Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-11-18


TAKEN TO PREVENT THE OUT
BREAK OF FEVER IN WEST IN
DIAN PORTS.
Washington, d. c., November IT,
The yellow fever problem has been re-
ceiving earnest attention of late from
the authorities particularly from the
marine hospital service and the War
Department, owing to the important
new relations established with Cuba
and other fever localities to the south
of us, and also because of the recur-
renee of the disease within this coun-
try during the last summer. The pur-
pose is to prepare during the coming
winter months for such an efficient
Gordon of protection around the coun-
try that the chances of a reintroduc-
ton of the disease will be reduced to
minimum, while at the same time the
points of infection-in Cuba and else
where will be SO improved by SANTA
ton and guarded by quarantine that
the main sources of danger will be re.
moved Already the marine hospital
service has begun it's work of estab-
fishing Gordon of quarantine around
Cuba. A large floating disinfecting
plant is at Santiago, although not yet
In operation. These are to take charge
Of the shipping coming to American
ports and put it through such thor
ough disinfection that all fever germs
will be removed Similar floating
plants will be established at all other
large commercial points, and such
rigid rules put in force that the ship
ping will be free from danger before it
is out of Cuban waters, although the
same rigid quarantine at American
ports will be continued. Surgeon Gen
eral Wyman is going ahead with this
floating disinfection although the pres
ent laws are not all that is desired to
give officials the right to establish
quarantine outside of the country.
Owing to this weakness of the law
strong efforts will be made to have
Congress pass what is known as the
Caffrey bill, granting additional quar-
antine powers.
Besides the quarantine to provide
against the escape of diseases from the
island the authorities are now consid-
ering plans for the internal sanitation
of the island on an extensive scale.
What branch of the service will have
that in charge is not yet settled. Sur
gecn General Wyman says the marine
hospital service will undertake the
work if it is desired But as Cuba will
be under military rule for many
months to come, the War Department
may determine to carry on the local
sanitation in connection with it's other
branches of military occupation and
control. Just what should be done in
the way of draining, clearing away foul
deposits, and establishing modern san
itary methods at the main points of
Cuba is being thoroughly canvassed by
officials here, and it is expected that
plan and the ones to execute the plan
will be decided on at an early day.
Another means of coping with the
disease is by stationing force of fever
experts throughout the island to report
on the condition OF contagion and the
appearance Of any new outbreak.
The Surgeon General now has two of
these experts at Havana and one at
Santiago, and this will be the nucleus
of much larger force. Two other eE-
perts, surgeons Wasdin and Geddings,
left here yesterday for Havana, rails
ing the force there to four officers, be-
sides the subordinates and assistants.
The work of Messrs. Wasdin and
Geddings is considered particularly
important, as they are specially ap-
pointed by the President as a commits
sion to ascertain the cause of yellow
fever. This appointment was made
about year ago and the experts have
opened laboratories and conducted their
inquiries at New Orleans and Havana.
The work Havana was interrupted
by the war, but the laboratory outfit
did not suffer during hostilities and
they now return to resume the inves-
tigation. Their preliminary report to
the Surgeon General, submitted few
days ago, is said to be one of the most
important contributions to medical
science made in recent days as it prac-
tically sustains the Sanareli theory
that yellow fever is the outgrowth of
a certain organism. This is not yet
the positive conclusion of the United
States commissioners but Surgeon
Geddirgs report that in his expert
ments he has found that 76 per cent.
of the yellow fever cultures had the
organisms described by Sanarelli,
while Surgeon Wasdin identified ~
per cent. of cases as showing the San
arelli organisms. DR.. Geddings sup
plements his report by recommending
that as the bacillus interoids of San