Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-15

dition of new material to the ward head
quarters until the central force was en-
tire1y eliminated and the work finally rest
ed in the hands of the sixteen ward COM
manders.
There are seventeen wards, but the six
teenth and seventeenth were consolidated
at the outset In addition to this. force
was maintained in the original infected dis
trict, doing continuously, over and over
and over again, house-tO-house inspection
and disinfection. sometimes of whole blocks.
until about the middle Of September. when
the original infected district became justly
known as the 'disinfected district and
from sanitary standpoint one of the Clean
est places in the city.
Fever Figures Dropping.
There has been no frost. nor any APP
proaeh to that much-desired visitation, and
yet the figures are dropping. not as rapidly
as we could wish, but with gratifying GER
tainty towards the vanishing point. And
this, when 1t Is borne in mind that the city
of New Orleans has not quarantined against
any infected point to any greater extent
than to put on an observation OF persons
arriving from those points. and that many
infected persons have come here ana Deen
taken sick in the city.
at is highly probable that at least 10 per
cent of the existing cases are now coming
from those outside points. / feel that there
is much cause for congratulation and entire
justification for the statement make, that
a victory has been won, and that unless
frost comes earlier than 1t did In 1897. IT.
will come. 50 far as yellow fever in New
Orleans is concerned, to no purpose. Tor,
guarding untoward accidents, there Is every
reason to believe that the yellow fever
cases will cease to be noticeable factor In
the city before the date OF the 1897 frost.
We might call attention also to the record
of 1891 which on corresponding dates IL
considerably higher than in 1905.
There has been a general impression
among the people, which impression Is
largely erroneous and which would like to
work of eliminating yellow fever-that is,
the normal work-consists in cleaning gut
ters, screening and oiling cisterns, cleaning
up back yards, emptying vaults, draining
low lands and other work of that charac-
ter.
A Mistaken idea.
"This is entirely a mistaken idea. As a
matter of fact, we have entertained the
proposition that we would lend a hand
with the cutters. bitches. cisterns and
drains but simply did so because the prop
err and regular fight which ordinarily would
be made on yellow fever needed to be sup
plemented in this case by a determined on
slaught on the whole mosquito family on
account of so many concealed cases having
occurred before the disease was known to
exist.
The public should understand that keep
ing cisterns in proper order is charge
upon them, and that nearly all of the
things named above are chargeable either
upon themselves a department of the
city government other than the board of
health. The proper public spirit should be
aroused and kept up which should lead to
the cleaning out of cesspools, screening els
terms policing of back yards and other
matters of this sort by owners of property
through fear of public opinion rather than
a spirit Of criticism Of the board Of health
on account Of the existence of such lapses.
1.-The fight made on the mosquito has been
productive of notable results and should be
kept up, and every citizen should take a
hand and recognize 1t as patriotic duty to
keep at 1t until such time as perfect sys-
tenn of paving. drainage and water supply
is obtained. which will eliminate the mos
quito.
I'm addition to this. the general public
must make up their minds that the true In
terests of the city and their plain duty as
citizens make 1t incumbent upon them to
promptly announce any cases of yellow
fever in order that prompt attention may
be given to such cases.
Why Fever Does Damage.
"They should know that If this Is done
the fear of yellow fever will be eliminated
in the whole south, as 1t has been already
eliminated in the city. There can be no
question in the mind of any reasonable man
that 1t is through maudlln cowardice that
yellow fever does damage. more than
through any other agency, and when
eowardice becomes thing of the past and
the people look upon yellow fever as they
do on typhoid, then there need be no more
guarantees by land nor even by sea. and
then the gulf states OF the United States,
more favored by nature than any others,
can take their proper place among the
prosperous and contented states of the
union.'
Upward of $4,000 was raised and four
fifths of this subject to DR.. Whites
order. OF this fund.- $780, 600 was contribut-
ed by the state, 10000 by the city and
100000 raised by citizens fund. No out
side contributions were solicited and sew
eral offers to assist in raising funds were
declined with gratitude. Besides this the
volunteer ward organizations in screening
'cisterns and oiling them, and in inspec-
tons for sanitary purposes, spent $4,000.
DIR. White has expended up to date about
$4,000 of the general fund, and the gov
ernor has spent about $4,000 of the state
portion In conducting fights against infec-
ton in the country parishes, contributing
state aid to local funds raised in the In
fected localities and appropriations by
towns and parishes When the fight is
over there will be a handsome sum left
over, and 1t is designed that this surplus
shall form a nucleus for the erection and
maintenance of a permanent yellow fever
hospital