The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-21
The CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER.
Continued from Eighth Page)

ON leaving the islands the infection is
certain 10 manifest itself during the voy
age. The infection being known we have
no difficulty in applying the proper rene
dies. our danger lies not in the vessels
I which are known 10 be infected, but in
/ those which are simply suspected and il
( is to these latter which require our strict
est attention"
There is little difficulty in enforcing
/ thorough dsinfection of passengers ana
/ cargo" said Dr. Wyman The chief
/ source of danger is from rats, which in
| fest every vessel, and which are subject to
the disease. Wherever it is known or sus-
pected that a vessel is infected every pre-
caution is taken to prevent any rats from
/ that vessel reaching shore. The vessel
! is not allowed to tie up at any wharf,
even at the disinfecting stations, the cargo
| is taken out by layers during successive
| days with sulphur fumigation each night
until the entire cargo has been discharged.
| The rats are destroyed by the sulphur
| fumigation. Rats are naturally migrate
| ry and wherever a vessel touches shore
: some of the rats are bound to come
| ashore"
As to yellow fever this summer, Dr.
| Wyman regards the outlook as very sat,
! isfactory. With officers of the Marine
! Hospital Service in every Cuban and Por-
| to Rican port, and with sanitary regula-
tions enforced by United States authori-
| ties at these ports he thinks itself evil
| dent that less danger is to be apprehend-
ed from this source than ever before.
Referring to the smallpox epidemic
which prevails generally throughout the
Southern states, Dr. Wyman was asked
to what he attributed the wide spread of
the disease, and if the Marine Hospital
Service would undertake to handle the
situation.
THE general spread of the disease is
due to the ignorance and indifference of
the authorities and the people," said DR..
Wyman. Smallpox is a disease which
S so well known and the methods of deal
ing with which are so well understood
that there is no excuse for the failure of
any community, county or state to stamp
out the disease within its own borders.
The Marine Hospital Service is not main
tanned for the purpose of dealing with
diseases which are well known and with
which the local authorities are, or should
he, fully competent to deal Besides l do
not consider it good policy 10 educate the
people to expect the government to do for
them what they are well able to do for
themselves.
The Marine Hospital Service has not
withheld it's assistance, however 1t has
sent experts into the various states to
| investigate the situation and to advise
with the local and state authorities as to
the best means to be adopted to stamp out
the disease. In addition to this pamphlets
have been sent to the local authorities,
wherever we were informed of the exist
ence of the disease. giving information
and instructions as to the methods of
dealing with and stamping it out"
There is no reason why any one should
ever suffer from the smallpox" said DR..
Wyman, land there is no excuse for the
failure of any community to stamp out
the disease when the means of doing so
are so simple and so well understood Vac
cination is the enc preventative for the
disease. There is no longer any reason
for the prejudice which formerly prevailed
against this preventive. We now have
a form of vaccine Infinitely superior to that
in use a few years ago. With glycernized
vaccine lymph no one need fear bad re-
suits"
There seems to be an impression" said
DR.. Wyman, that because the disease is
mild, that ii is not smallpox, or that If
IL is smallpox it is not worth while to
take effective measures against it, This
is very serious error, and likely to prove
"a very costly one to the people of the
South. A mild case win scatter the dis
ease almost as much as a severe case. Be-
sides this, experience has shown that while
most epidemics begin in a mild form they
become very fatal in due course of time
! That is the danger ahead now, and this is
one of the strongest reasons why effective
measures for suppressing the disease
| should no longer be neglected"
DR.. Wyman will be one Of the speakers
at the banquet to Admiral Dewey to-
night.
Gen. Wyman was entertained by Health
Officer Drummer and a party of friends
at the banquet hall of the De Soto last
night. The affair was a very pleasant
one, and some hours were spent in social
Intercourse.