Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-07-31
YELLOW FEVER CASES
Thirty Union Veterans in Soldiers
Home Stricken with the
Disease.
ITS SOURCE NOW UNKNOWN
Rumor That the Disease Was Contracted
by Inmates Meeting with Sailors
from Southern Countries Not
Proved Correct.

Newport News, Va, July 31.-Thirty
cases Of yellow fever have developed in
the soldiers home at Hampton. The
officials have no idea how the yellow
fever workeu it's way into the place
where over 1000 Union veterans are
quartered. 1t was reported that some
soldiers who mingled with sailors from
southern countries carried the fever in
to the home, but there is no evidence
of this.
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 Gen
eral Merritt.
Surgeon General Wyman, of the ma
rine hospital service, says it may be
necessary to take many inmates of the
home away.
Washington, July 31.-Surgeon Gener-
al sternberg has received the following
from Lieutenant Colonel Dewitt at
Fort Monroe regarding the outbreak of
yellow fever at the soldiers home at
Hampton, Va: "At 4 o'clock p. m. yes
terday Surgeon Pettus, the United
States marine hospital service quaran-
tine officer, stated that yellow fever was
at the national soldiers home at Hamp-
ton, with thirty-four cases and six
deaths. The commanding officer took
immediate measures for quarantine"
General Corbin says there is little
doubt conditions are serious, and there
is no telling how far the infection may
have reached. Many visitors have min
gled with the soldiers. Corbn says one
theory of the way in which fever might
have been brought home is that one of
the soldiers recently visited Santiago
and returned, suffering with what ply
sicians thought to be dengue. 1t was
not until the inmates of the home be-
gan to die that the disease was discov-
cred to be yellow fever.
Secretary Alger has directed the Jo-
siah Simpson hospital at Fort Monroe
be turned over to the marine hospital
service if it is wanted. 1t contains 1000
beds and was fitted for troops stationed
at Newport News last summer.
The marine hospital service to-day
hurried number of surgeons to Hamp-
ton and vicinity. The official rspestsis
of thirty-five cases, four deaths and ORG
dying.
DR.. Wasdin, of the marine hospital
service, is already at Hampton, AMI is
detailed as expert at the soldiers home.
DR.. ]. H. White left Washington to-day,
and will be on duty outside. Drs. G. P.
Wertenberger, Frank Degaldson, Far
quhar and McClintock will be distrib
uted through Portsmouth, Phoebus,
Berkley and other nearby points, as oc-
casion may require.
Officers of the marine hospital service
refuse to speculate on the genesis Of the
epidemic, but it is generally believed it
originated in some shore dives in Phoe-
bus, and cases will be looked for There.
Arrangements have already been made
to throw quarantine lines around any
place where the disease shows itself
outside of the home.
The Washington health Office was no.
titled about daylight this morning Of the
Hampton outbreak. This morning a
boat from Old Point was inspected, but
no passengers were detained. Trains
will also be watched. There is a deten-
tion settlement Of cottages on the east
ern branch, which was utilized during
the recent smallpox outbreak. This is
being overhauled to receive any sus-
poets who are detected by Washington
authorities. Troops at Fort Monroe con-
sist of three batteries of the 4th artil
lery.
MAY NOT SPREAD.
Norfolk, Va, July 31.-A message
from Governor Woodfin, of the soldiers
home at Hampton, says there have been
three deaths from yellow fever since
yesterday, and thirty cases are now un-
der treatment. Expert surgeons and i'm