Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-12-26
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 190.
FEDERAL (AID FOR THE SOUTH.

Consressman John Sharp Williams, who is looked upon as the leader Of the movement to secure all possible permanent federal aid in the south's
 battle against the introduction and
 spread of yellow fever infection, ill a letter to New Orleans friend as
 serts that just as soon as the south ern congressman can be got together for a full discussion of the matter, bill will be introduced in congress having this end in view Recently a
 story has gained currency in the
 south to the effect that MT. Williams had been induced to leave the fram- ing of the. bill to Surgeon General vice. This MT. Williams denies in
 toto. It will be remembered that majority of the members of both branches of the congress are on rec ord, through personal letters now in the hands of MT. Williams, to vote for any reasonable measure which the south may desire put through. President Roosevelt has also promis- ed every assistance in his power in this important matter. It is recogniz- ed that expedition is necessary if maximum results are to be obtained. should there be another outbreak of the fever next summer. No attempt will be made to divest any state of any of it's constitutional rights or powers, for the efforts of congress will be confined to providing the best possible machinery for the keeping out of the disease at the ports and the prevention of the spread of infec- tion from one state to another in case it should develop again. In ad- dition, it is hoped that provision may be made which will enable the marine hospital service to render To- cal assistance whenever requested by the local authorities, similar to the splendid assistance rendered New Orleans last summer.
 MT. Williams has made an exhaus- tive study of the subject and is con- yinced that no sound argument can be brought against the proposed pro- gram, that the only opposition to It will come iron, people who do not un' derstand the importance of the mos quito dogma and the urgent necessity for many radical changes in the meth ods of fighting the disease as shown by recent discoveries and expert ences. Surgeon White actually in- yited all yellow fever victims outside New Orleans, and more than one hundred accepted the invitation, were treated in the New Orleans hos pitals under the new methods and in no case did secondary infection de- velop from any of them. Dr. White says this again proves the correct ness of the mosquito dogma of trans mission, for it shows that where the health authorities have knowledge or 6 case of fever and see that it Is properly screened no one else can contract the disease from that case. Hundreds of non-immune nurses lived in the New Orleans fever hospitals for two months and not one of them had the fever-but then, not one of them was stung by mosquito during that time, being in screened hos pitals. The educational work done by the marine hospital surgeons has been far reaching, and it is hoped that this important work which will { eventually prove the bulwark of the south's defense against yellow fever will be provided for by the present congress, for through education alone can every city. town, hamlet and state in the south be brought to Q proper realization of the importance