Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-08-04
Upon "Bronze Johns" Importa-
ton into Our Country.
THE OLD SOLDIER THEORY
Not Worthy of Serious Consider alto ~.
Says Health Officer OF Port OF New
York. Five Days the I.lmit
of Incubation.
CIV rTcleE,-lph.)

NE WYORN. Aug. 3.-,rhc following
statement regarding the yellow fever
situation WAS given out tonight by Ir.
4. II. Doty, health officer Of the port Of
New York
"What is claimed to be an authoritl-
tive statement regarding the cause ot
the yellow fever ut the National Sol
dicrs Home at Hampton, VA, appeared
in the press yesterday. The substance
of the statement is rs follows:
AN elderly inmate of the Home OBJ
tanned leave Of absence ana visited
Santiago and on his return he brought
With him some extra clothing With
which in some way he passed New
York quarantine without examination
ana disinfcction Of clothing and suisse
quenty reached Hampton"
y statement of this character. unsup-
ported by facts. is hardly entitled TO
serious consideration. Since May /,
every passenger arriving at this station
on vessels from Cuban ports has been
held ut quarantine for Il period OF fiv,.
days from the time Of embarkation I'M
less he presented an immune certificate
issued by representative of the Ma
rine Hospital Service at the port OF de-
parturc. Not one exception has been
ma'lc. If the passengers arrive on Il
United States transport the vessel is
detained at quarantine With the pas
SenSerS on board, under the constant
supervision of a member of the medical
:orpS of the United States army. At the
expiration Of five days from the en-
DaTkatlon and after a report from the
surgeon in charge that all are we'll, the
passengers are brought to the dock and
personally examined before the vessel
is released. In the case of merchant
vessels all passengers who do not hold
immune certificates are removed to
Hoffman Island and detained there rn-
der the observation of officers of this
department until the completion of the
above period and are then released Cnly
after Il careful inspection
1t is believed that five days is the
maximum period Of incubation of vel
low FEVER This statement had tho en-
horscment of Surgeon George f. stern
berg Surgeon General, y. S. A., as well
rs others who have had long experience
with yellow fever and are competent to
decide this question. The disease US
| ually appears the second or third
day. The statement occasionally made
that the period Of incubation Of yellow
lever extends beyond five days is not
accepted by those who are familiar
WITH lhc disease. Therefore, ii care
1ul inspection at the end of five DAVIS
after leaving an infected area discloseS
no evidence Of yellow fever. it may be
accepted that the person examined is
h)t Il menace 70 the public health us a
rule clnhodying this principle is ,igi,lly
enforced by this department.
! me clothing and effects of those leay-
ing Santiago are disinfectcu bcfor, en-
,l'arkation. This is the only safe and
pfactical why-othcrwise presumably
llfectei material may he taken on
board the vessel. The disinfcction IS
! performed at Santiago by a representa-
tive of the Marine Hospital Service.
nave accepted his certificate Of disin-
lection, us have every reason to be-
licNe that this work has been carefully
ana properly performed"