The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-25

avian III wv h'NhN' 's TO- zee 'ff'f ff'ff 49,
4, can readily be admitted that, with the san
itary system adopted, impcriec, a. it is, the NOR
tllity has fallen in a wonderful way. What
has been achieved by that process ot sanitation
regarding the mortality from contagious diseases
is astonishing That caused by yellow fever
fell from ia3, the average annual ngure, to eighty,
during eleven months, n fall which cannot but
surpri,', bearing in mind that the usual Spanish
immigration has continued, to which must be
added thousands Of Americans and other nation
alltes smallpox, which was epidemic. and
would assume periodically an epidemic character
that was as fatal to the native as was yellow fever
10 the foreigner, has almost disappeared. ,Ilar.
ers and other contagious diseases are being fought
with increased yigor iep,rs, who once were
allowed at large, ar1 kept IN ~seylusion. That
measure is deserving Of all praise because IL has
been observed that, IN those countries where tlcse
unfortunstes have been allowed at large, the
dreaded disease Increases The American author.
ities devoted n str ucture On q hill at Las Anlmas
10 use NJ q yellow fever hospital, but recently
they turned over to the Ayuntamiento, a house
In the "a me locality for n tuberculosis hospital
where the poor patients, affected with that disease
are attended IL II they wish to be treated there"
What the .irrhires has to say concerning yellow
fever does not, however, mcct with the full appro-
baton Of al students Of this disease, and some
OF their conclusions printed IN THE SUN ar, held
by the Chief Sanitary Officer To be unjust, as. in
tha absence Of pr nf 10 the contrary, it mnrt be
admitted that sanitation wa the caus. pi rae
inpr we'd conditions
In making mpqrisons between certain dates,
It IL not fair 70 use mortality figures only, 1t Is
naCrsTlrF to know how many cas.sI OF the disease
concerned existed during those p"riods 1t may
be that in one case there were many more cases
with fewer deaths and, IN The other fewer cases
with greater mortality. In 1899 the exact mum
her Of case, uf yellow fever was reported md also
the number OF deaths. in 1898 no record Of cases
w0S kept, consequently We cannot accept ALSO
lu,sly the statement that the record for December,
1870, was urfGvorlble b American occupa ton
on account % the number Of death unless the
tnRl number NJ rN7eG Is known such a comparison
l. unjust md worthless. Again, in 1898 all tho
people residing here we're practically immune,
no, immnHns. while in December 1899, the mum.
Der " Spanish arriving At this port waa q, 5S3
\rain, ~ little is known Of the disease; IL is so
erratr in lts conduct, appearing and disappearing
continually, III ways 60 thvart and overturn
the most learned Of theories, that IL would be
ungntr t. hazard a guess aG to whit might have
happened had nlt all these sanitary PRECAUTIONS
harn taken. Certainly the S%ituA lioN yould have
been no better and II Is only fair To assume that IL
would have boon worse The existence of fever
T. nssemner bn'rg ad mite, sTHpl"rs,i9ns i9r
,ery officer holds that II cannot he explained
on the basis Of the nor efficacy Of disinfection.
lie declare that mot only has there been no
epidemic, but in no instance has a secondary
rnSe Of fever, due IN conagion from the FIRST case,
occurred in the Same house, and in bu, few in.
stances has a second casc occurred in the house
uhora thorc had N"rn o cHSn, nrd after the place
he'd been clraN'd nmiyated and dirnfectAd.
Tie I%n'tanceS wh'n = second attack has occurred
ver' in lodclnr h"ue,N ard Yer" due to q rein.
inrti'n. as from thir'" 10 ninety DAYS lad elapsed
h,'No"n ih' first and yncnnd cN.ss, and lndrers
Ind been coming and going m these places all
the tirl"'
y, morning this ro,rtociior the Chief Sanitary
uricar hor ,his tn say, hpldlg, rs viii tn seen,
hat r"llsluto''nn docs not argu" laiiur" NJ his
fr' ~ q
"rhrra is a p1rii N NJ 'ie lower part NJ he city
whore the IMMIGRANT land, whrr scil re en-
rrr~Ata. and where Vol. 40 ever hos been epidemic
: % e. crurur.. wFicl Is currently designate" the
i#for,al , rur, and u"a-lv 30 pr cent Z III tive
cases W. have lNd ha," "riginaled r. been cIrcC,ly
trnc"a- lr :, this ! ca'ity As new imnirr,r's