The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-08-04

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-The advices
show a total of 81 cases and seven
deaths from yellow fever at the Soldiers
home, at Hampton, Va. One new case
occurred at the home. Thus far the
disease has been confined to the home,
but all surrounding towns are excited,
and a vigorous quarantine is being
maintained. DR.. Wasdin Of the ma
rine hospital service is in charge Of
affairs at Hampton and is working in
cooperation with the local boards of
health. He has strengthened the Gordon
about the town Of Phoebus, which he
reports Is In very bad sanitary condi-
ton. The fact that only one new case
appeared is encouraging to the officials
here, who are taking every measure to
prevent spread of the disease. They
feel that the fact that the affected local
ity 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 ATTAINED
than where epidemics break out in COM
mercial places.
Already number of inquiries have
been received by DIR. Wyman from quar-
antine officers throughout the United
States asking whether they shall i'm
pose a maritime quarantine against
Norfolk. He has replied that there APP
pears to be no necessity for such restric-
ton III the case of either Norfolk or
Newport News.
DIR. Wasdin's official report of his ex-
animation of existing conditions at the
Soldiers home reached Mr.. Wyman. 1t
was dated Monday and notes the fact
thaf thn 1npfpr hac oil thn nf
suspected diseases at the home, He
sums up the history of the conta yion as
follows:
Early in July an old soldier en-
tered the home for a short rest and soon
afterward appeared at the dispensary,
where he Informed the physician III
charge that he Fas recently from San
| tiago, via a transport to northern port,
thence he started for Manila via San
Francisco, beat his way to the home on
freight train and entered with his
baggage. He complained of dumb
chills and fever and was prescribed for.
He mingled freely with the inmates Of
the home, and a short time ago disap-
peared.
4, "From this as a possible cause the
| outbreak is as follows: Preceding Fri
day, the 9th inst, there had been no.
| IlCCu uOUIluS VI IL SuSIJlClOub
The weekly death rate was usual, But
OH the 21st and 22d there became i'll dur
ing the night, with sharp or less chill,
high fever, some eight or ten inmates,
men Of unusually good health.
"These seizures, ,althOughEnoted as pc
culiar had occasiOned no alarm until
about Thursday, 27th, when death oc-
Cured, the man becoming distinctly
yellow some time prior to death. On or
about the same day another one died
without having attracted particular at
tentiOn; he also turned yellow white.
Autopsies were held on both by the resi-
dent pathOlOgist. 1t was then or little
later that the telegram was sent you
asking for an expert. l found there
was $500 inmates and that 20 had been
taken i'll since the 2lst."
DIR. Wasdin says he withheld a posi-
tive diagnosis in his first cOmmunica-
tion because of the assertion Of Surgeon
Vickery at the home that there had
been no communication Of the inmates
with any Cuban soldiers returned since
last May or early in June,
With the discovery Of the probable.
origin of the infection and the two au-
topsies there cdn be no doubt, he says,
about the disease being yellow fever,
and continues:
II have advised Major Vickery to
empty the dormitory infected, at once,
putting the men preferably in tents.
The grounds are closed. There has
been very free intercommunication
between the inmates and the people of
Phoebus, public house near the
grounds having been freely visited
until last night. l have suggested to
DR.. Pettus to meet one or more of the
local boards of Phoebus, and, inform
ing them at the state of affairs, asking
their cooperation in watching the VII
lage. These inmates, as l understand
it, do not mingle much with the people
outside the village. From this fact it
would seem possible to contine it in the
home"
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-Orders were
Issued by the war department removing
the garrison at Fort Monroe to some
point on the northern coast to be Sc
lected by General Merritt. A few Off
GERS and 20 enlisted men will be de-
tached at Fort Monroe as a guard.
DR.. Van Reypen also said that he did
not believe it would be necessary to sus-
pend operations at the Norfolk navy
yard, The yard would, however, be
quarantined.
InS lrOnCldu monitors Terror anu
Puritan are the only naval vessels sta
toned at the Norfolk yard. and it is un-
derstood that they will be removed in
case their crews should appear to be en-
dangered 1t is also quite well under
derstood that in such emergencies the
navy department pays little heed to
quarantine regulations and would not
hesitate to send the ships out, bound for
northern port.
The officers Of the marine hospital
service refused to speculate on the
genesis of the epidemic, but it is gener-
orally believed to have originated in
some of the shore dives in Phoebus and
cases We're looked for there. Arrange
/ ments are already made to throw quar-
antine lines around any place where the
disease shows itself outside Of the home.
: 1t was directed that the Josiah Simp-
son hospital at Fort Monroe be turned
t, h,1r,iFn1 20