New-York tribune., 1905-08-28
MAKING FUN OF FEVER.
NEW-ORLEANS Is MERRY.
Win Pools on Number of NeSo Cases
Confidence Restored.


rrron Special corresponden. of The Tribune-l
New-orleans August 26.-'This yellow fever
arhting resembles real war in a way" said a
rr1zzled. battle SCARED Confederate colonel to
the Tribune correspondent this morning. THE
terror is never at the firing line, where the real
danger is. It is fifteen or twenty miles in the
rear, where you don't know just what is going
On and the imagination magnifes fear"
Such would seem to be the case in New
Orleans to-day. The epidemic has gone through
two stages and is beginning a third At
nrst q wave OF fright passed over the people and
there vas more or less OF mad rush to get
sway. Then came period OF endurance, when
the people discussed the epidemic seriously and
kept their minds of the danger Of It much
as possible. Now the third stage is approach
On horseback. and. strange as it may seem. It is
the joculsr stage
well did you get stung today" one club
man greets another when they meet after busi-
ness hours.
IF looked yellow you do wouldn't
ssk questions" may be the answer.
They are making pools the number Of new
cases the number OF deaths. the number of new
foci just as passengers ocean steamers have
pools on the number Of miles in the days run
The Tribune correspondent was lucky enough
10 win pool on the new cases yesterday. The
nrit is not OF callousness. for there is plenty OF
svupathy for the victims and no end Of money
available for charities made necessary by the
fever.
The St Charles Hotel perhaps the finest in
the South is the headquarters for the profess
sfonal epidemic fighters. The hot weather has
caused most OF the government surgeons TO dis
card their uniforms and take to the calico suits
which can be had at any Of the stores for SS 80
suit Nearly every one who is any one in New
Orleans wears one OF these suits. The man who
has just made million out Of cotton goes
around IN g suit that a New-York newsboy
would scorn. and never gives II a second thought.
Now that the second Marine Hospital surgeon
has taken the fever there is much speculation
as TO who viii be the next to go. A majority of
the surgeons at work here have never had the
fever, yet they are not afraid of It
DR.. Blue, the surgeon who stamped out the
plague in San Francisco. saving that city a
great epidemic, walked into the lobby Of the St
Charles just before dinner the other evening.
with q long face and this gloomy announce
ment:
I've got It"
His brother officers were all attention. When
did the chill come on?'' How long has your
head been aching?'' do you know when you
were stung?" were some of the questions they
asked.
Dr. Blue denied the chill and headache. which
was puzzling
Tell me, Blue, what is It you've got7'
s,PrickIy heat" he returned. showing a sadly
spotted arm, and then he fed.
PLAGUE OF PRICKLY HEAT
Nearly all the surgeons who have come from
the North are suffering from this pesky trouble
which goes with New-Orleans summer weather.
one has 70 take about three baths day to keep
IN anything like presentable condition Many
Of the fighters make use Of the fine salt water
swimming pool at the Young Mems Gymnasium
Club. The salt water comes from well which
Is more than twelve hundred feet deep, and the
now into the big tile lined tank is continuous.
The surgeons have cards TO all Of the exclusive
clubs and only the fact that they have little
tine for social affairs prevents their being royal
ly entertained.
The ''skeeter' theory, the oiling OF cisterns and
water barrels and other preventive measures
adopted by the fever fighters are fncomprehensi-
be to the colored population.
An oiling squad was sent to a small settle
unent near New-Orleans, a few days ago. and
oiled everything in sight Among other cisterns
90 treated was one belonging TO an old colored
woman.
Desc people all is sure plum gone crazy" she
was heard 70 wall. Jus think o spiling all
DIS good watah wild dat nasy oil"
sting you?" asked one Of the local physicians Of
an old coIored woman, who was toddling along
Canal-st- with huge basket OF clothes on her
head.
NO. sab. not bit. sah." she said IT puts my
trust in de good Lord"
Strangers who come in from the North, under
business pressure. have q nervous time Of 1T for
the first day two. There plenty OF
mosquitoes about New-Orleans. and they sting
Ike their relatives In New-Jersey on Staten
Island To the frightened ear Of the stranger
every hum OF mosquito sounds like the rum
bling Of an express train when one is in the
middle OF long trestle Then one gets stuns
and has no way OF knowing whether or not the
stinger is an Infected mosquito until a chill
announces yellow fever or its absence proves
that the mosquito was healthy.
Il does not make q New-Orleans visit any
more pleasant to have letters and kilograms
from all your friends. begging. commanding,
beseechng you to leave this Dreadful pest hole"
MANY CASES AT vAYoN 'PIDGEoN.
After being OF the map for ten years. Wagon
Pidgeon, q little settlement seventy-fye miles
from New-Orleans. has sprung into prominence
again with 100 cases Of most malignant yellow
fever. Wagon Pfdgeon had never been heard Of
until ten years ago. when William Pitt Keliog
the last Republican Congressman which Louisi-
ana has sent TO Washington. was running for
reelection. It is little swamp settlement and
there were so few. voters among the fishermen
there that the election officials seldom bothered
about sending ballots there