The age-herald., 1898-01-28
AN EXPERT ON
 YELLOW FEVER DF. R. s. WOOdSOn, Of the United States
 Navy, Talks. IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
By the Investigation of the Louisiana Board of Health.
CONFIRM DISCOVERY OF SANARELLI
Will Prove Invaluable to Medical Science Satche Filled With Microbes Disease Inhaled . Floating Particles of Dust
 and in Fabrics.

Dr. R. s. Woodson, of the United States army, who has for several years past been stationed at Jefferson barracks, in New Or leans, was In the city yesterday.
 Dr. Woodson is one of the three medical experts who for some time past have been carrying on extensive Investigations in New Orleans as to the nature of yellow fever microbes.
 pr. Woodson, Dr. P. D. Archinard state bacteriologist of Louisiana, and his broth CT, J. J. Archinard, a professor in Tulane university, made up the trio which con ducted these investigations, which were carried on under the auspices and in the laboratory of the state board of health
 Dispatches from that city several days ago told of the success of the experiments and of the value they would be to the south in arrestng all future spread of the yellow plague.
 Dr. Woodson was seen by an Age-Her- aid reporter yesterday afternoon and ask ed for brief outline of the method they had pursued and what would be the prob- able result of their investigation. He said:
 Discovery of the Germ
 ''The discovery of the germ of yellow fever," said pr. Woodson, lis rather re- cent addition to medical progress The announcement of it's discovery by Sanarelli of Montevideo, was published in the June number of L'Annales de L'Insttut Pas teur Paris. Our work has been to prove the correctness of Sanarellrs claims and to carry on such other investigations as the occasion offered.
 ''The occurrence of the recent epidemic of yellow fever in the south offered an excellent opportunity for such work. and we are now ready to give the results of our labors to the world.
 q will say that we have followed Sam arelli closely and have confirmed to our entire satisfaction his claims to the dis covery of the specific cause of yellow fever.
 eve believe his bacillus icteroides to the pathogenic injections agent of the disease and have isloated it in pure cultures from 70 per cent. of our autopseS. We nave not only succeeded in isloating the germ from the organs of yellow fever cadavers but also from fresh blood, exhaled breath, and sweat of typical cases In this latter, breath and sweat we have gone seep farther than SanarelM and have proved the probable source of infection. We did not succeeded in isolating the germ from the black vomft and in this we are in accord with Sanarelli
 .sThe disease does not have it's origin in the o-intestiIral canal, but is probably inhaled along with floating particles or dust and fabrics called technically "fo- mites"
 Dr. Sternberg's Bacillus
 "Dr Sternberg discovered germ which he calls "bacilus,'' in Havana some years ago. and which he now claims to be identi- cad with Sanarelhs germ. We have done considerable comparative work on ttirt point but prefer not to draw any infer ences as to their identity until further work can be done.
 q am now on my way to Johns Hopkins institute to investigate more fully and more att leisure the claims of Steinberg, and, of course, shall reserve my opinion until after the completion of my work.
 The Vidal Method
 "The method of meteorological diagnosis of typhoid fever applies to yellow fever. which means the application of Wfdals method of serum diagnosis Vidal of the Pasteur institute observed when the serum of the blood of the typhoid fever patient was mixed with "a bouillon culture of the bacillus of typhoid fever, that the micro organisms were all rendered mOtionless and became agghutinabed together in clumps This discovery has proven inval- uable in the diagnosis of fevers of uncer- tain etiology, and the method is now in use in the municipal laboratories of all metropolitan certers A drop of the pa tient's blood taken from his ear or finger is simply collected on glass slide and sent to the laboratory.
 ''We took advantage during the recent outbreak to apply this method to yellow fever and with perfect success.
 '.,The serum of yellow fever causes equal ly as we'll marked agglutination with the bacillus icteroides as in the case of ty- pfoid fever, and furnishes equally as relia- ble means of diagnosis.
 "In the future we will not have to wait for more typical cases to develop and au- topsies to occur before making our diag- nosis, and consequently no delay in insti- tuting prompt and efficient quarantine. This of itself should prove of value in hold ing in check future epidemics of the dis ease.
 Situation in New Orleans
 'The present outlook in New Orleans in regard to yellow fever is very satisfactory. I think that the people at large can with perfect safety trust in the honesty and in- telligence of the health authorities of New Orleans"
 Dr. Woodson entered the army in lSa2, and is now a captain in the medical de- pertinent. Before that time he was for several years resident physician for the Virginia and Alabama Coal company in Walker county. He is nephew of Dr. L. C. Woodson of this city EIe will in the future be stationed at Fort Mcpherson. near Atlanta
 The doctor had a large valise full of yellow fever microbes in his room yester- day. The reporter started for the door on receiving this information, but being ,,a1 hal fhau iinlaSs