Evening star., 1901-04-17
Conclusions Of Medical Board on
Spread Of Yellew Fever.
APPROVED BY 9HE SURGEON GENERAL
Circular Instructions Prepared by
Dr.. Hazard.
TREATMENT OF MALARIA


fever treatment. has Just given his ap-
proval. without reservation, to the report of
the special medical board, composed of
Surgeons Reed, Carroll and Agramonte,
upon the "Etiology of Yellow Fever" In
which the conclusion was reached that the
mosquito is chiefly responsible for the
transmission Of this fell disease. Moreover,
the medical department of the army Is
moving energetically to put into practical
operation the methods of treatment and
prevention of yellow fever, involving a
radical reversal of existing methods. which
form the basis Of the report Today Sur
geon General Sternberg formally approved
circular prepared by Chief Surgeon Ha-
ward at Havana, with this Endorsement:
I'm my opinion the present state of our
knowledge fully justifies the pubicat ton of
this circular
The text of the circular which will form
the instructions for all medical officers in
the army in treating fever Is attached. 1t
may be noted that the general orders re-
ferred to under head one provide for the
liberal use Of coal oil to prevent the hatch
ing out of mosquito eggs. This circular
reads:
Result of Havana Experiments.
''The recent experiments made In Havana
by the medical department Of the army
having proved that yellow fever. like ma
ably exclusively, by the bite of infected
mosquitoes, important changes in the meas
ures used for the prevention and treatment
of this disease have become necessary.
''It is, therefore, respectfully recommend
ed that the following instructions be pub
liShed and enforced at all posts in this de-
partment.
Il. In order to prevent the breeding OF
mosquitoes and protect officers and men
against their bites the provisions of Cen
nartn nj nj mi "a na-
cember 81, 1900. shall be carefully carried
out, especially during the summer and fall.
Infection From Yellow Fever.
SO So far as yellow fever is concerned.
infection Of room or building simply
means that it contains infected mosquitoes
that is, mosquitoes which have fed on
yellow fever patients. Distinction. there
fore, means the employment of measures
aimed at the destruction of these mosqui
toes. The most effective of these measures
is fumigation. either with sulphur. for
maldehyde or insect powder. The fumes OF
sulphur are the quickest and the most ef-
fective insecticide, but are otherwise OBJ
Jectionable. Formaldehyde gas is quite ef
fective if the infected rooms are kept closed
and sealed for two or three hours. The
smoke of insect powder has also been
proved useful; it readily stupefies mosaui-
toes, which drop to the floor and can then
be easily destroyed.
''The washing of walls. floors, ceilings and
furniture with disinfectants is unnecessary
''s AS it has been demonstrated that yell
low fever cannot be conveyed by romities,
such as bedding clothing, effects and bag
gage, they need not be subject to any spe-
cfal disinfection Care should be taken,
however, not to remove them from the in
fected rooms until after formaIdehyde fumi-
CATION, so that they may not harbor ary
infected mosquitoes. '.7
Isolation OF Nurses.
Medical officers taking care of yellow
fever patients need not be Isolated; they
can attend other patients and associate
with non-immunes with perfect safety to
the garrison. Nurses and attendants TAX
ing care of yellow fever patients should re-
main isolated. 50 as to avoid any l,ossible
danger of their conveying mosquitoes from
patients to non-immuneS.
81 The infection of mosquitoes IS most
likely to occur during the first two or three
days OF the disease. Ambulant cases, that
is, patients not i'll enough to take to their
beds and remaining unsupported and un-
protected, are probably those most respon-
sible for the spread of the disease. 1t is
therefore essential that all fever cases
shall be at once isolated and 50 protected
that no mosquitoes can possibly get access
to them until the nature of the fever is
positively determined.
Each post shall have a detention ward
for the admission of all fever cases, and an
isolation ward for the treatment of cases
which prove to be yellow fever Each ward
Sndll De Haue IlOSQullO-DIOOI Dy wire net
ting over doors and windows a ceiling Of
wire netting at a height of seven feet above
the floor, and mosquito bars over the beds
There should be no place in it where mos
quitoes can seek refuge. not readily ac-
ceSsible to the nurse. Both wards can be
in the same building, provided they are
separated by a mosquito-tight partition.
Quarantine of Suspects.
%. All persons coming from an infected
locality to post shall be kept Upon careful
observation until the completion of five
days from the time of the possible infec-
ton, either in a special detention camp
or IN their own quarters; IN either case
their temperature should be taken twice
day during their period of observation, so
that those who develop yellow fever may
be placed under treatment at the very in
ception of the disease.
Guarding Against MalariaI Fever.
''6 Malarial fever, like yellow fever, is
communicated by mosquito bites, and
therefore is just as much Of an infectious
disease and requires the same measures Of
protection against mosquitoes. On the as
sumption that mosquitoes remain in the VI
cinity Of their breeding places, or never
travel far, the prevalence of malarial fever
at post would indicate want Of proper
care and diligence on the part of the sur
geon and commanding officer in complying
with general orders No. 6, Department Of
Cuba, 1900.
81. Surgeons are again reminded of the
absolute necessity in all fever cases. to
chart Of pulse and temperature since such
a chart is their best guide to a correct
diagnosis and the proper treatment. Very
respectfully, VALERY HAZARD,
Major. Surgeon, U. 8. Army, Chief Sur
geon."