Evening star., 1899-07-31
The Fever Mt Hampton

Inc prevalence of yellow fever In the
soldiers home at Hampton, Va, is un-
questionably a serious calamity, which
may in season affect other communities
But as the case now stands, there is no
reason whatever for alarm anywhere and
every reason for a calm bearing on the
part of all the people in this vicinity
Doubtless the news of the outbreak in
the institution has a local significance,
in view of the nearness of the infected
place and the frequency of communication.
Yet the promptness with which the proper
steps have been taken for the cure of the
disease and it's confinement in single
place should allay any apprehensions which
might at first have been created.
1t IS not difficult to devise a reasonable
theory as to the manner in which the
fever made its way into the home There
is the freest access to and from the insti-
tuition. Norfolk is very close at hand, and
Is frequented by vessels plying among the
West Indian ports. 1t is known that there
is yellow fever at Santiago, in some other
parts of Cuba and in other islands of the
archipelago. A little while ago it appear
ed at the gates of New York and was only
prevented from entering by the admins
tration of the quarantine laws in a most
effective manner
But individual cases will occasionally
drift into the home ports, despite all pre-
cautions. Sometimes passengers on ship
board leave Cuba suffering from what
seem at first to be simple ailments, but
which later develop into genuine yellow
fever. Constitutional factors are known
to vary the period required for the dis
ease to make known it's precise nature.
In other cases stowaways and strays creep
into info tod n ttaa Il
the germs. AS long as the pestilence finds
a breeding ground so close at hand as in
Cuba and the other islands of the group,
this country will suffer from the threat of
epidemics.
Fortunately the prospect for abating this
deadly nuisance is brighter today than
ever before. The Cuban cities are being
cleaned and the foundation is being laid
for such municipal and insuIar admins
tratiOn as must in season eradicate the
disease. Already Santiago has afforded
an example of what can be accomplished
in the sanitation of a city despite the heav-
lest of handicaps. Havana has thus far
this season escaped the fever. 1t may
this year break all records as a result of
the American occupation and the wise
precautions which have been taken to pre-
vent the development of the disease. With
these two pest centers cleanSed and the
maleyoient output of fever germs from
other parts of the island minimized the
United States will surely suffer less and
less each year until at length, perhaps the
advent of the fever will be en- exceptional
occurrence.
Happily in the present case the outbreak
has occurred under such circumstances
that nothing can prevent the fullest admin
istration of the quarantine laws. The case
Immediately falls into federal hands. 1t
is deplorable in the extreme that so large
an institution, peopled with SO many de-
crepit men, should be thus ravaged 1t is
heart-rending to think of the mental and
physical sufferings of these veterans, COOP
ed within their narrow bounds to watch
the progress of the disease through their
ranks. But if the epidemic can be con-
fined to the home it will have caused COM
paratively slight damage. 1t is gratifying
to note the energy with which the situa-
ton has been assailed by the government
authorities, who are seemingly taking
every precaution to stamp out the disease
where 1t is now raging, to trace it to its
origin and to prevent further contagion.