The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-18
YELLOW FEVER MOSQUITOES.
Suppression of Disease Likely to Fol-
low Present Experiments in Cuba.

low Present Experiments in Cuba.
Correspondence New York Times.
Havana, Jan. 9.-In these days of new,
interesting, and at times startling dis
coveries il is not surprising that but small
attention has been paid by the public at
large to the revival Of the investigation
and experiments first begun in 1881 by
DR.. Charles Finlay, of Havana, regarding
the transmission of yellow fever by mos
quitoes. Verify, has this creature been
mathematical times without number both
for his song and bite, and were he not a
callous creature he would retire to the
stagnant pool where he was born and
whence he came; bu,, unbushingly, vi
ciously and almost with malice afore-
thought, he seeks whom he may to in
feet with the germs of yellow fever, ma
laria, and perhaps other diseases
The Surgeon General of the Army, pos
sibly actuated by the brilliant investiga-
ton of Italian experts on the Campagna
with the malarial parasite, appointed a
board last July, consisting of men we'll
known in the world of scientific medicine
heading the list with Major Walter Reed,
Surgeon, United States Army. who for
years conducted experiments in the lab
oratory of the Army Medical Museum in
Washington, following with Drs. Carroll.
Agramonte. and Lazear, Acting Assistant
Surgeons, United States Army to conduct
an extended series of experiments cover
ing various methods for the transmission
of this disease. 1t is whispered that this
board has discovered the much-disputed
germ of yellow fever, and, if so, it is not
unlikely that at the next session of the
Pan-American Medical Congress they will
so announce.
1t is possibly too early to affirm that
the results of the boards study and in
vestigation are proof positive but, at any
rate, another mile post has been passed
upon the high road so carefully followed
by the medical profession the world over
though not until now has so much atten-
ton been paid to the spread of yellow
fever, which is ever erratic.
The mosquito selected for the expert
ments, and the one with which results
have been obtained is the Culex fasciatus
This insect is striped upon the body and
legs, and differs from the black mos
quito In that IL seems to prefer the dark
ana dislikes the wind, and is a COMPARE
lively quiet creature, while the black va
riety is restless, never remaining long in
one place
II mas been demonstrated that after the
mosquito bites yellow fever patient the
IN49Sh IL SAtIdClS must remain in its
stomach from eight to twelve DAYS 10
permit the micro-organism to incubate.
AT the end of this time should the in
sect sting a susceptible non-immune in
dlVidual, the probability would be a case
of well-marked yellow fever. Inasmuch
as il takes about ten days for the germ
to incubate in the stomach. and bearing
IN mind the habits of the Culex fasciatus.
stripped variety, it is readily under
stood why persons contract the fever
where they sleep. which is characteristics
Observation of the thousands of non
immune Americans. who have resided
here since Jan. /, 1899, leads to the con-
clusion that yellow fever is not contagious
in the sense of other diseases, such as
smallpox, etc, II it can be classed among
the infectious or contagious diseases at
all. At Las Animas Hospital where
many patients with the fever have en-
tered and left, either to resume their vo-
cations in life or else sorrowfully borne
to their last resting place in the beauti-'
full Crlstobal Colon Cemetery. the nurses
have nearly all been non-immunes and
yet not case has arisen within the |
confines of the grounds. In fact, the hos
pital is claimed by the nurses to be |
health resort. and only to-day the write. |
heard two OF them lament because they |
must return 20 the states. there being I
practically no fever at this time
1t must be borne I'M mind that though |
bitten by an infected mosquito, 1t is by