The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-31
Hundreds of People Have Been
Exposed to COntagion.
MISTAKEN FORDENGUE
Military Post of Fort Monroe
But Six Miles Away.
Much Alarm Prevails on Ac-
count of the Troops.
Quarantine Established and Call
Made For Surgeons.

Newport News, July 31.-There are AZ
cases of yellow fever at the National
Soldiers home at Hampton and six
deaths from the disease have been re-
ported.
Washington, July S1.-surgeon Gen
ern Sternberg has received the follow
ing from Lieutenant Colonel Dewitt at
Fort Monroe regarding the outbreak OF
yellow fever at the Soldiers home al
Hampton, Va:
Fort Monroe. Va, July 31-Surgeon
General, L. s. A, Washington: At
o'clock yesterday afternoon Surgeon
PettuS. L. 5. marine hospital service
quarantine officer. officially states that
yellow fever was at the National Sol
diers home, Hampton; "a cases with SIX
deaths.
Commanding officer took immediate
measures for quarantine.
Surgeon Pettus states surgeon gen.
eral marine hospital was notified yes
terday afternoon.
DEWITT. Surgeon"
Adiutant General Corbin and Major
Johnston. assistant adjutant general
were at Fort Monroe yesterday and
were present when Surgeon Pettus
made his report to Lieutenant Colonel
Dewitt regarding the outbreak OF yell
low fever at the Soldiers home Gen
eral COrbtn says that from all accounts
there is little doubt that the conditions
are serious and there is no telling how
far the infection may have reached.
There IS
for a distance of more than SIX miles
and excursion parties have been COM
ing to Old Point and adjacent places
and have taken the trolley to Newport
News and to the Soldiers home Many
Of them have mingled with the soldiers
General Corbin says that one theory of
the way in which the fever might have
been brought to the home is that one
of the soldiers recently visited Santiago.
He returned some time since suffering
with what the physicians thought to be
dengue. 1t seems 1t was not until the
inmates of the home began to die that
the disease was discovered to be yell
low fever.
General Corbin says there is not the
least question about the character OF
the disease. physicians who were pres
ent at the post mOrtem on some OF the
! victims declaring that yellow fever was
surely present
According to advices received at the
war department today there have been
| a total of forty cases, six of whom have
died.
tion with the war department 1t is
under a board of managers created by
| congress which manages all the Sol
| dfers' homes throughout the country
I The men admitted are soldiers OF the
war of the rebellion. Officers of the
war department are very much con-
| cerned on account of the military post
at Fort Monroe, which is within six
miles of the home.
Adjutant General Corbin and Surgeon
| General Sternberg had a conference
I early today and it was determined to
| hold everything in readiness to take
( care of yellow fever should it appear
among the troops
Surgeon Pettus. through General Cor
bin. has requested Surgeon General
| Sternberg to send him such expert i'm
mune yellow fever surgeons as he can
find.
| The marine hospital officers are as
| founded at the presence of yellow fever
in that locality The last epidemic of
| the disease occurred at Norfolk in 1885.
/ having been brought into port on the
/ steamer Ben Franklin on June of that
! year. and in the epidemic which follow
/ ed there were .S07 deaths
| The steamer from Old Point arriving
| here this morning was crowded with
! passengers
GARRISON TO BE REMOVED.
| Orders have been issued by the war
| department removing the garrison at
! Fort Monroe to some point on the
northern coast to be selected by Cen
! eral Merritt. A few officers and 20 en-
listed men will be detained at Fort
( Monroe as a guard
Surgeon General Sternberg expected
l to go to Fort Monroe tonight, but has
/ been notified that boats viii not stop
I there owing to the yellow fever at
Hampton. The secretary of war is eX-
| officio president of the board of man
| ayers of the Soldiers home, and as a
I consequence his orders concerning the
| home would govern it. Secretary AL
/ ger assured DR.. Wyman that the war
/ department would assist in every man
/ ner possible to control the epidemic
| and that as ex-OfficiO president of the
| Soldiers home he would issue such or
/ ders as are deemed necessary. Dr.
! Wyman says that it may be necessary
( to take many OF the inmates of the
/ home away.
Speaking of the situation, General
| SternbeFg said today: The matter of
| dealing with the epidemic will be in
/ the hands Of the marine hospital serv-
| ice, but of course we shall cooperate in
| any way possible. I shall ask to have
| a yellow jack expert sent to Fortress
| Monroe for the protection of the army
| General Sternberg said he had no
! theories to advance as to the cause of
| the outbreak
General Sternberg has requested that