The record-union., 1899-08-01
The Government is Leaving No Ef.
forts Unspared
To Prevent the Spread Of yellow Fever
Prevailing in Hampton.
Officials Encouraged by the Fact
That but One New Case Deve1-
oped at the Soldiers Home Yes
terday, and Hope to Prevent a
Spread of the Disease.

WASHINGTON, July 31.-The latest
official advices received up to 8 o'clock
tonight show total of thirty-seven
cases and seven deaths from yellow
fever at Soldiers Home, Hampton, Va.
One new case developed at the home to-
day. Thus far the disease has been
confined to the home, but all surround
ing towns are excited, and a vigorous
quarantine is being maintained.
DR.. WaSdin of the Marine Hospital
service is now in charge of affairs at
Hampton and is working in co-opera-
ton with the local Boards of Health.
He has strengthened the Gordon about
the town. of Phoebus. which he re-
ports is in very bad sanitary condition
The fact that only one new case ap-
peared to-day is encouraging to the
officials here, who are taking every
measure to prevent a spread of the
disease. They feel that the fact that
the affected locality is in the hands of
the Government and under one man
agement will be of great value in deal
ing with the scourge, and enable bet
ter results to be obtained than where
epidemicS broke 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 a 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 DR.. Wyman to-
day. 1t is dated yesterday and notes
the fact that the doctor has seen all
the cases of suspected disease at the
home. He sums up the history as fol-
lows:
EARLY in July an old soldier en-
tered the home for a short rest, and
soon afterWard appeared at the dis
pensary, where he informed the ply
sician in charge that he was but re-
Gently from Santiago via transport to
northern port; thence he started for
Manila via San Francisco; beat his way
to the home on freight and entered
with his baggage. He complained of
dumb chillS and fever and was preScrib-
ed for. TIe mingled freely with the in
mates of the home and a short time
| ago disappeared. This is regarded as
possible cause of the outbreak.
| preceding Friday, the Dist, there
had been nothing of a suspicious ma
ture. The weekly death rate was as
usual. But on the 21st and 22d there
became i'll during the night with
sharp chills and high fever some eight
or ten inmates, men of usually good
|
as peculiar had occasioned no alarm
until Thursday, the 21th, when death
occurred, the man becoming distinctly
yellow some time prior to death. On
or about the same day another died
without having attracted particular at
! tention. He also turned quite yellow.
| Autopsies were held on both by the
| resident potOlOgist. 1t was then, or a
| little later, that the telegram was sent
| asking for an expert. l found there
were $500 inmates, and that thirty
five had been taken i'll since the DIST"
DR.. Wasdin says he withheld posi-
tive diagnosis in his FIRST communica-
/ ton because of the assertion of Sur
geon Mickey at the home that there
had been no communication of inmates
with any Cuban soldiers returned since
| May or early in June rs
| With the discovery of the proba BILE
| origin of the infection and the two
autopsies to-day there can be no doubt,
he says, about the disease being yell
! low fever, and continues: There has
been very free accommodation
between the inmates and the people of
Phoebus, a public house near the
grounds having been freely visited I'M
til last night"
After a Gordon had been established
around the Soldiers Home, neighboring
cities were warned and advised to hunt
for any inmates of the home who
might be visiting and to keep them
under close observation. Dispatches to
this effect We're sent Sunday to Nor
folk, Portsmouth, Newport News and
Richmond, and the health officer at
Washington notified. In Norfolk a
house-to house inspection is being
made. Surgeon Mickey, at the home
has been asked to prepare a list of
soldiers who have departed within a
month, with view of tracing them.