The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-08-01
YELLOW FEvER'S CAUSE
Result Of Tests by American
Scientists IN Mexico.
LIFEPRIsoEERsBxPBRIMBETBDoN


That the Disease Is spread By an
Animal Parasite In Mosquitoes and
That the scouree Can Re stamped
out--ways to kin the Pests.
yellow fever is now a plaything"
This declaration was made recently by
one Of the members of Surgeon Gen
eral Wyman's staff who has followed
very closely the work Of investigation
Of the cause and prevention Of yellow
fever that was taken up by various
scientific departments Of the govern
ment three years ago. by authority Of
Surgeon General Wyman bulletin has
been issued from Washington on the
subject, which presents an elaborate
review OF the work done during the
past year by tile commission Of experts
sent to Vera Cruz, Mexico by the ma
rine hospital service to study the dis
ease. says the New York World.
As a consequence it is confidently as
serted by the highest scientific anthori-
ties in Washington that there is no
longer cause to fear an outbreak Of
yellow fever In those regions OF the
south where the disease IN past years
has wrought such frightful havoc,
both to life and commerce. 10 Or.
Herman b. Parker, assistant surgeon
lof the United States marine hospital
service, and DIS. George Il. Boyer and
10. Il. Pothier OF New Orleans is due
the credit for demonstrating beyond
reasonable doubt three proposittons
First,-That the cause Of yellow fever is
ain animal parasite and not a vegetable
germ or bacterium
Second.--rhat the disease is commune
Gated only by the bite Of mosquitoes.
Third. That only one genus Of mos
auitoes which Is classified az Stegomyia
faseiata, is the host Of the yellow fever
parasite.
In their work at Vera Cruz the Amer
lean scientists were rendered all the
aid they desired by the Mexican gov
| ernment, BY direct order Of President
Diaz three of the principal experts in
Mexico were assigned to assist the in
Investigators from the United States.
Also by order of President Diaz the
warden Of tile penitentiary nearest to
Vera Cruz put at the disposal Of the
experts every life term prisoner in
good health who chose to risk his life
for his liberty. -Four men were thus
i experimental upon, and not one Of
them thus subjected to the disease lost
his life.
The first experiment was with a ma
tive twenty-six years old who had
never been exposed to yellow fever, as
he lived beyond the infected belt. Care.
full examination showed that he was
In perfect health. The day following
his arrival two mosquitoes known To
harbor tile yellow fever parasites were
permitted to feed upon his left hand
/ The temperature, pulse and general
condition were taken regularly every
eight hours without noting any varia-
tion In the condition Of the patient
until the second day. Then d red blood
lcell containing four Oh five Of the vel
low fever parasites was found on
the morning of the third day tile pa
tient began to show the unmistakable
symptoms Of yellow fever. BY evening
Iof that day The disease was fully de-
Iyeloped
i Counting from the beginning Of the
symptoms, 1t was seventy-four hours
from the bite Of the mosquitoes to the
perfect development Of the disease. The
Ipatient went through all the stages of
the disease, even 10 the black vomit
lie was carefully watched and nursed
by the physicians and was brought
Through the disease and discharged as
we'll after about three weeks treat
Ement. stegomyia fasciata that were
known not to be infected with the par
asites were permitted to feed on this
man while the disease was at its
height In due time, or about ten days
after they had Toasted on his diseased
blood they We're killed. sectioned and
microseopieally examined. This RE-
vealed the presence in them Of the
same parasite that had been found In
the blood Of the yellow fever patient.
Experiment No . was on a man OF
labout the same age, history and phys
Heal condition. lin this case mosquitoes
/ that We're known 10 harbor the yellow
fever parasite were ground up and
placed ID water, which the man drank.
This man was kept under observation
For twelve days, and rs the disease did
not develop iii him from this expert
4 ent he was discharged, In expert
Iment No blood was drawn in steril-
lied syringes from the arm Of expert
lment No ! while the latter was suffer
Ing most from yellow fever The blood
thus drawn was injected into the arm
of experiment No. without producing
the disease in him
AS a result ct this Unconstitutional the
public health and marine hospital serv-
I've Of the United States viii henceforth
direct rs energies and resources ID
lighting the Stegomgia fasciata RI
that genus az mosquito can be kept out
of the United States there win be no
more yellow fever here. is the firm CON
vietion Of the scientific departments Of
the government Hereafter Steamships
and other eanveyanees that arrive In
the United States from sections infest-
ed with yellow fever will be thorough
II fufnigated hy order Of tile govern
menf with the view Of killing the Ste