The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-08-13
DR.. GUITERAS ON
THE FEVER
SITUATION
Eminent Physician Does Not Be
IieVe 1t Will Be Stamped
Out Until Frost.

Dr.. Guiteras, the yellow fever spec
ialist passed through Montgomery on
Friday en- route to Mobile. While
in that city he gave out the follow
ing interview to the Montgomery Jour
nal:
Il do not believe that the yellow
fever in New Orleans will be stamped
out until after frost"
This was the statement made to
Journal reporter by DR.. John Guiteras,
the yellow fever expert, formerly con-
nected with the United States Marine
Hospital service but now Stationed at
Havana, Cuba, when he was in the
city this morning.
DR.. Guiteras Is recognized the
world over as a yellow fever expert
and during the yellow fever at New
Orleans the last time he did much to-
ward stamping out the disease. He
came here from Tampa, Fla, and left
for Mobile where he intends to stay
several days and then goes to New
Orleans.
While in Tampa he was accompani-
ed by DR.. Porter, the Florida health
officer and they Investigated the sit
There is no yellow fever at Tampa"
said DR.. Guiteras, Or. Porter and
myself made a thorough examina-
ton" He stated that there was fever
there but not yellow fever.
Praises Doctors.
The expert made a visit to Minhin-
nett, the yellow fever patient at the
emergency hospital and also visited
the Capitola Hotel where he was TAX
en- sick He is high in his praise of
the doctors here and says they did
the proper thing by taking him TO the
emergency hospital and having him
screened and the work at the hotel
was also praised. He does not believe
there will be any spread of the dis
ease here.
Tampa took the same precautions
as Montgomery" said DR.. Guiteras,
and there was no spread of the dis
ease there"
He is strong believer in having
the patients screened.
Talks About New Orleans.
II New Orleans had done as Mont
gomery and Tampa in screening the
nrst patients said the expert, there
would not have been so much yellow
fever there now" He was glad to see
the government take charge OF Z
work and said the government should
have taken charge when the first case
was reported. He did not believe that
the fever would be stamped out before
most, but he did say that the govern
ment authorities are getting it under
control and also that would practical
~ be impossible to stamp it out until
after frost.
The doctors should have reported
the first suspicious case" said Dr.
Guiteras. "and then the patient should
nave been sent to a hospital and
screened" He advocated reporting
suspicious cases.
Educate the People.
The people have got to be educat-
&C on The yellow fever question: said
the doctor, so they can understand
when a man has yellow fever and the
physicians Immediately have him
screened and proper precautions TAX
en-. He said there was no necessity
for the psnicky feeling when the ply
sicians know how to handle the stu
alton. He said that the people should
have been educating themselves along
the line since 1901 and then they
would have been better prepared 70
understand the situation.
Mosquito Theory.
The doctor is a great believer in the
mosquito theory. He believes this is
the only way Of Infection He stated
that mosquito could live FIVE months
IN fact all the summer This will SET
tie the question as TO the length of
the life Of mosquito. There were a
good many contentious along this line
The doctor said a mosquito could live
this long but did not state that this
was the average life.
Government Control.
81 believe that the government
should have control of the yellow fever
situation" declared Doctor Guiteras.
He said the government was better
able to handle the fever than the
local authorities and that the govern
Dent should have a fund to pay the
expenses. He also believed that the
government should charge for the
quarantine, in fact he believes that
the government should enact such
laws as are necessary to have control
over the whole affair.
Talks About Havana.
TN Havana" said the doctor. the
people there are educated upon the
question of yellow fever. There is no
yellow fever there now, Why We even
take yellow fever patients from Mex
leo, bring them to Havana, take them
through the. streets in an ambulance
and to the hospital They are screen
ed and sometimes the nurses that
wait on them are. not immune The
people there knew how to treat the
disease"
While here the doctor was at the