The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-08-04

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Newport News, and the soldiers home.
Many Of them have mingled with the
soldiers.
DISEASE BROUGHT FROM SANTI-
AGO.
General 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
Santiago. He returned some time since,
suffering with what the physicians
thought to be dengue. It seems it was
not until the inmates of the home be-
gan to die that the disease was dis
covered to be yellow fever. General
Corbin says there is not the least ques-
ton about the character OF the disease,
physicians who We're present at the
post mortem OIL some OF the victims de-
present.
FORTY CASES AND SIX DEATHS
UP TO YESTERDAY.
According to advices received at the
war department today there nave been
a total OF forty cases, six Of whom have
died.
Surgeon Pettus through General 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
at the presence of yellow fe-
yer in that locality. The last epidemic
of the disease occurred at Norfolk in
1855, having been brought into port OF
n steamer Ben Franklin on June eth
of hat year and in the epidemic which
followed there were 1,S07 deaths.
The steamer from Old Point arriv-
ing here this morning was crowded
with passengers.
Speaking Of the situation General
~Sternberg aid today:
"The matter of dealing with the ep-
idemic will be entirely in the hands Of
the marine hospital service, but, Of
course, we shall cooperate in any way
possible. I shall ask to have a yellow
fever expert sent to Fortress Monroe
for the protection Of the army interest
. there"
General Sternberg said he had no
theories to advance as to the origin Of
the outbreak. He has requested that
: Acting Assistant Surgeon Seaton Nor
man be detailed for service at Fort
Monroe.
Surgeon General Van Reypen, of the
navy, also declined to discuss the ORR
gin of the outbreak. Asked if he did
not think it might be due to the pres
enc of the old Spanish ship Reina
Mercedes at the Norfolk navy yard, he
replied emphatically in the negative.
LII. van heyp6n Sdlu NAT he Olu l1Ol
believe it would be necessary to SuS-
| pend operations at the Norfolk navy
yard. The yard would, however, be
quarantined.
The iron clad monitors Terror and
Puritan are the only nava vessels sta
toned at the Norfolk navy yard, and
it is understood that they will be re-
moved in case their crews should ap-
pear to be endangered.
ILL tho
! that in such emergencies the navy de-
| partment pays little heed to Quaran-
tine regulations, and would not hest
tate to send the ships out, bound for a
northern port.
New York, July 31.-General Merritt,
commanding the department Of the
east, q. S. A, said today that he was
making arrangements to transfer the
garrison at Fort Monroe, with the ex-
, ception of about twenty men n two
officers, all immune, to Battery Point,
at the mouth of the Delaware river.
EXCITEMENT AT HAMPTON.
Hampton, Va, July 31.-This usually
tranquil town has been in a state of
feverish excitement today since the
startling discovery of yellow fever at
the soldiers home. Scores of people
tool advantage Of the first opportunity
for leaving the place. Last night a spe-
cial train left Old Point with fully 300
of the guests of the hotels.
Business in the town of Phoebus, ad-
Joining the soldiers home, is partially
suspended. All sorts of rumors have
been circulated, but it is difficult to
obtain accurate information from the
home. The entrance n in fact, all
points from which escape is possible,
are carefully guarded. Late this af-
ternoon a self-appointed guard of fiji
teen Hamptonians with Winchester
rifles, went to the home to assist in
: enforcing the quarantine regulations.
Chesapeake and Ohio trains have dis
continued their service to the city.
THE LATEST REPORT.
Washington, July 31.-The latest of
fetal advices received up to 8 O'Clock
mig show a total of thirty-seven
cases and seven deaths from yellow
fever at the soldiers home at Hamp-
ton, Va. One new case occurred al
the home today. Thus far the disease
has been confined to the home, but all
surrounding towns are excited n a
vigorous quarantine is being maintain
ed. DR.. Wasdin, of the marine hospi-
tai service, is in charge of affairs al
Hampton and is working in c~o-opera-
ton with the local board of health. He
has strengthened the Gordon about the
town of PhOebus, which he reports is
in very bad sanitary condition. The
fact that only one new case appeared
today is encouraging to the officials
here, who are taking every Measure tc
prevent a spread of the disease. They
feel hat the fact that the affected To-
cality is in the hands Of the government
and under one management will be OF
great value in dealing with the scourge
and enable better results to be obtain
ed than where epidemics break out
! in commercial places.
MO Hrr>|vr~Ccrrv nod 0TrAD NTINE
AGAINST NORFOLK.
Already a number of inquiries have
been received by DR.. Wyman from
officers throughout the United States
asking whether they shall impose q
maritime quarantine against Norfolk
He has replied that there appears to bt
no necessity for such restriction in the
case of either NOrfolk or Newport
News.
HISTORY OF THE OUTBREAK.
DR.. Wasdin's official report of his ex'
animation of existing conditions at thu
soldiers home reached DIR. Wyman to-
day. 1t is dated yesterday and notes
tho fart that the doctor has seen al