The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1912-02-15
Driving Yellow Fever
Out Of Havana

Oneof the most interesting stories
in history or fiction is the story of the
eradication OF yellow fever from Cuba.
1t came about through the discovery
that yellow fever was spread by a
mosquito.
For hundred and fifty years yellow
fever had been the pest of Cuba. p 1t
beginning with the American occupa-
tion it has been driven from the land
and is no longer feared.
This story of how yellow fever was
driven from Cuba is taken from the
memories of DIR. Reed as written by
Major w. d. Mccaw. Surgeon U. S.
Army. 1t reads like romance.
"At this time the American anthori-
ties in Cuba had for year and half
endeavored to diminish the disease
and mortality of the Cuban towns. ~
genera, sanitary work, but while the
health of the population showed dis
tinct Improvement and the mortality
had greatly diminished. yellow fever
apparently had been entirely unaf-
fected by these measures
Reed was convinced from the FIRST
that general sanitary measures alone
would not check the disease but that
its transmission was probably due 20
an insect
Application was made to General
Leonard Wood. the Military Governor
of Cuba. for permission to conduct *
perlments on non-immune persons,
and a liberal sum Of money requested
for the purpose OF rewardIng yolun-
teers who would submit themselves to
experiment. Money and full authority
to proceed were promptly granted. AMI
to the everlasting glory Of the Amcrl-
can soldier. volunteers from the army
offered themselves for experiment In
plenty. and with the utmost fearless
ness.
Before the arrangements were ea-
urely completed. DIR. Carroll. a mee.-
Der OF the commission. allowed himself
to be bitten by a mosquito that twelve
days previously had filled itself with
the blood of yellow fever patient. He
suffered from very severe attack. ami
his was the first experimental case DR.
Lazear also experimental on himself
at the, same time. but was not infected.
Some days later. while In the yollox
fever ward. he was bitten by n mos
quito and noted the fact carefully. He
acquired the disease in its most ter
rible form. and died a martyr to sci
ence. and a true hero. No other fatality
occurred among the brave men who, in
the course OF the experiments, willing
ly exposed themselves tc the infec-
tion OF the dreaded disase..
"a camp was specially constructed
for the experiments about four miles
from Havana. chrlstened Camp Lazear
in honor OF the dead comrade. The
inmates OF the camp were put into
most rigid quarantine and ample time
was allowed to eliminate any possibil-
ity Of the disease being brought in
from Havana.
"A completely mosqulto-proof build
Ing was divided into two compart-
ments by wire screen partition: in
fected insects were liberated on one
side only. A brave non-immune en-
tered and remained long enough 10 al
low himself TO be bitten several timer.
He was attacked by yellow fever. while
two susceptible men In the other COM
partment did not acquire the disease.
although sleeping there thirteen
nights.>This demonstrates in the sim
plest and most certain manner that the
infectiousness of the building was due
only to the presence of the insects.
Every attempt was made to infect
individuals by means OF bedding.
clothes. and other articles that had