The times., 1901-04-18
DISCUSSED YELLOW FEVER
Surgeon General Sternberg Ad-
dresses Social Scientists.
4 Disease of Seaport Cities-Not Due
to Climatic Conditions. But to the
Mosquito-What Experiments Have
Developed other Papers Read.

to Climatic Conditions. But to the
Mosquito-What Experiments Have
Developed - other Papers Read.
Yellow fever the reason for its being
contagious, with special reference to inVes-
legations recently conducted in Cuba, was
the main subject of the meeting Of the
Social Science Association last night. Sur
geon General Sternberg discussed the sub
ject at length. The title of his lecture was
The Transmission Of Yellow Fever by the
Mosquito"
In his preliminary remarks General
Sternberg said that the origin of yellow
fever IS not known. but that it is supposed
TO have come from Africa Even in the
West Indies where it is found so preva-
lent now, it has been introduced, he said
and long periods of immunity in those
places, lasting century. are recorded. He
thought this proof that the disease did not
depend upon climatic conditions. 1t was
disease of seaport cities, he said, because
It was disease of low levels. Cases
which developed in high attitudes from in
fection at low levels, he said. proved not to
be infectious This he considered proof
that It is not directly communicated by
the sick to the we'll.
There is abundant proof of this he
said. 1T is also TO be shown that heat
and moisture are needed to develop the
disease. It is prevalent only in summer.
Ships arriving at a port bring it, and the
area Of infection gradually expands. The
propagation of the disease. because of
these conflicting facts, has been a mys-
terry.
The problem was at first attacked at
the wrong end. Much time, ingenuity
and money were expended by bacteriol-
rarely found. vet everyone was hunting
for bacteria We now know some dis
eases are due to protozoa-as malaria
quite a different germ, and it has been
shown that malaria is propagated by
mosquito bites.
Fifteen years ago DR.. Finlay. Of Ha-
vana, advfnced the theory that yellow
fever is transmitted by the mosquito. and
he quoted the conditions / have men
toned above as proof. but his expert
ments did not go far enough. His evi-
dence as given in his report was rather
unsatisfactory. He claimed only one
definite case OF yellow fever out Of eighty
seven fnoculations. When a board was
sent to Cuba. however, last year to look
into yellow fever it was suggested that
Finlay's theory be given consideration.
The first experiments were made upon
members of the board, DR.. Carol and DR..
I.azear inoculated themselves with in
fected mosquitoes. DR.. Carol had hard
case and DR.. Lazear died as the result
OF an inoculation in a yellow fever dead
house In the autumn DR.. Reed UNDER
took a series Of experiments. which re-
suited most brilliantly. In an isolated
station he inoculated a large number of
volunteers. The outcome was satisfactory
and conclusive. OF the number expert
~ ha
case These people we're isolated in the
station q long time to make sure the dis
ease developed only from the inocula-
ton 1t was discovered that only after
The mosquito has been kept twelve days
viii it give the disease. This was the rea-
son of DR.. Reeds success, and DR.. Fin
lay failure.
as the intermediate host in the tranSrlS-
sion Of the disease. That is the decision OF
Drs Carol, Reed, ana Agramonte. Ihey
found also that incubation by blood
taken from a patient in the second or
third day Of the disease would produce
mild case The germ has not been found
and We have decided that 1t is ultra-mi-
The period of incubation is found to
De from forty hours TO five days. The
disease is not transmitted by clothing, ana
this was proven by the fact that the eX-
perlTnenters wore clothes and slept in
beds OF yellow fever patients yet did not
get the disease.
Because Of these conclusions the
method of fighting yellow fever viii have
TO be altered, and ii is possible that the
system cf quarantine now in use, and con-
sidered 90 obnoxious. viii be changed
DR.. Elmer Lees paper on Food as the
Principal Factor in the Cause Of Disease
was read by Secretary +. 5. Root. The
paper stated that the habit OF eVereating
began early in life through parental in
dulgence, and continues through life
through weakness Of the individual and
20 e-fu aa fale c.Gu7rq aF 10
board. The only admissible theory OF the
great prevalence Of diseases. the paper
stated, is that ii is attributable in great
measure TO letting in Uncer-prepared food
10 the stomach. All systems of medicine
are nothing when not backed up by
proper method Of feeding the body.
The papers read at the meeting of the
association yesterday morning were on
subjects relating TO health. The first
was by John II. Patterson, President
of the National Cash Register Company.
of Dayton. Ohio. He stated that the
scheme which he had put into effect was
not Ctopian or merely philanthropic, but
was based on the fact. established by eX-
per1euce, that the better the surroundings
of working people the better the work
they can do. The first move was to
beautify the park surrounding his works,
nd this was naturally followed by beau
tfhcation Of the plots around the houses
of the employees. The, interior of the fac
tory Was then painted in cheerful col
or extra windows were made to give
Light, forced ventilation to afford plenty
ol ifeSl AIR, ana all dust and acid fumes
were carried away BY exhaust fans
athrooms and well-fUrnished toilet
rooms, continued Mr. Patterson "are on
all floors. All seats have backs. clean
aprons are furnished by the company: a
dining room where hot meals are served
aud ~surse in domestic economy is con
cHcted. The dining-roOm is decorated
with pictures, flags. and plants. We have
demonstrated that this system pays the
manufacturer. the employe, and the buy
er. in the profit TO the one. the health OF
the other. and the increased quality of the
product
Or. Grace Peckhan Murray, OF New
York, read q paper on Health Fads OF
To-day. She divided fads into two classes
one affecting the individual and the 9th.
er affecting the community. Fads OF
diet. clothing, and exercise, were. she de-
cisred, legion. and were all predicated up
on the unrestful attitude of the people
and the common realization that health is
OF great Importance
OF this feeling the speaker said, "the
charlatans have taken great advantage
and have built up practices for them
selves at the expense Of the health of the
public" a
The paper then discussed in an unfayor-
able Hight Christian Science and mental
healing. 1t suggested that they should be
properly regulated. as are all other meth
ods OF healing. The history of osteop-
athy and its principles were detailed with
some Of its methods of operation
The speaker declared that the recent
increase IN contagious diseases in the
large cities was due to the fact that
many cases are treated by healers who
conceal them, declaring that contagion
fs ar possible.
Dr c. W. Chancellor, Of Washington.
rive his observations ssCon,.l r-..ftL