The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-06
WYMAN ON His YEARS WORK.
MARINE HOSPITAL SERVICE
TREATS SHAFT PATIENTS.

AtSS nun HI Nne PREVIOUS ACUFs
Total of 1921 Immigrants In
spected-Shelter For Deck Crews
ON Western Rivers-GOOd Work in
the Yellow Fever District-SmaII-
pOx in sixteen States-Danger in
Cholera and the BubOnic Plague.
Washington, Dec. 5.-Surgeon General
Wyman of the marine hospital has sub
mitted his annual report to Secretary
Gage. 1t shows that during the fiscal year
ended June 80, 1897, the total number of
patients treated at the hospital and the
dispensaries connected with the service
was SAT-. Although the total number of
patients treated was SIS in excess of those
treated during the previous fiscal year,
the expenditures were S53S, $50. which is $21,
900 less than for the previous year.
The number of immigrants inspected
by officers of the service at the various
posts aggregated 232,147
The surgeon general says: THE neces-
sty of legislation to secure proper shelter
for deck crews on western rivers, to
which attention was called in the last re-
port, was met by the act of congress APP
proved MARCHES, 1897 requiring every
steamboats, plying upon the Mississippi riv-
er or its tributaries to furnish an appTopri-
ate place for the crew,with protection from
the weather This subject is one that has
engaged the attention of the marine hos
pital surgeons, who have made frequent
reports thereon. and this action of con-
gress will be productive of much relief,
although the act does not take effect until
June 30, 1898.
ITO meet the growing demands of the
service, new regulations, have been pre-
pared and will shortly be issued"
The surgeon general invites attention TO
the excellent work done by the officers of
the corps during the recent visitation OF
yellow fever in the south. Medical olii-
GERS were assigned to duty in infected dis
tricts and although a number of them
were not mmunes to yellow fever they
responded with alacrity and did their du-
ties with Judgment and efficiency. Three
officers contracted yellow fever and one
lost his life by accident in the line OF
duty.
Under the head of public health SER
vice" the surgeon general discusses the
subject Of cholera, smallpox, yellow fever
and the appearance of cholera in Japan
and China, which, he says, is now mat
Ter of greater moment to the United
States than a any previous time, owing
to the rapid growth of commerce between
the countries and the Pacific coast.
Smallpox is reported as having appear
ed in sixteen states between Nov.1, 1896, and
Nov. 1, 1891 In the year previous it APP
peared in twenty-five states.
The prevalence of the bubonic plague in
the eastern hemisphere has offered new
problem for the consideration of the health
authorities of the United States. The dis
ease is reported as increasing a the pres
ent time in Northern India. 1t has also ap-
peared in certain portions of China and
Spain. Special quarantine regulations were
issued with reference to this disease and
a regular officer of the marine hospital
service was sent to the ports of Japan and
China during the summer of 1897
to obtain more accurate knowledge of the
health conditions at these ports and the
liability to contagion extending to the
United States. One vessel infected with
the plague was received and properly
treated at the United States quarantine
at San Francisco,
The report of the international leprosy
conference held at Berlin in October gives
a somewhat imperfect statement of the
number of cases of leprosy in the differ
ent countries of the world, there being
approximately 10000 in India, 10000 in ia
pan, $500 in Hawaii, 1890 in Russia, 200
in Calcutta, and 250 in the United States.
Yellow fever has been unusually preva-
lent throughout the island of Cuba dur
ing the last year. In the port of Havana
alone from Nov. l, 1896, to Nov l, 1897,
there were 1,065 deaths. The disease has
also prevailed extensively throughout the
West Indies and the Spanish main.
A history of the recent epidemic of yell
low fever in the south is also given, with
statistics and the operations of the marine
hospita! service, which were conducted
through experienced officers. This eX-
pert service, DR.. Wyman says, was of
great value in the prompt determination
of the existence of the disease, without
which the necessary precautions would
not have been taken by local authorities.
The surgeon general states that there Is
little doubt but that the work which was
done had a marked effect in controlling
the spread of the disease and preventing
a much more extensive epidemic.
The total number of cases of yellow
fever reported TO the bureau up to Nov.
10 was 4 1873, and the number of deaths 425.
OF these there were 1,722 cases and pa
deaths in New Orleans.
The report gives a full account of the
operations of the eleven national quaran-
tine stations and the measures taken to
enforce the national regulations at San
Francisco and Sabine Pass, Tex, where
DR.. Wyman says, by reason of local mad
equacy, interference was necessary
Attention was called to the fact that an
effort was made more than a year ago to
on Ship Island by state quarantine of
the same character on neighboring ISL
and nearer the shore, but, DIR. Wyman
says, it failed.
Reference is made to attempts to excite
concern regarding the Ship Island station
on account of its alleged proximity to the
coast, which, the surgeon general says,
has been falsely stated as five miles,
whereas 1t is twelve miles away
The national station was removed from
Chandelier to Ship Island in 1894 after the
destruction of the Ctmldeleur station by
a storm. which swept the hospital out
to sea and drowned five people. It's trans
fer was legalized by the appropriation act
of 1896.
The surgeon general again refers to the
necessity of a more strict national quar-
antine law, which he has made the sub
ject Of special report in the past two
years, and he makes recommendations
looking to the strengthening of the present
law, both to prevent the spread Of disease
and interference with interstate commerce
during times of epidemic.
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MORGAN RECAPTURED.