The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-01
THIRTY-SEVEN CASES AND SEVEN
DEATHS AT THE SOLDIERS,
HOME AT HAMPTON, VA.
IT is THE GENUINE SCOURGE
SO SAYS EXPERT DIR. WAsDIN, WHO
WAS SENT TO HAMPTON TO
INVESTIGATE
QUARANTINE IS ESTABLISHED

vent Spread of the Disease-Was
Brought to Hampton by an Old
Soldier, Just Returned From San
tiagO, Cuba-Big Scare In Neigh
boring Towns and Villages.
| WASHINGTON, July 31.-The latest Of
| ticial advices received up to s o'clock to-
| night show a total of 81 cases and seven
deaths from yellow fever at the soldiers
| home at Hampton, Va. One now case oc-
Cur1e ed at the home today. Thus far tho
| disease has been confined to the home,
but all surrounding towns are excited,
and vigorous quaI antine is being main
| tanned. DR.. Wasdin, of the marine hes
pital service, is in charge at Hampton,
and is working in cooperation with the
local board of health. He has strength
ened the Gordon about the town of Phot-
bus, which he reports is in a very bad
sanitary condition.
The fact that only ore new case ap-
peared today is very encouraging to the
officials here, who are taking every meas
ure to prevent a spread of the disease
They feel that the fact that the infected
| territory is in the hands of the govern
ment, and under one management, will
| be of great value in dealing with the
scCurge, and enable better measures to
be taken than if it were in some CONNER
cial place.
| Messages were received by DR.. Wyman
from quarantine officers throughout the
United States, asking whether they snah
impose maritime quarantine against
Norfolk. He has replied that there ap-
pears to be no necessity for such re-
striction in the case of Norfolk or New
port News.
DR.. Wasdin's official report of existing
conditions at the soldiers home reached
Dr. Wyman today. 1t is dated yesler-
day, and notes the fact that the doctor
has examined all cases Thoroughly. The
physicians story of the outbre reak is as
follows:
STORY OF THE OUTBREAK.
Early in July an old soldier entered
i the home for short rest, and soon after
wards appeared at the dispensary, where
he Informed the surgeon in charge that
/ he was from Santiago, via transport for
the north; that he started for San Fran
the home, and entered with his baggage.
He complained of dumb chills, and ws s
treated according. He remained in the
home until short time ago, when nc Gis-
appeared. From this as a possible cause
the outburst is as follows: Preceding
Friday, the 21st inst, there had been no
ticed nothing of a suspicious nature. The
weekly sick rate is as usual But on
the 21st and 22d there became i'll duling
the night, with more or less chill or
/ high fever, some ten of the inmates, men
of usually good health. This particular
| occurrence occasioned no alarm until
about Thursday, the 9th, when a death
| occurred, the patient turning yellow
some time prior to death. On or about
the same date another died without at
| turned quite yellow. Autopsies were
held on both by the resident pathologist.
1t was then or a little later that teie-
gram was sent you asking for an expert.
1 found that there were $500 inmates,
and that 35 had been taken i'll since the
2st''
DR. Wasdin said he withheld a positive
diagnosis in his previous communication
because Of the positive assertion of DR..
Vickery that there had been no COM
munication between the inmates and any
soldiers returning from Cuba since the
beginning of the year With the discov-
cry Of the old soldiers movements DR..
| WaSdin says there can be no doubt as to
the disease or cause. DR.. Wasdin says:
"I have advised Maj. Vickery to disin-
feet the dormitories at once, putting the
| are closed. There has been a very free
intercommunication between the inmates
! and people of Phoebus, a public house
| near the grounds having been freely
visited until last night. l have suggested
| to DR.. Pettus to meet one or more of
the local boards Of Phoebus, and inform
them of the state of affairs, asking their
! cooperation in watching the village.
! These inmates, also understand 1t, do not
| rningle with people outside of the vii
lage. From this fact it would seem pos
sible to confine 1t in the home. :"
Some data furnished by the surgeon
general show the prompt manner in
which the authorities have taken the
matter in hand.
GENUINE YELLOW FEVER.
Late Saturday night DIR. Wyman re-
ceived a telegram from Surgeon Vickery
l..
Wasdin was ordered there from Norfolk
at once, and last night a dispatch came
from him announcing the disease as gen
uine yellow fever. Surgeon White was
sent from Washington to take charge
Of marine hospital affairs. He has haG
large experience in yellow fever cpl
denies After Gordon had been estab-
Hshed around the soldiers home neigh
boring cities were warned and advised tc
hunt for any inmates OF the home who
might be visiting and to keep them un-
der observation. Dispatches TO this ef-
feet were sent Sunday to Norfolk, Ports
mouth, Newport News and Richmond
and the health officer at Washington was
notified. In Norfolk house to house In.
spection is being made Dr. FarQuhar
at Portsmouth, was appointed to consult
the health authorities there, and at the
adjoining town of Berkeley. and to aid Ii
locating refugees.
Passed Assistant Surgeon Baker, who
has been ordered from Wilmington, N c.
to Hampton, is not an immune, but 1:
Intimately acquainted with the localit,
and will serve on the outside of the cor
don.
Surgeon vickery, at the home, has beer
asked to prepare a list OF soldiers WHO
have departed within a month, with {
view to tracing them.
Today DR.. Wyman ordered Assistan
Surgeon Won Esderof from New Orlean:
to Hampton. Passed Assistant Surgeon
Smith, who is on leave, has been directed