Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-07-22
YELLOW FEVER TENT
Precautions Being Taken at
Fort Monroe. @
MARINE HOSPITAL ORDER
Beginning This Morning, Dr. pettus vii,
Have Entire Control of an. Trans
ports Arriving in the lIarbor
H. at Fort Monroe.

The people OF Fort Monroe and of all
the Peninsula towns Will be glad To
KNOW that il yellow fever about which
SO much has been heard since the ar
rival OF the City of Washington las;
week, mas not already obtained Il foot
hold in the post hospital 1t Old Point
II rs not in the least likely to do so.
me correspondent of the Daily Press
le;'rned yesterday from Il source that is
absolutely reliable that. beginning this
morning. DIR. w. j. Pet.us. United
states Marine Hospital Surgeon. and
one OF the most efficient and trustwor-
thy officials OF that important branch
OF the public service. will have entire
control of all transports and other gov
eminent vessels arriving in Hampton
Roads. Under the new order. which
was received at Fort Monroe Wednes-
day evening, DR.. Pettus Will be able to
turn away any ship which, in his
Judgment. has on board persons who
nave been exposed to the disease at
santiago or elsewhere. His word will
be law, whatever the wishes or opiu-
ions of Others may be. Willie the cour-
t"ouS marine hospital surgeon has not
authorized any such statement, and
would unuuestionably decline to DO so.
1t is an undeniable fact that had he
been In full control when the Breakwa-
ter sailed into Hampton Roads she
would have been ordered t. sail away
without putting a man ashore. Such
an order would not have worked the
slightest hardship to any of the Sick
and wounded soldiers on the yessel.
But This. let it be understood, is no,
saying that the Breakwater brought
yellow fever to Hampton Roads. OF
course. If she did the fact cannot be
much longer concealed.
The order extending the authority Of
DIR. Pettus in quarantine matters ex-
II : t.,1.o
at Old Point Tuesday evening by Mr.
NJ. y. w. Waller, Informing him tina,
the government would probably find 1t
necessary to take charge of the room
in the dock building now occupied by
the Old Dominion Steamship Company
as an office. Mr. Waller will not be in
the least surprised if ne shall be called
upon at any time within the next week
to surrender his quarters. No coaxing
will be required to induce him to do SO.
The room will become the general
headquarters of the Marine Hospital
Service under the direction of DR.. Pet
tus. Now. While all of this looks suspi-
cious, it is not to be taken as an admis-
sion that yellow fever exists at the
Fort Monroe hospital, although there
are people who declare that there a7e
now several cases under treatment.
While it would hardly be in keeping
with strict regard for the truth to
say that there is no sickness at Fort
Monroe calculated to excite apprehen-
sion. it may be confidently asserted
that no physician has said anything 10
warrant the rumor that yellow fever
has actually broken out. One thing is
certain. and that is that the moment
DR. Pettus is convinced that the
scourge has appeared the public will be
given the benefit Of the information.
No one in authority has said so, but it
,1s,.>
ton of the first case will be followed
by the establishment of the most rigid
quarantine regulations. No one will be
allowed to enter the reservation and
those within. excepting, Of course. a
few persons who are compelled to pass
to and fro, Will be allowed tn leave. But
let it be borne in mind that measures
like this will not be reSoI1ed to until
they become essential as means of pre-
venting the spread of the pest. Major
De Witt and his staff of assistants at
the hospital have been on the alert ever
since the first installment of sick and
wounded soldiers was landed. and no
precaution which promised to secure
the public safety, not to mention that
of the hundreds Of regulars and volun-
tcers stationed at Fort Monroe. has
been neglected.
Yesterday work was about completed
on a yellow fever tent set up in spot
remote from those in which the wound-
ed are being cared for. lt will be sup
piled with every modern appliance for
treating the disease and will be closely
guarded day and night. No one ex-
cept the doctors and attendants VIII be
permitted to so near it. The most sci
entific means OF fumigating and disin-
fecting will be employed and every pre-
caution that sense and science can suS-
gest will be employed to confine the