The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-30
HOW DOES YELLOW
FEVER ORIGINATE
StegOmia Fasciata, of Central
America, States His Views
He DEFENDS HIS PEOPLE
Says They are Not Responsible for the
Disease and Points Out Who Is.
Fresh From New
Orleans.

Pursued by the boards of health of New
Orleans, all the Mississippi and gulf
towns, Mobile Montgomery and Birming-
ham. Stegoma Fasciata, a member of a
well-known Central American family, ar
rived in Birmingham at $40 o'clock last
night, having made the trip from New
Orleans in one of the Pullman cars.
When seen at one of the local hotels,
Mr. Fasciata talked merrily of his ex-
periences since he left Belize six weeks
ago. and made some suggestions that
may merit the consideration of his pur-
suers.
This is the first time said Mr.. Fas-
ciata, that | have had the pleasure OF
visiting your great and glorious coun-
try, though my ancestors have been in
the habit of coming to your shores at
frequent and irregular intervals in the
last hundred years or more. have been
highly Interested in everything I've seen
here, and [ shall take home with me
many happy impressions of your marvel-
Gus people.
''There seems to be abroad nowadays
an impression that the Faseiatae should
be excluded from the United States. Our
people have been put in the same class
with the Chinese and other undesirable
immigrants. Against this unjust discrim-
nation we earnestly protest. We come to
America because We admire the genius
of American institutions. The right to
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
is what we seek in coming here. More
than this We do not ask; with less thah
this we shall not be satisfied.
II repeat that there is no sound reason
why the bars should be put up against
US. A number of physicians who live in
dirty. discovered. ill-kept towns. and
cities, vainly imagine that we are respon
sible for yellow fever epidemics. baser
Islander was never perhaps Illuminated
against q weak and innocent people.
have a number of relatives and friends
who live In Havana now and who have
lived there for a number of years. Yet
there is no yellow fever in Havana since
General Leonard Wood cleaned up the
city Fasciatae or stegomiae have lived
in New Orleans for more than two cen
turtles Yellow fever has broken out there
It Is true, but if you will investigate the
subject you will find that 1t is due not to
our family but rather to unscentific
drainage, inadequate sewerage, streets in
the course of repairs and disregard on
the part of certain elements In the New
Orleans population of the ordinary laws
that govern human health.
hit has
invented by these sir oracle physicians
said Mr.. Fasciata spiritedly, sis the most
erroneous theory that has even been doled
out to timid and credulous people. l
have a brother down in Belize-one of the
most learned stegomeae in Central Amer
lea. He has written an exhaustive treat
Use on the subject, and he proves conclu-
sively precisely how yellow fever orig
mates and spreads.
ITO begin with he demonstrated that yell
low fever is not a disease, but merely
state of mind-a sort of mental composite
of poverty, uncleanlness, erotic impress
sions and insensant fear When once a
human being Is exposed to these forces
he is brought down eventually with yell
Gated to all organs of the body-you know.
everything is mental-and the victim in
time becomes subject to physical ills. No
person who is mentally temperamentally
and physically healthy and clean can ORR
climate yellow fever.
Now, you ask me how 1t spreads. Tho
easiest thing in the world. The disease
a.. t,I
comes in time to inoculate persons who
talk or read about It, The newspaper
reporters and physicians who knit their
brows over the subject, write out lot
of stuff about 1t. This Is printed In the
home newspapers, and so insidious is the
germ that 1t is communicated to the read
ers the next day. Even the telegraph cam
not fumigate or kill or censor the germ.
Cases are on record where the yellow
fever germ has literally been telegraphed
from one city to another-from New Or
leans to Memphis, from Memphis to Mo-
bile and from Mobile to Tampa. The re-
cord of these coses." adder Mr.. Fasciata.
makes very interesting reading"
At this point, the Central American
traveller drew forth a cigarette of black
tobacco lighted ii, and putting 1t medi-
tatively, continued with bland smile:
who, may I ask, is this man Varda-
man over here in Mississippi? The gov
ernor of the state? All, inded! Well, see
he is having a scrap with the governor
of Louisiana. Mr.. Blanchard. Governor
Vardaman, hear, told Governor Blanch-
ard to shinny on his own side. Governor
Blanchard came back at him with a de-
NAL. Governor Vardaman, ] see, went
for his gun so to speak-ordering out the
state militia That really is amusing to
everyone who understands the yellow
fever germ.
II shall remain here few days said
Mr.. Fasciata, In conclusion. IF | have
time shall call on DR.. McLester and DR..
Nabers and DIR. Lowry and explain to
them how futile will be their efforts to
prevent yellow fever by bottling up the
Stegomiae and putting them under the
miscroscope. Here in Birmingham where
you have pure water, clean streets, good
sewerage and clean homes, you don't
stand a ghost of chance Of catching yell
low fever. The only possibility of your
getting 1t is through the telegraphic or
telephone method"