Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-08-03
.ELLOW FEVER OUTBREAK
'orty Cases In the National Soldiers
Home at Hampton, Virginia.
he CONDITIONS ARE SERIOUS
b Telling How Far Infection
Has Reached.
CASES HAVE RESULTED FATALLY

Washington, July 81. Surgeon Cen
al Sternbere has received the follow
g from Lieutenant-C Colonel Dewitt,
Fort Monroe, regarding the out
eak of yellow fever at the National
ldiers Home at Hampton, Va.
Fort Monroe, Va, July 81. Sur
on General, U. S. A., Washington,
c.: At O'Clock p. m. yesterday,
irgeon fettus, United States Marine
ospital Service, quarantine officer,
hcially stated that yellow fever was
National Soldiers Home, Hampton
cases. with six deaths. Command
bg officer took immediate measures for
uarantine. Surgeon Pettus stated
urgeon- general Marine Hospital Ser
ice was notified. Dewitt, Sturgeon. -
Adjutant- General Corbin and Major
ohnston, assistant Acknowledgment
we're at Fort Monroe yesterday, and
Eere present when Surgeon Pettus made
is report to Lieutenant Col. Dewitt
Degrading the outbreak of yellow fever
1t the Soldiers Home. Gen. Corbin
hays that, from all accounts, there is
title doubt that the conditions are
Berious, and there is no telling how far
he infection may have reached. There
is a trolley road along the beach for a
distance of more than six miles, and
I|excursion parties have been coming to-
fOld Point and adjacent places, and
have taken the trolley to Newport
News and the Soldiers Home. Many of
them have mingled with the soldiers.
Gen. Corbin says that one theory of
the way in which the fever might have
been brought to the home is that one
OF the soldiers recently visited San
tiago. He returned some time since,
suffering with what the physicians
thought to be dengue. 1t seems it
was not until the inmates Of the home
began to die that the disease was dis
covered to fe yellow fever. Gen. Cor
bin says there is not the least question
about the character of the disease,
physicians who were present at the
post mortem on some of the victims
declaring that yellow fever was surely
present.
According to advices received at the
iar Department today, there have
~ q total Of 40 cases, six of which
tQave resulted fatally.
The Soldiers Home has no connection
ith the War Department. 1t is under
II rs, which manages all the Soldiers
n mes throughout the country. The
zen admitted are soldiers of the War
| the Rebellion.
| fOfficers Of the War Department are
very much concerned, on account of the
4 military post at Fort Monroe, which is
within six miles of the home.
Adjutant- General Corbin and Sur
geon- General Sternberg had confer
ence early today, and it was determined
to hold everything in readiness to take
care of yellow fever should it appear
among the troops.
Surgeon Pettus, through Gen. Cor
bin, has requested Surgeon General
Sternberg to send him such expert i'm
mune yellow fever surgeons as he can
find.
The Marine Hospital officials are
astounded at the presence of yellow
fever in that locality. The last epi-
demic of the disease occurred at Nor
/ folk, in 1855, having been brought into
4 port on the steamer Ben Franklin, on
June 7th Of that year, and in the epi-
demic which followed there were 1,507
I deaths.
Orders have been issued by the War
Department removing the garrison at
Fort Monroe to some point on the
northern coast tc be selected by Gen.
Merritt. A few officers and 20 enlisted
men will be detained at Fort Monroe
as guard.
Surgeon General Sternberg expected
to 60 to Fort Monroe tonight, but has
learned that the boats will not stop
there. owing to the yellow fever at
Hampton.
Surgeon General Wymap of the Ma
rine Hospital Service had II conference
with Secretary Alger today concerning
the yellow fever situation at Hampton.
The Secretary of War is ex-oificio presi-
dent of the board Of managers OF the
Soldiers Home. and, as a consequence,
his orders concerning the home would
govern it. Secretary Alger assured DIR.
Wyman that the War Department would
assist in every manner possible to
control the epidemic, and that, rs OK.
otficio president of the Soldiers Home,
he would issue such orders as are
deemed necessary DIR. Wyman says
that it may be necessary to take many
of the inmates of the home away.
Speaking of tho situation, Gen.
Sternberg said today: 1.-THE matter o
dealing with the epidemic will be en-
tirely in the hands Of the Marine Hos
pital Service, but, of course, We shal
cooperate in any way possible. | shal
ask to have yellow fever expert SEN
to Fortress Monroe for the protection
of the army interests there.
Gen. Sternborg said he had ne
theories to advance as to the origin
pf the outbreak. Gen. Sternberg ha'
fequested that Acting Assistant Sur
geon Seaton Norman be detailed fo
Service at Fortress Monroe.
Surgeon General Van Reypen of th'
bavy also declined to discuss the origil
pf the outbreak. Asked if he did no
fhink it might be duo to the presenc'
bf tho old Spanish ship Reina Mercede
ht the Norfolk Navy Yard, he repliet
mphatically in the negative. DIR
Van Reypen also said that he did no
believe it would be necessary to sus
pond operations at the Norfolk Nav,
ard. The yard would, however, b
Auarantined.
The ironclad monitors Terror an,
'nrltan are the only naval vessel
stationed at the Norfolk yard, and it /
Understood that they will be removes
- case their crews should appear t
pc endangered. 1t is also undorstoo
hat in such emergencies the Navy De
partment pays little heed to quarantin
equations and would not hesitat
70 send the ships out, bound for
Porthern port.