New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-03
YELLOW FErER's WANING TERRoRs.

No ground for popular uneasiness is likely 70
be found in the news that cases Of yellow fever
have appeared almost simultaneously AZ New
Orleans and Key West The facts far -e
ported certainly do not Justify the theory that
yellow fever epidemic Is threatened i'm either Of
these widely distant Gulf ports But even if
spread Of the infection from New Orleans rs
centre as persistent and virulent as that Of
1897 were 10 be unprecedented that peril would
doubtless he faced now with much more settled
equanmty than either the Southern or the
Northern public seemed capable OF two years
ago For concidentlv with the announcement
Of an outbreak ~ fever AZ these two new points
on tho Gulf Coast comes the official notification
that The last patient has been discharged from
the yellow fever hospital at Hampton Roads,
and the conclusion viii be readily drawn by the
public that If 40 epidemic. favored 10y oil the
conditions it found in a crowded home for IN
Valded and superannuated soldiers. developing
IN the middle Of the summer. could be so
promptly and efoctuaIly stamped out n belated
outbreak I'm far less DANGEROUS surroundings can
easily be checked al Key West OF New Orleans.
Larger experience and in particular a more
intimate acquaintance with the conditions under
which the fever Is bred IN Cuba have indeed
siCnally altered the American puhlic'S attitude
toward the once dreaded scourge of Yellow Jack.
The unrea soning panic which yielded more than
half The battle IN earlier encounters with this in
sidious enemy seems to have been greatly mit-
gated by more general familiarity With both the
1nider and more fatal phases If the disease.
And, though Investigators stll dispute about the
character OF this obscure and uSidious malady.
and medical science does not appear 20 have ac-
cepted definitely the theory Of rs development
witch offers a cure by antitoXic mocula' ion.
there can be little question that ITS mysteries
will eventually WELD 10 study and that a form
OF remedial treatment viii be adopted which
will reduce It's fatal energy 10 a practically
neg cible point Even without the prospect Of
newly discovered aids IN lighting yellow fever
the public faced the dangers Of the epidemic a,
Hampton Roads last July with noticeable cool
ness and serenity. Compared with the rash
panic Of 1897. the brutal shotgun" methods of
Quarantining adopted that year in certain Of the
Gulf States and the injurious and widespread
disturbance Of business resulting over vast
tributary territory. the towns and cities at Tho
mouth Of the James exhibited spirit Of mod
Grafton. courage and humanity as Creditable as
il was novel In the history Of yellow fever cpl
denies The fever was localized by intelligent
ADMINISTRATION and soon yielded n medical skill
and energy: and the whole Chesapeake Bay re-
gion maintained rs ordinary life, with virtually
10 disturbance 10 industry or commerce
The same courageous spirit shown this sum
mer in Cuba by the American troops left there j
garrison has robbed Yellow Jack Of most o
ats former perils and horrors. AS every one wh'
mas lived in The tropics knows, yellow fever II
one OF the least destructive Of the diseases ther
prevalent The closer It is seen the less II Is Il
be feared. and this lesson is being brought hom'
40 Americans with every enlargement Of expe
1ience with this particular malady Two years
ago the news from Ocean Spring. Miss tha
yellow fever had broken out there IN al unmis
Ytakably viruent form cast perceptible gloon
cover The whole Gulf country. To-day, we ar
rconhdent. no serious alarm or depression will b.
<elt in tho South over tina cases reported from