The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-29
THE Germ THE3ET.
\ PhysiciAn'a Denial OF ~ Adequacy 70
Explain l pide .nicJ Of DlteiSc.

accl mulated experience MIX, II prat ucalS
accurate. Errors have been. committee In
it, nan,e and one OF the most disast rous of
those Is that which. under the RuIse of ultra
science, IL now forced on II by tao unwar-
rantei pretsnsioI,s Of the germ theory of
diteise. l do not wish to be mlsundersto oe
In this statement. firmly believe that In u.
legitimate sphere this theory has been OF
benefit 1, medIon, but whom " attempt. u
step beyond Its boundaries and assume that
which l., In clear contradistinctlon to well es-
tsbished principles OF practical experience
1t Is about time TO enter respectful protest
One OF it, latest assn mptionsis Is. No mosquito
no yellow fever" Stripped OF all us frrsco-
ings. this means that the germ OF yellow lever
IL transmitted exclusively BY MOSQUITOES 70
healthy people. and that the only saleguara
against this disease IL protection against tne
sting OF these Insects.
That yellow fever hiss been TRANSMITTED III
this way Ii In all probability true, althopgh the
experiments demonstrating this were per-
haps not entirely hawless. But granting
their integrity. they at best only show that
such transmission may take place. Whethef
this possibility applies TO one-thou sandth
or TO nine hundred and ninety-nine thou-
sandths OF the number injected In given
epidemic remains mystery as much as ever.
60 far "a the experiments show: and YET on
the siren 9Th OF this uncertain basis all the
well tried and effective preventive measures
are to be discarded. and the fate OF thousands
OF lives and millions OF property are 70 be
staked on . laboratory product. which. to
say the least. has not Yet endured the crucial
test OF an extended practical trial.
The following we'll authenticated medical
observations win make 1t very clear that there
ase other and perhaps more Important rae
tors In the propagation Of yellow fever than
mosauitoeJ.
During the Memphis epidemic OF 1873 over
thousand refugees we're placed In Camp
Joe Williams. close to that city. Every
article OF clothing. bedding, &p. brought TO
camp by them was burned. number who
had been infected before leaving the city
developed the fever In the hospital of the
camp. but these infected neither their well
fellow refugees nor the people who visited
or twenty patients in all stages Of the fever.
believing themselves immune. and having
LITTLE to ao went 10 Ms ~ hs to ~e5x rsi
-Four died in the hospital Of the camp with
way back. The others remained well during
tho epidemic tseventy-two days) and nursed
and buried their comrades.
Tn. only person who had yellow fever At
Covinsto Tenn. in 1878 was the postmss-
r~A dat nj od n
sF' "no opeheo hea'' "sh s ..S ~
the memphis post once. ne o'eo 'hree oa's
afterward.
On aept. IA. 1897. Mr.. and Mrs b. fed from
pS.sS. NJ. 49,. r.,Inu, ravar nro-
~"s. m.ss, nheIe seno" ~
vailed. 10 their nome, seven ihiies away
Here they met Mr. and Mrs. II. and three
servants Mr.. a. took yellow fever Sept.
* d,.d s.nt - and was hurIsd the sams
80 "'ec eevs ~ a"u "ae . aaatus,..d
osy. everything III ms room was oes'Io!e gu
the room was closed up and sulfur was
burned in the adjoining hall for two weeks.
Mrs n do.trov.d ali nor clothing cxcept a
"is -. "ee.'o,eu on ne' Nio'ns ", ~
cashmere shawl whtch was placed IN 'ne
garnet near the caves On Dat. Mr.. IL.
found the shawl. threw IL down stairs, and
n 1.u ,or em. r ~ ~ ,sro n o'tdonrs
called Tor some one 10 TAKE " T Uu.ad dov.
mrs: n. and Mrs; b, removed IT, :,, Two DAYS
one aay later MIR. H., and four days later Mrs.
b. contracted II. Ten days subsequently two
OF the serysnts were attacked.
Many similar interesting yellow foyer in
cidepts are found in medical literature, but
sDace 1orbids their uuOtation
That which fs true OF the prpsumptuous-
ness OF the germ theory In yellow fever Ia also
tr1le OF ia Attitude If, pulmonary ConMmp-
ton. Here n laws down the universal law
that because conai mutton may be produced
In lower animals BY inoculatlng them with
tbrourh contapion. This dictum 10 &C oepted
ia ante ~ ths u iii Lunvn fact that IL In con-