The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-29
FIGHTING YELLOW FEVER.
The Results of Scientific Work in
Santiago and Havana.
How, the Epidemic Has Been Stamped
Out by Distinction - The killing
of Mosquitoes an Important Item
Facts shown .by Statistics.

Oh mosquitoes an important item
Facts shown Iby Statistics.
Official reports received at the Insular
Division of the War Department indi-
cate that gratifying results have been
attained from the ceaseless warfare
which has been maintained against yell
low fever in Cuba. The fight upon this
deadly foe began in Santiago almost i'm
mediately after that city was occupied
by the United States military forces.
While there is no blare of trumpets nor
pomp nor circumstance of war. and no
medal of honor for yellow fever service,
yet the campaign against it calls for as
much personal bravery, as much calm
facing of the foe, and as vigorous meas
ures as would be called for in campaign
against a human enemy. 1t is fight
against a foe who turks in the atmos-
phere. in the water, who works In the
watches of the night more than in the
broad light of day, and whose advance is
more invisible than that of troops armed
with modern guns and smokeiess powder.
Its casualties show a greater percentage
of loss for those attacked than show Maui
ser or Krag for those struck in battle
The yellow fever epidemic in Santi-
ago in 1888" says a recent official report
of the Marine Hospital Service, resulted
in death rate of 20 per cent of all who
had the disease. The epidemic began
during the absence of General Wood in
the north and it ragged without abate-
ment until his return, when prompt meas
ures were taken to quench the fires by
removing the fuel on which they fed.
Every American soldier stationed in San
tiago was sent to the mountains. Depart
ment headquarters were sent out of town:
prompt isolation of suspicious cases and
disinfection of houses where they oc-
CURED were made. Hotels and lodging
houses in which cases had occurred were
closed. quarantine measures were rigidly
enforced, and detention camps for sus-
picious cases were organized. The dis
ease at once began to wane.
The result of nearly two years of
American rule has been to make Santi-
ago. to all outward appearance, as clean
as any American city. Every house where
yellow fever occurred in 1893 was disin-
fected three times. Eighty-iive miles of
streets were swept daily; 25,0O0 cubic
yards of sweepinGs were hauled out of
the city during the year; 1lS.ev1 cubic
yards of garbage was removed, in the
destruction of which 35.VU gallons OF
crude petroleum was used; 400 gallons
of carbolic acid, 1000 pounds OF chloride
of lime perfumed the air in the same
good work. No street excavating was
permitted
The result of this work is that there
has been no yellow fever in Santiago
since December q, 1899. It's Punishment
from that city. its habitat for 400 years.
was accomplished by American cleanii-
ness and energy, intelligently directed by
the military authorities, and its absence
has been no freak or accident
The general sanitary condition of the
city of Havana continues excellent Dur
ing June last, there were 4gS deaths from
all causes. This is the smallest number
occurring in any June since 1883 The
greatest number of deaths for June oc-
CURED in 1888, when there were ,253. The
average since 1893 is 1910 The rate per
thousand is equally favorable, being 2sB
for the month of June. The death rate
for June compares favorably with that
OF many large cities In the civilized world.
For example. the death rate in the City
OF Mexico for the week ending June .
was So-62; Vera Cruz, for the week end
ing June l. had a death rate of 81 40: the
death rate of the city of Kingston. ia
naica, during May last, was ~ -; Rouen,
France. for the month of April last had
a death rate of NIB
The condition of the city of Havana
so far as yellow fever is concerned is
particularly gratifying. During the month
Of June there was not a single death nor
new case IN Havana. The records show
that since 1861 no previous June has pass
Cd with absolute freedom from this dis
case. There has never been a year that
approached the present in its freedom
from yellow fever. the last death having
on March L.
Commencing about the middle of Feb
ruary, the sanitary authorities based their
whole management of yellow fever upon
the position that the mosquito is the me-
dunn of its transmission from person to
person, theory originally brought for
ward and elaborated by DR. Charles Fin
lay, OF Havana. and finally entirely es-
tablished by complete experiments Of the
Yellow Fever Commission. When the re-
suits of these experiments We're made
known the Military Governor directed
that every effort be made to carry out
on the lines indicated BY this
discovery. and the result of four months
work has been to strengthen the conclu-
sion reached by the board
In January there were % cases and 7
deaths; February, cases and deaths
After this date the new method of disin-
lection being in operation, there were new
on the I'd and Sth of March. There were
no further cases until April 20 ard q
when two occurred. and no more fever
until May and Z, when there were four.
80. the date covered by the reports so far
received.
There have been years in which there
was very little yellow fever. but none In
which it has entirely disappeared as at
present. 1t would therefore seem to be a
fair inference that the improved method
of disnfection killed OF the infected mos
quitoes; that by March s the city had
been rid of the infection and was free of
fever until April 20. when a focus of in
lection again developed. Distinction
gain apparently killed the infected mos
quitoes. as the city was free from fever
until May 6. when another focus devel- |
oped. The same method Of disinfection |
was again applied, with the result that |
no cases developed after that date
rs is believed that by pursuing the pres |
emit methods the island can be rid of yell |
low fever and its spread may be prevent |
ed even when introduced from the out |
side If this condition can be brought |
a bout many of the restrictions now i'm |
posed upon commerce by guarantees can |
be done away with