The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-15
BLAME MOSQUITO
FOR DREAD FEVER
ENToMoLoGIsTs CONVINCED IN,
sECTs SPREAD DISEASE.
Tho Meager Majority Still Hold to Con-
tagion Theory, Professor Washburn
Declares Science Has Found True
Source Of New Orleans Epidemic
Aged Physician Renounces False
Theory.

Notwithstanding the argument of a
very meager minority of physicians that
yellow fever lis contagious and that the
mosquito theory is given too much inn
portance, the proceedings of the Ameri-
can Association Of Entomologists, indi-
cate that the as yet unidentified germ
is spread by insects and in no other
way. Professor +. Il. Washburn of the
state experiment station has returned
from New Orleans, where the entomolo-
gists have Just concluded their meeting,
even more convinced that the mosquito
is responsible for the recent epidemic
of the dread disease in the southern
metropolis.
nSince the germ Of yellow fever is
transmitted by a mosquito, the yellow
fever question seems to be one belong
ing as much to economic entomologists
as to doctors, for injury to crops on the
compared with loss Of life thru them, -
said Professor Washburn. The entomol-
ogists, therefore, having discussed vari-
GUS phases of their work relating to
agriculture, met with the section de-
/ voted to experimental medicine and lis
! tened to some excellent articles on the
yellow fever conditions, and the pros
pect of combating the disease in that
/ southern city.
Several Doubters.
81 was told that everyone in New
Orleans thoroly believed in the doctrine,
that the mosquito was the intermediate
host Of the so far unidentified germ.
found, however, that there were few
doubters. At the meeting Of physi
clans, however, such expressions were
rare, since we had in attendance some
OF the leading men in the science from
Of ho
however, discredited it. AS soon as he
was seated the dean of the medical de-
partment OF Tulane university arose, q
man of surely between 20 and 80 years
gray haired and gray-whiskered, bowed
down by years Of work and RESPONSE
bility. He said: 81 - !
"Gentlemen, I have practiced medi.
cine here for fifty years; have been
thru many an epidemic Of yellow fever;
disease; ]. grew up with this idea and
was thoroly convinced Of it.
But ! am now convinced that re.
cent experiments have demonstrated be-
yond all question that the disease is
transmitted by this mosquito, and I am
willing, and do cheerfully renounce my
old beliefs and accept unhesitatingly
these new truths that have been brought
to light by the scientists Of the present
day. @-% ~ ="
Effect Is Electric.
cheered the old man to the echo. I
was quite touching, the fact that one O.
the OLD school, as it were, was so will
ing to dismiss his old and evidently er
: roneous beliefs.
: Zone sees in New Orleans benin
, every residence, cisterns above ground
/ These are the greatest menace to tn
| city In connection with the yello7
] fever, for it is in the water of thes
3 is now an ordinance which obliges cit
/ zens Of New Orleans to screen their ci.
Y terms with small enough mesh to kee
Q out these dangerous insects. This wa
to have gone into effect Jan. 1, but th
s mayor has allowed an extension t
Feb. l. In view Of the fact that b
many of the poorer people of the cit
river water is placed in barrels an
20 tubs and allowed to settle, it apparen
g Y viii be a great task for the author
% ties to get track Of all the source
~ which offer breeding places for tn
30 mosquito: ~.~ 49,.
= l met one lady who had had yello
50 fever, probably one If the very few,
not the only one of any social standin
who was, affected. She said that ST
% % was at no time alarmed at her cond
90 ton. She felt apathetic, a.ld at TIM
90 was semi delirious. She said she r
90 mind that she simply would not vie
90 to it, and got thru without that sickle
W ing feature, altho it called for exertie
90 of strong will. The fever is right
named; Why, she said, "a sunfower
dull-colored in comparisons to my a
90 pearance. I was brighter yello
90 than any yellow flower ever created