The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-09-24
ON THB INCREASE
THE FEVER SITUATION ASSUMES
MORE SERIOUS ASPECT.
Eight New Cases and One Death I'm New Or
lesns-Chances of Disastrous Epidemic
Their Kemose-Three New Cases ut Ocean
Springs and seven It Biloxi-Propitious
Change I'm the Weather zs New Orleans.
Omcial Reports

New Orleans. September 1.-THE fever
situation in New Orleans today assumed
a more serious aspect than at any time
since Sunday. when six of the st. Claude
cases were declared to be yellow fever.
At 6 O'Clock this evening the board of
health of the city announced the appear
ance Of eight new cases. and of these.
one death. that of Zena Brauner. At the
office of the board of health today's re-
ports We're considered somewhat surpris-
ing and disappointing. The situation had
SO materially opened last night that ii
was felt that pretty much the worst had
come. and conditions would improve.
Yesterday was one of the hottest days of
them month. and as yellow fever thrives in
that character Of weather there seems to
have been a rapid development of gems.
The physicians still feel, however, that
there is much that is satisfactory in the
situation. 1t is true that the new cases
today represent the extreme upper. the
extreme lower, and the central portion
Of the city, but there has been no serious
spread of the more original foci, and the
hopeful opinion is still expressed that the
disease may be controlled and that there
is no imminent danger of an epidemic.
Secretary Patton, of the board, said this
y Aht 'iAS III NiSAl
today is not necessarily alarming. / said
three evenings ago that the prospects
seemed to point to the development here
of at last fifty cases as a result of con-
slant intercourse We have been having
with the infected towns on the gulf coast,
and the fact that a promiscuous thronS
Of some 700 or 800 people had FASTENED into
the city on the Monday evening following
the declaration of the Ocean Springs sick
ness to be yellow fever. We have had
now twenty-eight cases and two deaths.
The majority of the remaining cases are
improving. 1t is still quite likely that
there will appear numerous cases in New
Orleans, but the situation is not Distress
ing and the chances Of a disastrous cpl
demic are remote
The Brauner case was first brought to
the attention Of the board early in the
week. Close attention had been given it,
but while the symptoms justified sus-
picion, they were not sufficiently aggra-
waited to warrant any absolute declaration
that the case was yellow fever.
The board Of health authorities were,
therefore, surprised this morning when
they received the news of the woman's
death. At first it was decided to hold an
autopsy, but subsequently after a visit of
the doctors the board decided the case
was one of yellow fever and so officially
declared.
In the meantime there has been no re-
Taxation of the efforts on the part of the
authorities to control the disease. The
force of inspectors and police officers is
being steadily increased and quarantine
measures are becoming more and more
rigOdOuS.
On the whole the weather conditions to-
day were advantageous. A heavy rain
storm this afternoon lasting several
hours, flooded the streets, thoroughly
flushed the cutters and tempered the
atmosphere, and while cooler weather is
! somewhat dangerous for the sick, it is a
material aid in frustrating a spread Of
the disease. Tonight the city is COM
/ paratively calm. People continue to leave
in small parties, but there is nothing like
the wild exodus that ~depopulated Mobile,
Jackson and other places.
The situation was somewhat quieter to-
day at Ocean Springs. Three cases, how
| ever, were reported.
The report Of the board of health at
Biloxi today says that there are nine
! teen cases of actual yellow fever under
treatment, with diagnosis reserved as to
cass reported in the tw~enty-four hours
ending yesterday. The doctors at Biloxi
are tempted now no longer to class cases
as suspicious, but to come out boldly and
say that they are yellow fever.
| The New Orleans board of health an
nouncad tonight that many of the older
cases of yellow fever that nave been
heretofore reported are rapidly progress
| New Orleans. September 17.-Following
is the daily official bulletin of the board
of health:
The board of health of the state of
| Louisiana, officially announces the status
of affairs in New Orleans, as regards yell
low fever, to be as follows: During the
twenty-four hours ending at 6 o'clock p.
M. today there were positive cases, in
Guiding three previously considered sus-
picious, 9; cases considered suspicious,
none; deaths, 1. The patient dying has
been ill for the past six months with pro-
nounced malarial poisoning. Total cases
to date %, total deaths to date 2. "A
large majority of those under treatment
reported by attending physicians, are
doing WELL"
The cases are scattered all over town
and the death was of a case which had
not been decided yellow fever, and was
not deemed SO until the last day.
The citizens are organizing themselves
into a force to assist in the work of
thorough sanitation, appointing a volun-
teer foreman for each square to superin-
tend street cleaning and the thorough dis
infection of each household.
Condensed Testimony.
l ChoS p HIND Prolor onl NFo~~eo.