Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-14
flower beds in a good many places. In
other places small bitches of water were

flower beds in good many places. In
other places small bitches of water We're
used to protect flower beds from the trop-
icaI ants and these bitches seemed to be
favorite breeding place of the mosquito. 1t
had not yet been proven how far the mos
quito could fly and this was an important
point In determining how far vessels IN
quarantine should anchor from the shore.
Bu- there was one case observed where an
American engineer at one of the south
American ports had built his house at the
far end of a five hundred-foot pier to es-
cape the mosquitoes. He was not moiested
till another employee Of the company built
house in the middle of the pier for the
same reason. The mosquitoes spread first
to the halfway house and soon both houses
were infected. EArs So -
The same progressive spread. of the mos
quito had been noticed at Arizaba. Mexicos
line of the railroad and gradually gained
a foothold at an elevation of 100 feet.
Yellow Fever Mosquitoes.
This brought out remark from DR..
G.iiteras. who said that 1t was easily pos
sible to transport few OF the yellow fever
mosquitoes outside their natural range In
sleepers or perhaps in steamboats, UP the
Mississippi In the course of hot summer
they could multiply enough to start "a
more or less severe epidemic of yellow
fever quite outside the ordinary range or
the insect.
DR.. Howard said this was quite true, and
was one of the contingencies that must be
guarded against
DIR. Johnson's Paper.
DR.. H. L. E. Johnson of Washington, who
was one of the delegates to the convention,
presented paper on the proper names for
epidemic diseases. He said, In part:
"The principal object Of sanitary and
medical science and study, at the present
time Is the prevention and limitation of
disease.
"Pathologic, biologic and chemic labora-
tory Investigations have made valuable adj
vances in determining the cause and origin,
transmission, scientific recognition, modif-
cation and arrest of many of the morbid
processes effecting mankind and the lower
animals.
much good has been accomplished, more
good will follow, as a result OF future
labors but before universal acceptation
and a successful practical application of
the facts demonstrated in the laboratory
Is possible it is apparent that the lay
public must be instructed and convinced.
"The lay public Is generally skeptical
about new medical facts and discoveries,
and until they appreciate the value and I'M
portance of sanitary, curative and pre-
ventive measures, they will ridtcule our
teachings and obstruct our methods.
Legislators keep pace with the lay pub
lie and press, consequently sufficient APP
preparations for maintaining proper health
conditions are seldom made, either by a
state or nation.
Generally speaking, belief on the part or
the public in our theories of cause and pre-
yention of disease, is essential IN our cru
sades for health. and to this end neaith
matters should be made part OF even
common school education and should be
supplemented by systematic public lectures
in terms appreciable by ALL The baths gave
Rome her health and vigor.
"The relation OF fly Infection as a factor
to- rte fay nd fIIherculOSfq fS PSfdb-
lished, also the role played by the mosquito
in malaria and yellow fever. but the lay
public and press, Notwithstanding the
unanimity of medical opinion on these
points, has not entirely Endorsed our views,
or given US necessary support In our ef-
forts to overcome these preventabie dis
eases.
cause and effect, in each class. should be
clearly demonstrated to the public. and
those diseases which depend for their dis
semlnatfon upon an intermediary most, az,
for example, malaria and yellow fever,
should be given name associated with, or
indicating their aetiology, viz: Malarial fe-
yer should be called anopheles fever, infec-
ton or poisoning. Yellow fever, Stegomyia
their origin would be Indicated, and the ne
cessity for the determination of the insects
which cause the respective diseases forcibiy
suggested. The medical profession and the
public are mutually dependent for the pro-
motion of sanitation and elimination of dis
ease and cooperation in these matters de-
ponds largely on a liberal education of the
public, along the established health lines
Bubonic Plague.
DR. Lavoreria, the Peruvian delegate,
spoke of bubonie plague and the success
with which the Peruvian authorities had
some years ago stamped out the epidemic
IA that country. He stated that domiciliary
Visits were made regularly by the health
authorities clothed with police power. who
took particular pains to investigate the
condition of all sick persons and suspi-
cfous cases. In addition to this. the health
authorities had waged regular war on
rats, mice and mosquitoes. and by such
means had stamped out the plague In all
che infected districts. so that at present
the only place In Peru where bub0nic
plague is known to exist In a subdued and
latez form is at the port of Paita. small
town on the northern coast of Peru, where
tire authorities are adopting heroic meas
ares TO kill the epidemic as well as to cure
the few patients In the hospital at that