The record-union., 1899-08-02
Reports That the Epidemic is Not Spread
Ing al the National Soldiers Home.
Asks for Immune Surgeons and
Nurses, to Which Surgeon Cen
era1 Sternberg Replies That He
Will Immediately Furnish Him
With a List of Those Whom He
May Employ.


General Sternberg to-day received the
following telegram from Surgeon Wick
cry, in charge of the National Soldiers
Home at Hamptom,.sVa., the scene of
the yellow fever epidemic
80 Our epidemic not extending. Last
day two cases and one death. Origin
not discovered. Do you know if we can
get immune surgeons and nurses?'
Surgeon General Sternberg has re-
sponded to Surgeon Vickery's question
in the affirmative, and will furnish him
Immediately with a list of the sur
geons and nurses who may be en-
ployed by him, for the Surgeon Gen
eral is without authority to pay for
them out of his own appropriations
DR.. Farquhar at Portsmouth report
ed this morning that he was in close
touch with the authorities at Ports
mouth and Berkeley, and that all was
quiet, with no suspected cases.
In reply to a Geographic report from
the Mayor of Norfolk, Surgeon General
Wyman turned over to the Norfolk
authorities Craney Island, below Nor
folk, to be used in case of need as an
isolation and detention camp. 1t was
lSCtitIy lufutu over ny the navy W
the jurisdiction of the Marine Hospi-
tai Service.
A telegram was sent to-day by Cen
eral Wyman to Surgeon Pettus at Old
Point, directing him at once to insti-
tute a thorough sanitary investigation
as far as Phoebus. Surgeon Wasdin at
PhOebus was ordered to make a house
toulouse inspection there. This is in
accordance with the plan for thor
ough investigation of the whole area
infected surrounding the home.
The situation is regarded as favor
able to-day. There has been no out
break of fever outside of the original
quarantine line. Each day that passes
without such development increases the
confidence of the Surgeon General that
the fever will be confined to the orig
inal focus of the infection.
The usual period of incubation of the
disease is from two to five days, al
though it has extended to eleven days.
The time since the first outbreak is now
almost up to the usual quarantine limit
1t is believed, however, that even in
case of an outbreak in the little set
tlement at Phoebus, the community
there can be SO guarded as to prevent
any further spread. The soldier who
is supposed to be responsible for the
importation of the fever from Cuba has
not yet been apprehended, although
several inmates of the home have been
recognized and detained at various
points 1t is said by the Marine Hos
pital authorities that there is but little
danger of the further spread of the dis
ease by the soldier in question. He
had not developed the fever himself
when he left the home.
Objections have already been raised
to the determination reached by the
Government to send the garrison at
Fort Monroe to Battery Point. Della.
Surgeon General Wyman has called the
attention of the War Department to the
fact that it is not far enough north
to take a garrison which possibly may
have yellow fever infection. He says
it will be dangerous to the troops and
the people in that vicinity. AT the
War Department it is said the whole
matter has been turned over to Gen
eral Merritt. Surgeon General Wyman
has refused to allow the troops to be-
sent by rail through Washington from
Fort Monroe, and they will be taken
across the bay to Cape Charles, and
thence by rail to Battery Point None
of the transportation companies oper-
ating in Chesapeake Bay and Hampton
Roads would take the troops by water
to Battery Point.
DR.. White of the Marine Hospital
Service wired Surgeon General Wyman
from PhOebuS to-day saving there was
little doubt there had been infection
in Phoebus,' and that the place was
under quarantine.