Evening star., 1901-03-12
YELLOW JACKS REIGN
Americans Are Cutting 1t Short in
Havana.
VALUE OF RECENT EXPERIMENTS
Dr.. DeboyIe Of Nicaragua Praises
the Sanitary Reforms.
FEELING AMONG CUBANS

DR.. Louis II. Deboy1e, the delegate of
Nicaragua and several other Central Amer
lean countries at the Cuban medical con-
gress. is in Washington as the guest of
the Nicaraguan minister, SenOr Corea DR..
Deboyle is the sOn-in-law of ex-President
Sarasa of Nicaragua, and his prominence
in the scientific world is indicated by his
choice to represent a number of the south
ern republics at the congress, which was
to deal with the yellow fever problem and
like subjects of vital concern to them
The doctor pays a high tribute to the
American administration in Cuba and says
the medical delegates recently assembled
there from many countries We're impressed
with the remarkable sanitary improve
ments going on through the enterprise of
the Americans, and particularly with the
scientific experiments being conducted to
learn the cause and check the progress of
yellow fever.
Experimenting on Yellow Fever.
THE experiments on yellow fever are be-
ing conducted just outside of Havana"
said he, under conditions which make
most exact results practical. Certain
apartments are filed with yellow fever
filth of all kinds, with a degree of tenn
perature and an amount of moisture ex-
actly similar to the conditions which breed
yellow fever Here animals, and In some
cases medical men, expose themselves, with
view to determining just how far con-
tagion and infection can be spread under
the worst possible conditions. In other
apartments the most perfect sanitary con-
d1t1ons prevail. excepting the presence of
mosquitoes, confined in jars, and allowed
to circulate through the room when an
experiment is being made 1t has been
demonstrated beyond a doubt that these
mosquitoes when once inocuIated with the
mi tod hrr thair
bite, the disease developing in from two
to three days. In another room there Is
another class of mosquitoes which by ac-
tUal experiment have failed to convey the
filth is located individuals have lived for
thirty to fifty days, showing that there is
no danger from that cause.
Disease Conveyed by Mosquitoes.
''As result of these American expert
ments the delegates to the congress We're
of the opinion that the cause of yellow fe-
yer had gone beyond the experimental
stage and that it was now an accepted
medical fact that this particular class of
mosquitoes conveyed the disease. I will
SO report to the governments which 1 rep
resented do not mean to say that this
Is absolutely the only way of communicat-
ing the disease, but it is certainly proved
that 1t is the most efficient cause of the
spread of the disease in yellow fever To-
calities, Such a conclusion is not only of
great Importance to Cuba but to all coun-
tries similarly affected, as well as to the
United States and other adjacent territory
likely to be invaded by such a plague
Already the American administration has
established this valuable scientific fact
and has reaped great practical benefit from
it There is now not more than four or
five cases of yellow fever in Havana and
at times the number is as low as two cases,
which is an exceptionally good showing
Sanitary Reform
The Americans are also to be congratu-
lated on the excellent sanitary conditions
throughout Havana. The system has been
carried into every house. perfect methods
Of sanitary plumbing taking the place of
defective and dangerous old systems The
streets are kept scrupulously clean, gar
baSe Is systematically removed and not
only the public, but all private localities
are kept in the best sanitary condition
This alone speaks much for the beneficial
influence which the Americans have ex-
erted.
Feeling of Cubans.
''As to political conditions, / found the
CUbans having natural aspiration for
self-government although they are quite
willing To concede guarantees to the United
States which will prevent foreign aggres-
sion With these views prevailing, there
seems to be little but detail to arrange to
give Cuba a free government and at the
same time give Just security to the United
States"