The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-09-25
IS NOT CONTAGIOUS
A NEW VIEW OF YELLOW FEVER
EPIDEMICS.
Four Essentials Requisite for the
Spread of the Disease ana TWO OF
These Can he Controlled.

Columbus, Texas, September 23.--In an
! interview with DR.. r. II. Harrison, sr.,
whose opportunities to study yellow fever
extend over a term OF more than MY
years. he expresses some views sufficiently
individual to warrant their reproduction.
He insists that yellow fever is not in the
ordinary acceptation OF the term con-
tagious disease and cites instances to sup
port his opinion.
In the epidemic at Norfolk and Ports
mouth. Va, in 1856, which was terribly ma
lignant. there were thousands Of refugees
to the city OF Baltimore, many OF whom
had the disease develop after their arrival
there but In no single instance was 1t
communicated to another or did it spread
The city was sufficiently clean to afford
no hotbed for the multiplication Of disease
germs. Prior to that, during the Mexican
war. our sick and wounded soldiers were
crowded into the hospitals of Chapultepec
with only thin board partitions between
them and hundreds Of yellow fever cases,
and In no instance did one OF our men con-
tract the disease! Still earlier than that
during the years Of 1928 and 1874. while
he resided in Hickman, KY, and when he
had just commenced the study of medi-
cine, large numbers of cases of yellow
fever would pass M the river from New Or
leans, and in many instances syould be put
of in the city and would die there with the
most aggravated symptoms of the disease
yet 1t never spread, though citizens OF the
town and country as we'll did not hesitate
to visit such cases either through curios-
ity or to render service to the afflicted.
The doctor insists that yellow fever is an
In tha form ,ar1t- ta1
sense Of that word; that 1t must have foci
Tor the germs to feed upon and multiply.
He says there are four conditions that
are absolutely essential to the existence Of
yellow fever as an epidemic. and that the
absence OF either one OF these conditions
VIII secure protection against it. The first
OF these is high temperature for con-
siderable period Of time, say two or three
! months; second, an abundance OF organic
matter in state OF decay; third, an abund-
ance OF moisture. and. fourth, the presence
OF the disease germ, be 1t Saranellis typhus
icteroid bacillus or whatever 1t may.
rms fact, II fact 1t is. places this fell
disease entirely within the control of cor
porate authority, The germ may be kept
| out OF given district by a sufficient quar-
antine, and In case the quarantine should
| not be sufficient the presence of quantities
OF organic matter in a state of decay Ia
clearly within the control OF authority. II
may be either removed or destroyed thus
cutting off the source OF Infection upon
| live. 'S's''
DR.. Harrison Is very doubtful whetber
There is anything like the quantity OF vel.
low iever In existence. either In New Or
leans or elsewhere. that has been reported
me mortality is not sufficient for even the
,h'luest epidemics that have ever been
known and the notorious fact that an ic-
se,o.d malarial fever with hemorrhagic in
o ana .s mas prevailed time out OF mind In
or confusion The doctor does not feel y,
an sure that the case OF Loyejoy. Win d,sd
IN beaumont day before yesterday was
true yellow fever, though he has the fmti'
est confidence In Or Swearingen' n.
CLAIMS ,is,na that the doctor was Thoroughly ,us'
o.hou IN soiating the case and warning
full. "'s a. ali doubt