Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-08-04
GENERAL CORBIN.

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Wesley Merritt, commanding the Mill
Iary Department of the East, q direct
the immediate removal of the garrison
at Fort Monroe. which is three miles
from the Hampton Soldiers Home to
place of safety on the northern coast
to be selected 10y Gen. Merritt. 1t was
also arranged that Gen. Stcrnherg and
Dr. Wyman should go to Hampton i'm
mediatplv.
The War Department has consented
to turn over the Josiah Simpson Cen
eral Hospital at Fort Monroe to the
Marine Hospital Service if Or. Wy
man. after an examination of the con-
dtions ut Hampton, decided that it
would be desirable. Two officers and
twenty enlisted men will remain at
Fort Monroe.
The uthortcs here are preparing to
adopt stringent regulations to prevent
%he spread of the disease. but ii is adj
nitted that the delay in properly dag
nosing the cases has made the situa-
ton serious. Excursion parties have
been to the Soldiers Home since the
appearance there of yellow fever and
have departed to all parts of the coun-
try, some coming to Washington on
the river steamboats,.
SurgpOn-GcneIal Wyman and Surg
General Sternberg held conference
regarding the proper steps to he TAX
en- to prevent an epidemic of the dis
ease in this country. and it is not i'm
probable that Norfolk and the entire
country about Old Point Comfort and
Hampton will he Quarantined.
AT the conference it was proposed
that the Marine Hospital Service as
sumo entire jurisdiction over the mill
tary reservation. which is now under
the authority of the War Department.
Gen. Sternherg. who is yellow fever
expert of international reputation. as
Surcd Sur"eon-Gcncral Wyman that
the War Department would give all
assistance possible. but he readily
agreed that the Marine Hospital Ser
vice should assume entire control
The epidemic is supposed to have
been caused ny an inmate of the home
who recently went to Santiago He
came beck ill., and the doctors dag
nosed his illness as dengeue fever
Dengue is seldom fatal. and is not con-
sidered infectious or contagious. so
that no extraordinary precautions were
taken to keep the man from coming in
contact with other inmates.
The additional cases of yellow fever
were supposed to be malarial in ma
ture, but when four men died the
home authorities became alarmed and
directed that an autopsy be held i'm
med'ately. The autopsy was held. and
the physicians agreed that the deaths
had occurred from yellow fever.
Surgcon-Generll Sternberg of the
army has received from Lieut. Col. De
witt nj the Josiah Simpson General
Hospital, Fort Monroe. a despatch saw
ing that Surgeon Pettus of the Marine
Hospital Service has officially confirm
ed the existence of yellow fever at the
Soldiers Home. Thrtyfour cases and
SIX deaths had been reported The
commanding officer had taken imme-
diate measures for quarantine
The apparent discrepancy between
this message and the later despatch
10 Gen. Wyman has not been explain
ed.
Willie the Marine Hospital Service
processes to be confident of its ability
TO coniine the disease, it Is ADMITTED
that there Is possibility that the in
lrE lon mas reached some other point
or place in the same manner ms If was
carried to Hampton Roads. Stems ware
taken to place competent surgeon in
charge at each of the towns surround.
ing the home. and if the disease makes
its appearance AT any one of these
places Gordon will be thrown around
the town and a strict quarantine in.
stituted
BY this means the spread of the dis.
ease, it is hoped, can be checked
People Of all classes are fleeing from
Hampton on every train and il is fear
ed that this may have a tendency to
spread the disease, and a movement
will he carried into effect at once to
stop all persons from going into or
coming out of the town until the
danger point has been passed.