The sun., 1905-08-28
TOWNS HIDING YELLOW FEVER.
GULFPORT EPIDEMIC EXPOSED
ny ACCIDENT.

memphis Under SuSpiClOn-AIAbama Al
nrits Persons From New Orleans. but
Prevents Their Return without q Week
IN Detention Camp-Mqch Fumisation.
New ORLEANS, Aug. 27.--The discovery OF
yellow fever at Gulfport. Miss, was, 1t now
appears made at New Orleans, just as that
at Mississippi City was discovered by the
Alabama health authorities. There have
been rumors Of yellow fever on the Mis-
slssippi coast since early In July, but they
have as often been denied. The denia Is
were doubted by the Alabama authorities.
who went to tho Mississippi coast towns.
investigated and turned up tho nest Of
the fever cases at Mississippi City.
A few days ago a woman came to New
Orleans from Gulfport and developed
yellow fever here the next day. DR.. White
at once notified the United States Marine
Hospital Service Of the fact, and an investi-
CATION was made Of the neighborhood
from which the woman moved. 1t has so
far disclosed seven cases Of yellow fever.
The trouble seems to be due to the fact
that public opinion In many Of the Mis-
sissippi coast towns refuses to recognize
the disease as yellow fever and disputes
the diagnosis of the disease.
A similar occurrence In regard to Memphis
has aroused some doubt as to that city
and has produced batch Of quara antines
against 1t. An Italian woman from Mem
phis developed yellow fever in New Orleans
two days after her arrival here. This has
thrown suspicion on Memphis, which
Indignantly declares that the woman left
there ten days ago and picked up the fever
some where else. Exposures like the dis
covery Of yellow fever at Gulfport through
developments at New Orleans have aroused
the old spirit Of suspicion Of each town
toward its neighbors.
Gov. Vardaman has gone to Memphis to
investigate the health conditions there.
So far the Mississippi State Board Of Health
has refused to take action against the Ten
nessee city. Amioable relations have been
restored between Gov Blanchard Of Louis
lana and Gov. Jelks of Alabama the latter
agreeing to look into the abuses complained
OF and try to rectify them. The Alabama
quarantine allows person from New Or
leans to 60 through Alabama, but not to
return to this city through that State.
except after spending week in the deten-
ton camp. New Orleans men having busi-
ness in Atlanta can 60 there. but cannot
return.
Gov. Jelks supports this strange rule on
the ground that there are so few persons
returning to New Orleans within the week
that 1t would be very espe nsive for his State
to have quarantine guards on the trains
to keep watch on them. Some compromise
will probably be arranged to meet the diff
Guilty. Alabama has so far modified its
quarantine as to allow an Alabaman to get
into the New Orleans sleeper if he cares to
do so.
The situation is bad at Lee, the fishing
settlement on Bayou Lafourche. where
there are 223 cases of fever. Five deaths
occurred yesterday, making twenty EIGHT
in all. There are now three doctors on the
scene. The fishing business is completely
ysons and fesa s0
are being supplied by the authorities and
ample provision will be made for the healthy
as well as for the sick They are simple
fisher folk, not Italians, obey all sanitary
instructions, and seem heartily thankful
tunateIy, through their ignorance IN and lack
Of a resident doctor, they let the disease
get firmly seated in every house in the settle
ment before notifying the health authori-
ties
but not as general as the Marine Hospital
Service desire. 1t has accordingly been
arranged to have mass meetings in each
ward to arrange for house to house fumi-
cation on Sept. 2 and to fumigate every
room in the city that has not been attended
There were thirteen deaths to-day and
thirty-one new cases were reported.
Six cases Of yellow fever are reported
tonight from Natchez, Miss. Five OF the
six are negroes: The origin Of the disease
Hospital Service has been asked to give
ita assistance.