The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-01
wAsplN's OFFICIAL REPORT.

WASDIN'S OFFICIAL REPORT.
Washington. July 31.-The latest Off
| cial adviccs received up to eight O'Clock
| tonight show n total of th'rty-seyen
eases and seven deaths at the Soldiers
Home at HAMPTON, Va. One new Ease
occurred at the home today. Doctor
Wasdin. OF the Marine Hospital Ser
vice. is in charge of affairs at Hampton
1lyl is working in co-o3eration vi tn"
local boards of health. He has strength
ened the Gordon about the town r.
phoehus. which he reports - in very
bad sanitary condition.
Already number of inquiries haze
been received by Doctor Wymaa from
quarantine officers throughout tue Uni
fed States asking whether they slaH inn
pose Il maritime quarantine against .>tr-
folk. He has replied that there appears
to he no necessity for such resurrection
in the case of either Norfolk or Newport
News
DR.. Wasdin's Official rcporr G his eN-
animation of existing conditions at the
Soldiers Home reached Dr WA 'an TO
day. Ii is dated yesterday ana ho;tS
the fact that the doctor nas Soon ail
home. He sums up the history of the
contagion as follows:
Early in July an 'old soldier entered
the home for short rest and soon af-
terward appeared at the diSprnsdry
where he informed the physician N
charge that he was but recantiy from
Santiago, via transport 70 a Northern
mort. thence he started for Manila, VIA
% "a la bnn1o
on n freight train and entered with his
baggage. He complained ~ dumb chills
and fever and was prescribed for. lie
mingled freely with the inmates OF ~
home and short time ago disappeared
From this as possible cause inc OF
break is as follows:
preceding Friday the twenty-tirst IN
slant there had been noticed aothtng of
a suspicious nature. Bul q"
and 22nd there became i'll during tie
night with sharp chill and high fever,
some eight or ten inmates, men usually
in good health These seizures, although
noted as peculiar had occasioned no
alarm until about thursday the 18th.
when death occurred, the man hecom
iny distinctly yellow some time prior ta
death. On or about the same day IN
other one died without having attracted
particular attention He also tirne'l
quite yellow. Autopsics were heat on
both by the resident patholoEi*t. i WAS
then or a little later mat the telegram.
was sent you asking You for nm OK
pert. / found there was 1000 inmates
and that thrty-five nad been taken y!
since the Dist"
DIR. Wasdin says he withheld posi-
tive diagnosis in his first communications
because of the assertion oi Surgeon NlcN-
cry at the Home that there has been
no communication Of the inmates With
any Cuban soldiers returned since last
May or early in June. With the discoy-
cry of the probable origin Of the mice
ton and the autopsies today there tail
be no doubt, he says abodt The disedsei
being yellow fever.
Some data furnished by the Surgeon
General shows the prompt manner ID
which the authorities have taken ne
situation in hand Late Saturday Dir.
Wyman received /; Telegram FROM Sur
reon yickery at the home asking for al
expert. DR.. Wasdn was ordered there
from Norfolk at once, and last night
dispatch came from him announcing
that the disease was genuine yellow fc1
yer. Surgeon White was sent from
Washington to take charge of Marine
Hospital affairs. He Ias had large eX-
nerience in yellow fever cpidemics. After
n Gordon had been established around the
Soldiers Home, 1ieighhorinc cities were
warned and ADVISED to hunt FOR any
inmates of the home who might be visit
ing and to keep tnGm under close obser-
walton. Dispatches To- this effect We're
sent Sunday to Norfolk, Portsmouth,
Newport News ano Richmond, and the
health officer ut Washington WIS noti-
fed. In Norfolk 4 houseto-house IN
snection is being made Doctor Far
quhar, at Portsmouth. was oppiEted 10
consult the health authorities there ANA
at the adjoining town of Berkeley and 10
assist in locating army refugees. Passed
Assistant Surgeon Wertenbakar who mas
been ordered from Wilmington, \. C.,
to Hampton is not ~ imnrlns, but is
intimately acquainted with the locality
| and will serve on the outside Of +he cor
| don. Surgeon Vickery at tie nome has
| been ordered to prepare list Of the soi-
diers who have departed within month
| with view to tracing thrn. To-day DR..
| Wyman ordered Assistant Surgeon Won
Ezdorf from New Orleans ~ Hampton.
Passed Assistant Surgeon Smith who is
now on leave has been directed to re-
! turn to Norfolk. Surgeon Mdgruder has
ben ordered from Memphis. Both of
these officers have had large experience
| in quarantine matters., Surgeon PcttuS,
in charge of the Cape Charles anaran.
| tine, has been ordered to assign his as
sistant, Surgeon McClintock to temper
AIRY charge and to remain on duty him.
/ self If Old Point