Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-12

agency of transmission. So much for the
preventive campaign of the disease soldiers
who lie in watch for Yellow Jack from their
lonely, often Isolated quarantine stations.
Houses Sealed and Smoked.
But the really strenuous disease fighting
is waged upon mainland, In and around the
spots where Yellow Jack has gained a foot
hold. The plan of campaign then COM
prises the organization, first, OF mosquito
sections of eight men, each such squad
with a carpenter attached and under the
command of a medical Inspector. Imme-
diately upon learning of new case of yell
low fever, the surgeon in command dis
patches a section to the infected house All
doors and windows are closed and those
opening into the patients room are pro-
tected by wire screens. The house is then
prepared for mosquito destruction. Strips
of paper are pasted over all cracks or open
ings through which mosquitoes might es-
cape. Even chmneys are made mosquito
tight. Old rickety buildings are sometimes
completely papered inside and extensively
papered outside, even though IL would be
an easier matter to burn them down or
otherwise raZe them.
The house now being insect-proof, pots
partially filed with sulphur are fgnited
with the aid OF wood alcohol, and the dis
fnfectors retire when the sulphur burns ac-
lively Departing from the premises they
seal the last door of exit. All rooms are
thus treated except that occupied by tho
patient, who is later removed to one of the
fumigated apartments while his is thor
oughly smoked out Thus the last remain
ing mosquito is destroyed. When the smoke
of battle has in measure cleared away,
the invaders return to dust and sweep the
floors, walls and furniture of dead or posi-
bly, Supplied insects. AS a last precautfon
all Of these carcasses are Immediately
burned in one of the sulphur pots All such
precautions are necessitated by the fact
that any mosquito biting a yellow fever
patient becomes capable in twelve to fif-
teen days of transmitting the disease to
healthy person.
Everything Screened.
Outside the houses another relentless war
on the insects is waged by little armies Of
the disease fighters. The district is thor
oughly covered and every stagnant pool.
rain barrel. cistern, pail. tin can. broken
bottle or the like Is emptied dosed with
kerosene. All rain barrels and other per
manent water receptacles in the open air
are covered with wire screening to prevent
mosquitoes from laying their eggs therein
AS fast yellow fever patients are dis
covered they are taken to hospitals and
camps and placed in screened cots inside
of screened buildings The residents of all
been requested to thoroughly screen their
doors and windows lest emigrant swarms
of flying disease hyperdermics fly in upon
them after biting yellow fever patients or
corpses. They are also asked to prevent
water standing around in vessels of any
kind.
New communities to which the fever
spreads will be depopuated by the federal
disease fighters as far possible. Direct
railroad traffic from New Orleans or any
other infected spot is Immediately taken in
hand by the public health officers. Rail-
ways are operated under strict medical
supervision. The officers board trains pass
ing in and out and demand from each pas
senger statement to his movements
during the ten days previous Passengers
leaving yellow fever point and destined
to what are known as ''nOn-infectible" To-
calities are allowed to proceed if in good
health. put when their destinations are
points in the southern yellow fever zone
where the disease, if introduced. may
spread-thcy are taken from the trains and
quarantined in detention camps" along the
railway lines.
Detention Camps.
The federal disease fighters go into the
field furnished with carefully devised plans
for these camps. Each such reservation
consists of a wide central rectangle. sur
rounded on three sides by separate viii
lagos of small tents and on the fourth by
b .,
houses, Kitchens and laUndres. A guard
house for rebeiliOus campers is erected in
one corner. and strict military discipline
governs the daily routine Bugie calls an
nounce hours for meals. retiring, rising,
inspection, etc. In fact, the federal public
health officers. from the surgeon general
down, have the authority of military mon
and are bound by military discipline. Their
uniforms. worn upon cercmonious occa-
stons, include white plumcd hats, white
gloves, swords and shoulder knots denoting
rank
The sanitation of the probation camn Is
carefully looked after. Should one OF the
campers fall i'll OF fever there is at a sa fe
distance from camp completely screened
hospital building awaiting him All cannD-
ers must remain within the picket lines
until the officers are reasonably certain
that no traces OF the disease have appeared
Surrounded by Gordon.
A strict sanitary Gordon is forged around
each infected locality and this is patroIled
by armed guards, preventing either exit or
entrance through the gauntlet OF the inspec-
tors. These guard lines protect not
only railroads and wagon roads, but water
outlets from the diseased points, and the
last named approaches are patrolled by
revenue cutters. Fugitives caught by the
guards are arrested I'd sent to the preba-
ton camps OF, II they prefer. are returned
TO the injected point. In the course of
their enforcement of these strict quaran-
tines the authority of the federal officials
was resisted some times in years back
During the yellow fever epidemic of 1882
for example, Surgeon Murray's headquar-
ters in a Texas village was visited by
posse who called for the considerable pur-
pose of hanging him. During the cholera
ties were greatly hampered by the conduct
of the health officer OF New York city As