Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-09
ALL PORTS SAFEGUARDED
Utmost Precautions Taken to Keer
Disease Out of United States.
NO NEW CASES IN PORTO RICO
American Colony There Confronted
by Serious Situation-War
Against Rats Is On.

All passengers from Havana, Cuba,
seeking to enter the state Of Florida
must be held for seven days at the quar-
antine station Prisconia before coming
into Florida. according to dispatch sent
today by Surgeon General Blue of the
public health and marine hospital service
to DIR. Villoldo Of the service. who is In
charge of the precautionary methods
which have been adopted against the bu-
bonic plague in Cuba.
This dispatch was sent to DR.. Villoldo
following telegram received here from
DR.. j. Y. Porter, health officer of Flori-
da, stating that because of the short dis
tance of Florida from Cuba he did not
wish any persons to come into the state
from Havana who had not first been
under observation for seven days. He
added that the zones Of infection had not
yet been completely defined in Havana,
which made it all the more imperative
that such precautions should be taken.
Situation Is No Worse.
According to dispatches received at the
surgeon generals office today the plague
situation in Cuba and IN Porto Rico is
no worse. From Juan Guiteras, director
Of sanitation in Cuba, came the follow
ing dispatch:
I'VE continue without suspects
Passed Asst Surgeon r. H. Creel in
charge Of the plague eradication meas
ures in Porto Rico. reported today that
no new cases had developed in the island.
The utmost precautions are being taker
at all Atlantic and gulf ports to preven,
S~,k- - .N~r to- k,.s
country. Word was received today from
New Orleans from Passed Asst Surgeon
Corrupt Of the marine hospital service
that the steamer Chalmette had ar
rived from Havana with all well
on board The vessel did not lie
in port at Havana, and the crew was not
allowed ashore. Three steerage passen-
however, were taken off the vessel for OBJ
servation, and the vessel then was al
lowed to proceed
Detain Suspects at New Orleans.
Three steerage passengers on the
steamer Chalmette, who had come from
the plague zone in Havana, were taken
of that vessel today at the New Orleans
quarantine station. They will be detained
until there is absolute assurance that
they are not infected All on board the
vessel were we'll and she was permitted
to proceed to New Orleans. The steame,
had not touched the wharf at Havana
and none OF the crew had been ashore.
Surgeon Stoner, chief medical officer a,
Ellis Island, today telegraphed to Wash
ington that the work of destroying rats
along the New York water front was vel
under way. Similar word came from
Galveston, Tex, and other ports.
This vigorous crusade against rats has
been begun in order to prevent the pos
sible infection from rats coming here
from Havana and Porto Rico.
Americans in Jeopardy.
The fact cannot be denied that a seri-
GUS situation confronts the people OF
Porto Rico. it is said The American
colony there is said to be in jeopardy
The record now stands: San Juan, %
cases. IA deaths; Santurce, cases, 3
deaths; Carolina, cases, deaths; Ar
roya. 1 case, l death.
Santurce. where there have been three
deaths, is suburb of San Juan, and the
site Of a large American ~eolony. Prac-
tically all the Americans of the better
class who have business in San Juan
make their home in Santurce Health
officials on the island say it will be prac-
tically impossible to stamp out the dis
ease in the suburb while 1t RACES in the
city.
Carolina, where there have been two
fatal cases, has a population Of about
8. TOO but 1t is the center Of an agricul.
tural community numbering 1900 per-
sons, all Of whom are seriously menaced
by the presence of the disease