt, before making official announce
ment to the world of the appearance OF
the scourge Last night another pa
tient. a woman, died, and this morning
an autopsy was held. Its results dis
PEELED all previous doubts
President Walmsley, of the Louisiana
Board of Health, said this evening:
"There was never a doubt about the
first diagnosis. AT that time, the dengue-
fever only prevailed, and the death
rate only one half of / per cent In the
past few days, however, yellow-feveI
has gotten into Ocean Springs. That l.
proven by the rapid death rate, and by
a thorough diagnosis of the cases. No
earlier announcement could have been
made. for the reason that prior to last
Friday there was no yellow-fever eXis-
tent in Ocean Springs. The fever had
unouestionably been communicated by
the constant intercourse of Ocean Springs
with Ship Island, where there is q
limited States Government quarantine
station. Ships from all parts of the world
touch there A large number OF them
from tropical countries, where yellow
fever is Indigenous TO the SOIL report
there weekly
There has been steady and uninter-
runted communication between the island
and the coast towns, ana 1T
Walmsley has little or no doubt that
this has been the means of bringing into
ocean Springs the deadly germs OF yel-
low-fever If rigid quarantine nae
been maintained between the Island ana
the shore. he believes that ocean spring
,,o,ld now have little else TO contend
With than dengue-fever. Immunity from
eridemic however. has had a tendency
10 breed carelessness. and the result Is
n he found in the calamity that mas
sofa,len the popular southern resort