The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-08-19
DIR. j. Y. PORTER TO
STATE PHYSICIANS

ed. unless the attack was severe, sell
dom was a physicians services want
ed or requested, and that he estimated
| up to the present date that there had
| not been less than FIVE hundred cases
Of dengue in Tampa this season.
There have been no mortalities from
dengue. and, in fact, an examination
Of the death certificates as given to
the undeTtakers of Tampa shows
deaths from no sickness which might
be construed as hidden or attempted
hiding of a suspicious fever.
No Ground for Alarm.
Probably the reoccurrence of den
que at Tampa this season would not
have caused more than passing COM
ment, principally as medically inter
esting, had not the yellow fever case
In the italian happened through the
Introduction from New Orleans, about
the same time that the dengue trouble
was causing so many knock downs"
in the city.
AS dengue has frequently been con-
founded with elbow fever in the past,
by those not Thoroughly acquainted
Of both diseases. it was not surprising
to the State Health officer to meet
with knowing mods and "querying|
countenances.'
The State Health Officer immediate
iy saw number of cases through the
courteous attention of the local ply
sicians Of Tampa, and readily recog-j
nized the true character Of the i'll
ness in every case. In some the SYM
ptoms were severe; in others they
were mild Some had traces of albu-
men (abOut 4 per cent usually in
every epidemic of dengue). Some had
a slow pulse. but not a slow pulse with
rising temperature, and it may here
DE remarked that the slOwness of the
pulse rate may possibly have been due
to antipyretics, which seem to have
been used in large quantities to con-
troll pain and discomfort.
Symphonic of the Disease.
The initial as we'll as the secondary
rash peculiar TO dengue has been seen
at Tampa in a goodly number of cases /
and the medical practitioners at Port /
Iampa say the same thing. This
symptom, peculiar to dengue especial /
~ in the decline of the fever, with
joint pains, suddenness Of attack, rap
ii spread through a family. one fol- .
lowing the other in quick succession, /
complete anOrexia for days after get
ting up from bed, and a sickness of !
short duration, though painful while
il lasts, followed by no mortality, in
dictated without doubt the true char
acter of the disease which was and is
stiD prevailing in Tampa and its
envirors.
Or. GuiteIas Was Satisfied.
Prof. John Guiteras, of Havana.
Cuba, noted specialist on tropical
diseases, saw with physicians of Tam
pa large number of the cases in the
various phases of manifestations and
development, and confirmed most pos
itively the opinion and diagnosis made
by the State Health Officer and the
local physicians of Tampa
These facts are gone into detail +
somewhat because at this time when
yellow fever is prevailing in New Or
leans a case Of dengue might cause
alarm and uneasiness to one NOT ac-
quainted with the differential points
Of diagnosis between it and yellow
fever.
May Occur Elsewhere.
Il is not improbable that cases of
dengue may occur elsewhere in the
state. 1t is learned that within few
weeks it has reappeared at Miami,
and as land quarantine, when at best
IS faulty and defective
as insuring absolute protective admin
against the entrance OF IN
desirable persons from yellow fever
districts (when there is de-
terminded will behind the individual
to enter tie state), the occurrence OF
dengue might cive rise to worry and
suspicion until the true nature Of the
disease is discovered.
Keep Out the Mosquito.
The Health officer wishes to say
this to his fellows of the profession
with all the earnestneys and emphasis
that language car command: When
any of you are suspicious Of & fever
CT any kind treat Your patient under
net, with net we'll tuckel IN +!
under the mattress. and see that the
net is free from holes and that there {
are no mosquitoes inside.
Until YOU are quite sure with what
you arc dealing, Immediately paste {
With strips Of paper, put on with flour
paste, all cracks. crevices and small {
openings over and under doors, win
dows and weather boarding, if the
room has not plastered walls and then
use pyrethrum powder freely so that }
all mosquitoes, in the room may BE