The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-03
The Yellow Fever Of l7o0-ss.

In 1898 New York city was visited by
the yellow fever, and 1900 Of the $4,000
townspeople died Of the disease within
It's borders. The mosquito theory, now
accepted by all scientists to account for
the spread Of this disease, had not been
heard Of In America In the eighteenth
century, although 1t has been said that
in certain parts Of India and Ceylon the
natives knew Of the transmission Of
certain forms Of fevers by insects, not
only a century ago, but many centuries
before that. But American physicians
knew nothing Of the Oriental wisdom,
and in 1871, when DR.. JAMES TILLARY
described several cases to a number Of
medical men, they declared they had
neverh heard Of or seen anything like IT,"
In the summers Of the last ten years Of
that century the city suffered annual
visitations from yellow Jack. In l795
It's victims numbered 525 in dead. In the
following year DR.. RICHARD BAYLEY,
the Health Officer Of the Port, took up
an active fight for the prevention of the
disease. In a pamphlet entitled Let
ters from the Health Office Transmitted
to the Common Council printed by
JOHN FURMAN at 1o2 Pearl street, third
door below the corner Of Old Slip, there
is an enlightening picture Of municipal
conditions mor than a century ago.
DR.. BAYLEY, who was @ distinguished
physician, had served as a surgeon in
the British army under General HOWE.
His collection Of specimens Of morbid
anatomy melted the doctors mob, 3
which destroyed 1t utterly. He was the
first professor Of anatomy In Columbia
| College u792), and in the following year
he exchanged this chair for the professor
ship Of surgery.
DR.. BAYLEY devoted much time to the
study Of yellow fever, and In 1907 he pub
lished q work to prove that 1t was not
contagious, but was due to local causes.
These causes he held to be unoleaned
streets, undrained lands, collections Of
decaying animal and vegetable matter,
which under the influence Of the suns
heat and a damp atmosphere gave of
noxious vapors and bad odors. With
such pest breeding spots the lower end
Of Manhattan Island was plentifuly
supplied, nor did the citizens aid the
authorities by obeying promptly the
frequent orders to abate all such null
sances.
In 1898 the owners Of property in the
neighborhood Of White Hall were filing
In the low lands on the east. In April Of
that year DR.. BAYLEY called the atten-
ton Of the Mayor to the material used
for this purpose and the manner in which
the work was being done. The land
and wharf were covered with refuse Of
all kinds, and in DR.. BAYLEY's words,
"~eminently threatened the safety Of the
inhabitants" In July a number Of per-
sons living in the neighborhood sickened,
including members Of the crew OF a ship
lying off the wharf, and DR.. BAYLEY re-
ported the condition to Governor JAY.
In this situation the Health Commits
/ sioners wrote to DR.. BAILEY, through
JOHN MURRAY, their chairman, asking
for an expression Of medical opinion on
the disease and the steps to be taken
to arrest its progress. DR.. BAYLEY
answered, strongly recommending a
general housekeeping or the south.
eastern waterfront, and the city authori-
ties seem to have undertaken this task
with a reasonable degree of promptness,
The disease in 1895 appeared in Water
street, from White Hall to Coenties Slip
in Broad street, from the Exchange to
the dock; in Whitehall street, in Front
street, in Moore street and in Whitehall
dock.
In 1897 "deputation' Of the Common