Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1899-08-05
FIGHTING THE FEVER.
Precautions Are Being Taken to ~ ="
vent Spread OF "YelIow jack"
BEYOND Soldiers Home.

One new case occurred at the home
Monday. Thus far the disease has been
confined to the home, but all surround
ing towns are excited and vigorous
quarantine is being maintained. DIR.
Wasdin, of the marine hospital service,
is in charge of affairs at Hampton, and
is working in cooperation with the To-
ral boards of health. He has strength
-ned the Gordon about the town of
Phoebus, which he reports is in very
bad sanitary condition. The fact that
only one new case appeared Monday
is encouraging to the officials here, who
are taking every measure to prevent
spread of the disease. They feel that
the fact that the affected locality is in
the hands of the government and un-
der one management will be of great
value in dealing with the scourge, and
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 maritime quarantine
against Norfolk He has replied that
there appears to be no necessity for
such restriction in the case of either
Norfolk or Newport News.
DR.. Wasdin's official report of his ex-
animation of existing conditions at the
soldiers home reached DIR. Wyman
Monday. 1t is dated Sunday and notes
the fact that the doctor has seen all the
cases of suspected diseases at the home.
He sums up the history of the con-
tagion as follows:
Early in July an old soldier entered
the home for a short rest, and soon after
ward appeared at the dispensary, where
he informed the physician in charge that
he was but recently from Santiago via a
transport to a northern port thence he
started for Manila via San francisco; beat
his way to the home on a freight train and
entered with his baggage. He complained
of dumb chills and fever and was pre-
scribed for. He mingled freely with the
Inmates of the home, and short time age
disappeared. From this as a possible
cause the outbreak is follows: Preced-
ing Friday, the 21st instant, there had been
noticed nothing of a suspicious nature
The weekly death rate was as usual But
on the 2lst and 22nd there became i'll during
the night, with sharp or less chill, high
fever, some eight or ten inmates, men oi
usually good health. These seizures, al.
though noted as peculiar had occasioneC
when death occurred, the man becoming
distinctly yellow some time prior t
death. On or about the same day another
one died without having attracted partic
ular attention; he also turned quite vel
low Autopsies were held on both by tn,
resident pathologist. 1t was then, or a lit
tie later, that the telegram was sent yol
asking for an expert. l found there wa
$500 inmates, and that So had been taken il
since the 2lst."
DR.. Wasdin says he withheld n posi-
tive diagnosis in his first communica
ton because of the assertion of Surgeon
Nickery at the home that there hat
been no communication of the inmate
with any Cuban soldiers returned sine
last May or early in June. With TIL
discovery of the probable origin of tn,
infection and the two autopsies Mon
day there can be no doubt, he says
about the disease being yellow fever
and continues:
T "I have advised Mai Vickery to empt
, the dormitores infected at once, putin
the men preferably in tents. The ground
are closed. There has been very free in
} accommodation between the inmate
{ | and people of Phoebus, public house nea
the grounds having been freely visited un
til Sunday night. have suggested TO Dl
1 Pettus to. meet one or more of the loca
r | boards of Phoebus and, informing ther
of the state of affairs, ask their coopera
l ton in watching the village. These in
. mates. as L understand 1t. DO not mingl
much with people outside of the villag,
= From this tact 1t would seem possible I
contine it in the home"
;. Hampton, Va, Aug. This usual
: tranquil town has been in a state G
feverish excitement since the discover
: of yellow fever at the soldiers hom
Scores of people took advantage of til
first opportunity to leave the plac,
=. Sunday n special train left Old Poii
h with fully 300 of the guests of the ho
q tells. Business in the town of Pho,
, bus, adjoining the soldiers home,
suspended. 1t is difficult to obtain il
= formation from the home. The Ell
trance, and in fact all points frol
1, which escape is possible, are CAREFUL
guarded. Late Monday afternoon
:, self-appointedg guard of Is Hamptoniar
with winchester rifles went to til
home to assist in enforcing the qua
y antine regulations. Chesapeake
: Ohio trains have discontinued thej
service to the city.
. Newport News, Va, Aug. AFTER
90 day of intense excitement over the We
u low fever outbreak at the soldiers hom
- Newport rests with a feeling of con
s paratiye security. The city officers an
y the various municipal bodies have bee
busy since early morning, and it is fe
II now that no loophole has been lie
10 in which the scourge may find its wa
to this city. The universal hope no
is that the disease will be confine
=, within the home limits, and the al
=, thorities at the institution express COZ
= fidence that this will be done. Althoue
hundreds of people left the city on a
count of the scare, their departure
:. regarded with indifference and anus
= ment, rather than as judicious pr
'e caution, by the great majority who sti
~ at home. The city council appropriate
u $4,000 for immediate use in maintai
= ing the quarantine.