The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-12
SANITATION AND YELLOW FEVER

SANITATION AND YELLOW FEN ERR.
The prediction contained in the Havana
report of Col. Waring, that unless that
city is put in a thoroughly sanitary con
ditlon before next June there will be a
fearful epidemic of yellow fever there next
summer excites uneasiness throughout the
country, and increases interest in that fe-
yer. Everything bearing upon the fever
and its treatment is read with interest
Recently, in the North American Re
view there was published an article on
the scientific prevention of yellow fever
written by Dr.. Alvah H Doty, health Of
fcer of the port of New York He is re-
garded as d yellow fever expert. not only
because he has made a special study of
the disease. but also because he comes in
contact with it so frequently i'm the dis
charge of his official duties. We cannot
of course in a brief review, give all the
points in DR.. Doty's article. The most we
can do is to call attention to two or three
of its principal features. With reference
TO the nature of yellow fever he says:
I'VE know that yellow fever is due to a
man system and produces the character
istic symptoms of the disease; that this
micro-organism may infect a circumscrib-
ed area, providing certain climatic and
local conditions are present, and that those
exposed to the infected locality are liable
to contract the disease. Yellow fever is
not contagious in the strict sense
Those outside of an infected locality do
not contract the disease, even when.
brought into close and prolonged contact
with persons suffering from it. There
fore. outside of the infected locality or
zone the disease is harmless"
Relative to the climatic and local con-
diuons necessary for the thriving of the
heterogeneous outside of the human
body, he says the former are not clearly
defined but it is known that dong contin-
ued high temperature and more or less
moisture and a low country are necessary
the disease rarely extending above an
altitude of 1000 feet"
As to the latter conditions there is no
doubt. The requirements are filth and
defective drainage" He states that in
spite of quarantine, the germ of yellow
fever will thrive, if supplied with plenty
of food in the shape of filth. IF starved
by cleanliness its development is stopped"
Or. Doty lays special stress on these as
sortions. His observations in Havana and
Vera Cruz confirm the views of DR.. Stern
berg, surgeon general, U. s. A, that when
physicians or nurses contract yellow fe-
yer, it is because they are exposed to the
infected locality, not because they come
in contact with the sick.
He gives a number of instances where
the outbreak of yellow fever is clearly
traceable to filthy and unsanitary condi-
tons OF the localities, and urges that in
the light of these facts and experiences,
quarantine alone should not be depended
upon to prevent the Introduction and ex-
tension of the disease. He says the South
ern people do not seem to fully appre-
ciate the necessity of perfect sanitation.
In speaking Of the menace which Cuba
is TO our country. he says: mo other
place in the world to-day offers such
menace to the public health of this coun-
try as the Cuban seaports, notably Ha-
vana," which city he describes as one of
the hlthiest in existence, and the home,
throughout the year, of yellow fever. San
itaton is strongly urged Throughout the
article the purpose is to show that the
scientific preventive of yellow fever is
proper sanitation.