The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1905-08-02

they touch each others hands, not
one single mar in the cage kept free
from the mosquitoes will catch the
disease.
That has been SO c~onclusively
proven that no sensible man &C
quaint himself with the facts of the
most carefully conducted experiments,
and remain in the slightest doubt as
to the reason of yellow fever's spread.
If six dozen acute cases of yellow
fever were taken into this city-into
its dirtiest slums-and each carefully
kept under screens SO that our striped
legged yellow fever mosquitoes could
not get at them. there would be no
more danger of q spread in the disease
here, of the development of q single
additional case. than if these six
dozen sufferers were in the wilds of
Africa.
The great problem before us 10Y is
not. How is yellow fever trans
mitted?''
The great problem is to make the
people. the p%Opulace, understand and
believe and know one single fact-that
the ''yellOw fever mosquitO's''
presence has been, is and will be las
long as we permit it, the destruction
and menac of man.
1t took over a hundred years for
the people. the populace, to under
stand, to believe, to know that vac
cine is scientific reality-and it took
over a half century before the dread
of smallpox a wiped away by it..
Let US hope that in this day Of the
printing press and the utilization of
the lightning, it will not take as long
for nan to seize upon the potent
reality of the vastly important fact.
This yellow fever mosquito does the
business, Sir Harlequin and: fellow
citizens. OF that there is not a vestige
of doubt. 1t and, it alone does it.
GEORGE E. BEYER.
[Prof. Boyer is professor of Biology
Tulane University: an original and
dedicating great and diligent study to
disease for many years, both on his
recently for two years with the late
OLltCu ot0VCS NOLAullSSlUUS lOI tIlc
investigation of yellow Fever at
Vera Cruz.-ED.1
POSTSCRIPT.
Harlequin:-You ask me to ''com-
plete" my story by suggesting methods
of eradication, If any such there be.
Oil or scyee your .~cisterns. Pref
erably screen them.
Keep no water in barrels, pitchers,
buckets, ~tincans, or other vessels for
any length of time. Empty them to
the very last drop. 1nvert them every
two or three days. Don't allow them
to stand uncovered and exposed
longer than that.
For the health authorities: Flush
the cutters. Allow no standing water,
for the yellow fever mosquitoes still
existing, after being deprived of your
cisterns, barrels, etc., will, in case of
need, adapt themselves. even If inn
perfectly. to the use of the cutters in
the streets. But l am convinced that
they will go outside the city into the
swamps and away from the immediate
vicinity of man.
Screen every patient we may have
and religiOusly prevent any mosque
toes from getting to them. This last
point is of tremendous Importance.
There is one reassuring condition
that has been prevailing, but which
unfortunately has not been of our own
making and therefore of u vOlitiOn
to continue-incessant and heavy
rains. The yellow-fever mosquito is
less numerous than they would have
been If dry weather had afforded them
better opportunity for propagation.
= GEORGE f. BEYER.