The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-06-10


his fesaD1dt tion 10 perfect health.b
few months OF this work he entered
the army service,
His first appointment was as a lieu
tenant of the medical corps, in 1880
He was sent TO Fort Brown, Texas,
where he was the victim of an attack
of yellow fever Misfortunes have
been the making OF many men. and in
the case OF Colonel Gorgas personal
exnerieuce with the dread disease gave
him an interest in It that was des-
tined 20 bear important results for the
good OF the world
one. year after the appointment of
Lieutenant Gorgas 20 tho army ser.
vice, DR.. Carlos Finlay a practicing
physician in Hayanna, first brought
70 the notice OF the world the theory
that nsosquitoes caused the spread of
ye.siow fever Major Ronald Ross Of
The Blitish.ihdia medical service also
discovered that malaria was also car
rcd hom one person to another by
the bite of the anopheles mosquito.
and scientists began TO awaken to the
Importance OF systematic and thorough
investigation on this subject. Colonel
Gorgas made such an investigation In
Cuba
TT vas found, said Colonel Gorgas,
that the female stegomyia mosquito
biting a person in the early stages OF
yellow fever-during the first three
days of the malady, IN fact-became
infected, and in from ten to twenty
days, but not before, the germ could
be transmitted to some one else. In.
deed, it was declared finally that the
! disease could be spread in no other
way The whole history OF the steg.
lOmyia mosquito was worked out. But
the larger proof, n test OF the truth
upon an entire city, remained to be
given First, however, we lost three
! lives by a process that was similar
/ IN principle TO vaccination. We
! thought the bite OF an infected mos.
quito might result in a mild form OF
fever, TO be followed by complete
1 Immunity thereafter But the theory
broke down, and We turned 10 the mos.
quito itself It's destruction and exclu
sion from persons having yellow
fevern
MosQuitoes, according to the army
/ Investigations, do not originate the
germs of either yellow fever or mala
ria, but carry both, after biting human
beings. The stegomyia insects are
/ natives OF India and the Philippines
but She yellow fever germ has never
been taken into those countries. hence
the mosquitoes are not dangerous tc
life or health there.
/ For his work in Havana Major Cor
gas was promoted TO colonel By special
act Of congress in 1903 He vase sent
TO the Panama zone as chief sanitary
officer, and March 4, 1907, was made
/ a member OF the isthmian canal COM
mission AT Panama he proceeded q
'clean up" and prevent the develop
mont OF disease by fighting the mos
lquitOes.
We fought the yellow fever mosQui
10 with chemicals and screens destroy
ed Tie breeding places OF the malaril
mosquito. drove him back several hun
1 dred yards from our camps and VII
lages. put wire netting into the house,
and advised every one 10 take three
grains Of quinine daily" said Colone
/ Gorgas East October / think | an
] justified In saying that we have ma
laria under control. Our death ratl
among Americans last year was lesl
than 6our persons Ad lsil0Q 9and W.
lhaNe 500 mcn aud ! goa WQmeIl7 ais'
,childrcn s;ung the zone from Panama
City 10 Colon