The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-29
SCIENCE. MASTER
OF YELLOW FEVER
DR.. T. B. Beatty Tells of Work Ac-
eomphshed in Cuba.
HAVANA NOW A CLEAN CITY
AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH AS
ISOLATION MAY MEET HERE.

DR.. T. B. Beatty, who returned last
Thursday night from New Orleans,
where the American Public Health as
sociation met. was assured by great
many members of the association thar
after the meeting t DE EeIu In Boston
ext October they wound tgy 10 scneduie
tae LeNt session for SAT- Lake ClIy.
mis- would bring the leading men
thloug nout the country TO attend the
meeting here, and il is more than like
~ that the sanitary conditions Cf tbs
city would be discussed to the advan-
tase OF the state. DR.. Beatty was APP
pointed member of the advisory coun-
eli Of the association
When asked last night in regard TO
the work taken up and accomplished by
the association in Cuba and the scien-
tific methods employed in treating yell
low fever, Dr. Beatty said:
The achievements of sanitary sci-
ence in Cuba is an object lesson as to
what can be accomplished in the saw
ing OF lives and the protection Of pub
lie health by modern methods. From
one of the most filthy and unhealthful
cities of the world Havana has been
converted into model of cleanliness,
ard the death rate has been reduced
from forty to twenty per Thousand.
The browning feature of the work
there, however, is that relating to the
determination Of yellow fever. For
centuries yellow feVelS had prevailed
in the islands until the last three years,
since which time not a case has orig
inated in Cuba. This result has been
accomplished by the discovery that yell
low fever is conveyed by a certain va
riety of mosquitoes, which must have
first bitten some person infected with
the disease The story of the demon
stration of this fact is an interesting
one and includes the sacrifice of a num-
Der of lives of persons who permitted
themselves voluntarily to be bitten by
mosquitoes known 10 have bitten per-
sons infected with the disease.
yellow Fever Now Under Control.
This work was done by the medical
department of the United States army
and the discovery is the most imPor-
tant ever made by science for the saw
ing Of human lives. The dreaded mala-
dy is now at the mercy of the health
authorities. 1t will soon be eXtermin-
ated in the various countries where il
exists as completely as in Cuba.
The health association was privi-
legged to witness a demonstration OF
the method by which the infection was
handled, while they were in session.
Three cases of the disease were. found
On a vessel coming from Panama.
These were removed from the ship by
the quarantine inspector. The ship was
subjected to disinfection and every ef-
fort was made to destroy the mosqui-
toes found on board.
The infected persons were taken to
the isolation hospital. where they We're
placed in rooms screened to prevent
the entrance of mosquitoes. The other
passengers on board were detained five
days and then discharged. no medical
attention being necessary inasmuch as
the disease failed to develop within
that period. The three unfortunate
victims died. but no further cases de-
VelOped nor was there any fear of
further infection.