New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-07
YELLOW FEVER AND MOSQUITOES.

After years of research the theory that the
MOSQUITO Is largely II not exclusively respon-
sible for the dissemination Of malaria has been
fairly well established. There Is now reason for
susDectiue that the same insect Is active
agent in spreading yellow fever also The
Philadelphia Medical Journal prints paper by
Dr. Walter Reed, surgeon Of the United States
Army, who, with three assistant surgeons, was
sent by the War Department to Cuba last sum
mer for the purpose of studying this peculiarly
American tropical disease The Commission
undertook two tasks. One was TO find, If pos
sible the microbe which Sanarelli declares is
characteristic of yellow fever. And 1t Is a re-
markable fact that although specimens of blood
were taken from eighteen patients, at least
eleven Of whom were seriously sick, and forty
eight cultures made Herewith. absolutely no
bacilli icteroIdes were discovered Similar tests
were made with infected parts Of the dead
bodies of nearly dozen Victims Of yellow fever
without verifying Sanarelli's alleged discovery
in a single instance. The other subject of In
quiry by the Commission was the possibility of
communicating this malady by the bite of a
mosquito.
DR. Reed credits an Havana physician, DR..
Finley with the theory that the disease could
be spread in this manner, although the Cuban's
own experiments do not appear to have been
conclusive From eggs Of the particular species
Of mosquito that Dr. Finley had suspected
subsequently identified by DIR. Howard at Wash
ington as the Culex fasciatus-Dr. Reed Matched
out the insects with which he made his tests.
The mosquitoes were permitted to bite yellow
fever patients at different stages Of the disease
and then to bite persons who were believed TO
be non-immune. In nine Of eleven cases no
result followed. But we'll defined yellow fever
ensued In two DR.. Carroll, one OF the assistant
surgeons associated with DR.. Reed, and per-
son whose name is withheld developed unmis
taxable symptoms. but recovered Another
member of the Commission, DR.. Lazear, was
accidentally bitten twice, and not only was he
attacked with yellow fever, but the attack
proved fatal There is some uncertainty about
the species Of mosquito that bit DR.. Lazear
This interesting and important announcement
is put in what Dr. Reed calls a preliminary
note" The report does not profess to cover the
subject completely. Indeed. it does not prove
very much Two of the three persons who de-
veloped yellow fever after having been bitten
had participated in autopsies of fever cases at
a hospital and were otherwise exposed to risk.
The possibility of other means of Infection than
the mosquito was not. therefore, altogether
Guided For these and other reasons it Is in the
highest degree desirable that the investigation
be pushed further another year. when. If volun-
teers can be found, such tests should be made
as will settle several questions beyond a doubt.
In the first place, the subjects experimental
upon should be placed beyond the chance of
infection from any source but the mosquito.
The conditions of the experiment in the Roman
Campagna by Drs. Sambon and Low this last
summer should be observed. What the medical
profession wants to know above all other things
In this matter is whether the mosquito Is the
only agent involved in the propagation OF yellow
fever or one of several. and perhaps the least
significant of them all. Again, the insects should
be dissected and examined under the microscope
to discover whether they carry the poison on
the outside OF the proboscls and toes as com
mon flies transport the germs of typhoid. or in
side the stomach and intestnes like the malaria
bearing mosquito. Finally it should be ascer-
tanned how many species of mosquito are con-
cerned in the business. At present the respon-
sibIty for the dissemination Of malaria rests
ON the anopheles alone. Can the distribution of
yellow fever poison be similarly limited TO the
Culex fasciatus? And how abundant ia that
species relatively to others in Cuba?