New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-01
OFFICIALS ENCOURAGED.
BUT ACTIVITY NOT RELAXED-sCRGEoN
WASDINS REPORT.


WAsDINs REPORT.
Washington. July 31-The last official advices
received here tonight show total OF thirty
seven cases and seven deaths from yellow 1eVer
at the Soldiers Home. at Hampton, Va One
new case occurred to-day. Thus far the disease
has been confined to the Home, but all the sur
rounding towns are excited. and vigorous
quarantine is being maintained. Dr. Wasdin, or
the Marine Hospital Service. Is in charge or al
fairs at Hampton and is working in co-opera-
ton with the local boards of health. He has
strengthened the Gordon about the town OF
Phnbus which, he reports is in bad sanitary
condition
The fact that only one new case appeared to-
day Is encouraging to the officials here, who
are taking every measure TO prevent a spread
OF the disease The fact that the affected To-
cality is in the hands of the Government and
under one MANAGEMENT will he of great value in
dealing with the scourge and will enable better
results to be obtained than where epidemics
break out in commercial places. Already a number
Of inquiries have been received by Dr. Wyman
from quarantine officers throughout the United
States asking whether they shall impose mari
time quarantine against Norfolk He has re-
piled that there appears to he no necessity for
such restrictions in the case of either Norfolk
or Newport News.
PROBABLE ORIGIN OF THE CONTAGlON
DR. Wasdin's official report of his examination
of existing conditions at the Soldiers Home
reached Dr. Wyman to-day. 1t is dated yester-
day. and notes the fact that the doctor has seen
all the cases Of suspected disease at the Home.
He sums UP the history Of the contagon as fol-
lows:
Early in July an old soldier entered the Home
. for a short rest and afterward appeared
at the dspensary. where he informed the ply
sician in charge that he was recently from
Santiago. via a transport to northern port;
thence he started for Manila via San Francisco;
beat his way 10 the Home on a freight train
and entered with his baggage. He complained
Of dumb chirs and fever and was prescribed for.
He mingled freely with the inmates OF the
Home and a short time ago disappeared.
From this as a possible cause the outbreak Is
as follows: Preceding Friday. the DIST, there
had been noticed nothing Of a suspicious nature
The weekly death rate was as usual But on the
Dist and odd there became i'll during the night,
with sharp or less chill and high fever, some
eight or ten inmates, men Of usually good
health These seizures. although noted as pecul-
FAR had occasioned no alarm until about Thurs
day the 9th, when death occurred, the man
becoming distinctly yellow some time prior TO
death On about the same day another one died
without having attracted particular attention:
he also turned quite yellow. Autopsies were
held on both by resident pathologist. 1t was
then a little later that the telegram sent
you asking for an expert. l found there were
$500 inmates and that thirtyfve had been
taken III since the Dist"
CERTAINLY YELLOW FEVER.
Or. Wasdn says he withheld positive dag
noss in his first communication because Of the
assertion OF Surgeon Vickery. at the Home, thai
there had been no communication Of the in
mates with any Cuban soldiers returning since
last May early in June.
With the discovery of the probable origin Of
the infection and the two autopsies to-day there
can be no doubt he says about the disease be-
ing yellow fever. and continues: 81 have ad-
vised Major Nickery TO empty the dormitores
infected az once putting the men preferably in
tents. The grounds are closed. There has been
very free intercommuncaton between the in
mates and people Of PhPbus, a publis house