New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-07
FIGHTING YELLOW FEVER.
NOT A FORMIDABLE DISEASE UNDER
PROPER TREATMENT.

MODES OF INFECTION AND OF GUARDING AGAINST
1.-THE sTERNBERG ALKALINE TREATMENT.
Washington. Aug s.-As the yellow flag OF Spain
has been superseded by the more subtle agency Of
yellow jack in It's attacks upon the soldiers at
Santiago. and the United States IS likely for
some time to come to have control OF the Islands
Of Cuba and Porto Rico. hotbeds OF yellow fever,
It becomes Il matter of concern ard interest to
tho entire Nation to know how to deal effectively
with this nsidous foe. II Is fortunate no doubt,
that tho medical staff OF the Army Of the Navy
and Of the Marine Hospital Service. under the
Treasury Department. were so well prepared 10
treat this maady at the very outbreak OF hosiili-
ties
Surgeon General W X Van Reypen is authority
for the statement that there has not been case
Of yellow fever upon any vessel Of the Navy since
the year 1885. and this is to Toe attributed largely TO
the sanitary Instructions prepared by the Bureau
Of Medicine and Surgery. such as were issued In
April by Secretary Long. These instructions are
concise and denite. and In part would be quite as
applicable 10 residents in dwellings, cities and
towns. as to marines. Strict attention 10 ventila-
ton IS urged. the use OF pure water for drinking
and culinary purposes. careful attention to the
cooking and character OF food. TO clothing, bath
lng and the avoidance OF infection.
Under the supervision Of Surgeon-General Walter
Wyman. the officers u the United States Marine
Hospital Service. controlling all quarantine reguia-
tlons have just issued pamphlet OF ia pages upon
the Nature, DIAGNOSIS. treatment ana irOpn-
ylaxis." this disease. The articles are writ
By Surgeons q d. Murray. John Guteras. II.
ID. GeddinEs. II. X. Garter. Eugene Wasdin w. f.
Brunnor. 4 II. Gennan. Seaton Norman. J. n.
White. George b. Young. Preston II. Bahache and
Z. X. Sprague. and cover every phase Of the SUBJ
tect. Supervising Surgeon Wyman. though not
immune. has treated many cases Of yellow fever.
ard does regard I, with the dread common to
nexperience.
Dr. George NJ S;ernberg. Surgeon General Of the
United States Amy, has been recognized by the
medical profession throughout the world as an au-
thority upon this subject for many years. He has
had the disease himself. has treated It In It's
3 well nili'r phases. ahd his published works
Upon tho subject are accepted standards for dag
sis and tram mt
A DISPUTE AS TO THE MODE OF INFECTION
As to the mode OF Infection. authorities differ;
some say from the food and from the air
Says DR.. Wasdln: yellow fever is essentially an
air-borne Infection. the entrance of which into the
system has been supposed to be by way OF the
alimenatary canal; the upper intestine serving the
purposes OF incubation OF the causative germ; the
absorption Of It's poison giving rise to the disease
More recently It has been advanced that probably
the germ II yellow fever enters the general cir
culation through the respiratory organs in
obscure manner. and, !ncubatng in the blood d.
rectly posons this life-giying stream"
Or. Carter says: THE infection is heavy and
hangs and spreads near the ground 1t is unable
to pass close wall OF any considerable height.
although under the shady side OF such wall it
may spread we'll when started K seems
pecally active at night. and certainly OF doors:
is less likely to be contracted on clear dry days
1t Is believed. think universally TO be taken into
the human system by inhalation. although other
avenues of entrance. since the obser' atoms OF
Sanarelli assumed by pathologIs;s."
II the temperature OF a town is sufii GENTLY low.
by reason either OF its elevation its latitude. a
pi,ay Cd he
disease will not cause II 70 be communicated to
others Thus "A resident OF the CRY OF Mexico may
come down with this fever after visit to Vera
Cruz where during the summer months. 1t is
endemic or II visitor from the coast city may de-
velop the disease In Mexico: set no original cases
OF yellow fever have been known 10 develop in the
Mexican capital h9ash It The not TsnTK napt bS 0F
been observed in Petropois an elevated health
resort near Rio JanelrO. When the disease pre-
vailed in New-York in 1892 II confined TO the
lower part OF the city Those who wen; into the
infected locality were liable TO attack. but II they
tricts they aid not communicate It TO others.
Ordinarily It seems necessary also that me infec
to develop In order to produce any widespread ef;
sewerage, are not likely to find Judgment for the
disease: and In cities where II has become epidemic
Rio Jnnel:o. II develops and is maintained in low
lying districts Astounding In decomposed matter OF
animal origin. Certain observations made by sur
veon-Cieneral Wyman seem very pertinent;
RELATION OF DRAINAGE TO CONTAGIoN.
."The drainage facilities OF a city. In order 10
avoid yellow fever conditions should always be
greater than the volume capacity Of its water sup
nlv This Is not the case at Havana, nor PROBABLY
In ory othe- Cuban port. The Quite; for sewage
IA An equally important factor. The harbor OF
Havana Is n cesspool which for years has received
tho drainage OF the city. and is virtually Guide
sac with no means OF It's being secured by the tides
mr. fre.h-water streams. The wharves on the Ha-
yana side Of the harbor notorious as foci OF In
fiction Two OF these the Tailapiedra and San
lose are particularly dangerous. Under the latter
eup,ies the sewer from the Military Hospital.
where the yellow fever patients OF the army
treated II has been said that vessel has
besn tied 10 this wharf with a non-immune crew
on board without yellow fever appearing among
them II is known among ship captains Dead
Mans Hole. and captains Of American vessels have
been known pay for the privilege OF discharging
cargoes in the open bay on lighters, at
pense OF 500 500 rather than subject their
10 the dangers OF these wharves.
The Spanish Government was not accustomed TO
apply much II anything. OF the large revenues OF
the island Of Cuba to sanitary improy ements. A
new water supply was provided for Havana. but as
there sewerage to correspond, the sewers
existing being OF pervious MATERIAL uneven IN their
courses and leaky. the danger from epidenics was
actually Increased by the Increased supply OF
water" ,, IL. ~. A..
ease at Santiago preference Is given 10 the stern"