Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-03
THE LOCAL QUARANTINE.
Order of the Commissioners - What
Dr. Woodward Says.

Upon the commentator OF Ut w ILL., \.
Woodward. the District health officer, the
| Commissioners late yesterday afternoon
decided to establish a quarantine here
against the Hampton Soldiers Home, and
| the adjoining town of Phoebus, Va. Speak
| ing of his recommendation today to Star
reporter DIR. Woodward explained that the
step advised by him was not the result of
any direct fear on his part that yellow
fever will reach the District from the in
| fected Virginia points, but was recon-
mended by him out abundant caution.
Il believe" said DR.. Woodward that
the steps taken by the United states ara
state authorities to prevent spread OF the
disease will be successful, and L am en-
couraged in this belief by the reports re-
ceived from the infected points yesterday
and this morning. But there is, OF course.
some danger of the disease reaching the
District through persons coming here from
those places Therefore. in order TO reduce
this danger of introduction to a minimum.
| | recommended to the Commissioners that
they prohibit, until further notice, the com
ing here Of persons from the infected
| points. l still of the opinion that our
DaopIe have no reason to fear the introduc-
| ton of yellow fever here from those places.
| for | am satisfied that the marine hospital
| officials and the state authorities nave
| taken and will continue to take such steps
az will confine the disease to those points,
! or, at least. TO their vicinity.
The Official Order.
The order promulgated by the District
| Commissioners last evening, upon the ad-
| vice Of DR. Woodward reads as follows:
| That until further notice any and all
persons coming from Hampton, Va; Phoe-
| bus. Va, or any other place that is or may
be hereafter infected with yellow fever
are prohibited from entering the District
| OF Columbia until the health officer of the
| District or his duly accredited representa-
| tive is satisfied that such persons are
| neither suffering from nor have recently
| been exposed to yellow fever.
| In the enforcement of this order, stated
| DR.. Woodward, health department inspec-
| tors will be maintained at the wharVes ana
| railroad stations for the purpose of eX-
| amining and investigating all incoming pas
| sengers from southern points and especial
| ly those from Hampton and Phoebus and
! their vicinity. With these inspectors Will
| be detailed special officers. clothed with pc
| lice powers. to assist the inspectors in de-
| tanning suspected persons and in other
| wise enforcing the order OF the COmmlS-
| Siuners. Persons arriving here from Ola
| Point Comfort. Newport News and Nor
| folk, said DR.. Woodward, will be permitted
| to stop here, provided the inspectors are
| convinced that they have not been exposed
| to the disease and persons from the infect
| ed points will be allowed to pass through
| the city. but will be allowed to remain here
| under the surveillance of the inspectors for
/ only such length Of time as may elapSc be
| tween their arrival and the departure of
| the next train for the north. Persons who
| are known to have been exposed to the dis
| ease will not be permitted 70 enter the city,
| and if any such persons SAe found in the
| District they will be sent to the detention
| camp, and kept there until the health de
! partmcnt authorities shall have Decn salts
| fed that all danger of contracting the dis
| ease Cr of impartlng il to others has passed.
| sUally. said Dr. Woodward, the period of
| incubation from the time of exposure is five
| days. but Surgeon General Wyman Of the
| marine hospital service advises that
| SUSPECTED persons should be detained Tor Il
| least ten days from The time of known eX
| posUre. and that advice, said DR.. Wood
| ward, viii bc followed here.
| Must Satisfy the Inspectors.
| Very many persons, said DIR. Woodward,
| have passed through the city from Old
Point Comfort. Norfolk and Richmond since
| the appearance of yellow fever It the
! Hampton Home, the great majority of them
| having purchased tickets at Richmond. DIR.
| Woodward thinks, however, there is very
| little to fear from the passage through the
| city of such persons, as he is confident that
| the marine hospital service officials and
| the state authorities would not have per-
| mitted them to leave had there been any
| danger of infection from them. The order
| promulgated by the Commissioners ex-
| planned DR.. Woodward, places the burden
| of satisfying the District authorities of
| their freedom from exposure and infection
| upon such persons, and until the local in
| spectors are satisfied that there is dam
| ger of their entering the District they will
| either be denied admission detained at
| the detention camp for period of ten days
from the date OF their exposure.
| Il am very much encouraged" said Dr.
| Woodward, by the recent reports from
the Hampton .iome and Phoebus, believing
that the disease is under control at those
points, and am therefore still of the
opinion that the people of the District have
| little TO Tear in the matter The develop
| ment of the disease in Phoebus is the worst
| feature of the trouble for | am satisfied
| that in its presence there the real danger of
| Its spreading to other points really lies
| But. as l have said / feel encouraged in
1 - he 10 hAr ha IT,,;,
and state authorities will be able to keep it
| within bounds"