The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-04-24
A DEADLY FOE.
Mosquitoes Responsible. for the
Spread Of Yellow Fever.
TO PREVENT the DISEASE
The United States Government
Revclu.ionizss iss Methods.
NJ Quarantine OF Bag.
gage Necessary.

Surgeon General Steeburg has just
given his approved, without reservation,
to the report Of the special board compos.
ed Of Surgeons Reed, Carroll and Agra
monte upon the ''etiology Of yellow
fever" in which the conclusion was
reached that the mosquito is response
bic for the transmission Of this fell
disease. Moreover, the medical depart
ment Of the army is moving energeti-
cally to put into practical operation
methods Of treatment for the pre7ea.
ton Of yellow fever, involving q radi:
cal reversal existing methods, which
form the basis Of the report.
Wednesday, Surgeon General Stern.
burg formally spproveda circular pre-.
pared by Chief Surgeon Havsrd at
Hsbsns, with this endorsement:
In my opinion the present state Of
our knowledge fully justiies the pub
iication Of this circular"
The text Of the circular which will
form the instructions for all medical
cmcers in the army in treating fever is
attached. The general orders referred
to under head one provides for the lib
eral use OF coal oil to prevent the
Matching out Of mosquito eggs. The
circular says:
THE recent experiments made in
Habans by the medical department. Of
the srmy having proved that yellow
fever, like malarisl fever, is conveyed
chiefly, and probably exclusively, By
the bite of infected noquitoes, I'M
portant changes in the measures used
for the prevention and treatment Of
this disease have become necessary.
$50 far IS yellow fever is concerned,
infection Of room or building simply
means that it contain infected mos
quitoes, that is, mosquitoes which have
fed on yellow fever patients. Disin-
fection, therefore, means the employ
ment Of measures aimed at the de.
struction Of these mosquitoes. The
most effective of these messures is
fumigation either with sulphur, for
maldehyde or insect powder. The
fumes Of sulphur are the quickest and
the most effective insecticide, but are
otherwise Objectionable. Formaldehsde
gas is quite effective II the Elected
rooms are kept closed and sealed for.
two or three hours. The smoke Of in
sect powder has also been proved use
full: it readily stupeaes mosquitoes,
which drop to the floor and can be
easily destroyed.
''The washing Of walls, floors, cell
ings and furniture with disinfectants is
unnecessary,
Gas it hiss been demonstrated that
yellow fever cannot be conveyed };
bedding, clothing, effects and baggage,
they need not be subject TO any special
disinfection. Csre should be taken,
however, not to move them from the
infected rooms until after formSlds-
hyde fumigation, so that they may rot
karoor any infected mosquitoes.
Medical officers taking care Of gel
low fever patients need not be isolated;
they can attend other patients and as
sociate with non.immunes With per-
feet safety to the garrison. Nurses and
attendants taking care Of yellow fever
patients shall remain isolated, 80 as to
avoid any possible danger Of their con-
veying mosquitoes from patients to nom
immunes.
''Malarial fever, like yellev fever, is
communicated by mosquito bites, and
is just as much Of an infection disease
and requires the same measures Of pro-
lection against mosquitoes. On the
assumption that mosquitoes remain in
the vicinity Of their breeding places,
or never travel far, the prevalence Of
ualarisl fever at post would indicate
want Of propsr care and diligence on
the part Of the surgeon and command.
ing officer"