Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-04-17
SCIENTIST THINKS FAR EAST MAY
GIVE occIDENT CHOLERA
THRU WATERWAY.
TREMENDOUS LOSS IN
MONEY THRU EPlDEMics
Another Plague Might Be Sent to East
in Return, With Great American
Mosquito as eearer-lnsset Could
Make Trip From Panama % Jndia.
Bearing Yellow Fever Germs. ,es

Washington, April 17.-Fear that the
opening OF the Panama canal may be
| followed by a worldwide redistribu-
ton of yellow fever and cholera, which
will cause great commercial less. was
; expressed today by DR.. Richard r
Strong. head of the Harvard School OF
! Tropical Medicine.
/ DR.. Strong was formerly at the head
of the government biological labratory
in the Philippines and became promi-
nent through his work in combating
the bubonic plague in Manchuria. Lasl
year he led the Harvard medical school
expedition tC Peru, whore an extensive
study Of tropical diseases was made.
The troubles to be feared from the
spread of tropical diseases by tra1ic
through the Panama canal" he said
today, '.are rather heavy financial losses
through disturbance OF trade than any
great loss OF life. Modern medicine mas
so far mastered the ways OF checking
infectious diseases that in many civil
liked countries no great mortality is to
be feared from the Introduction even
Of plague, yellow fever and cholera.
Peril 70 Trade.
"For the United States and Tor "est-
ern Europe. the greater peril Is to trace
because medical control Of the spread
of tropical diseases rests nrst OF all
on the etoppage OF traffic.
zone Of the most interesting and not
improbable changes in the distribution
of tropical diseases Is that the west
coast of South America particularly
Guayaquil, may send yellow fever 70
India and receive Asiatic cholera by
way of exchange
Cholera has never existed on Inc
west coast Of South America yeiio"
fever is similarly stranger to Inola'
But the stegomyia mosquito, Wnlch
transfers the organism OF yellow 1e'er
from sick to well, Is the cominohest
species Of mosquito in the Tar east
and India This mosquito is known 10
be able to transfer the Infection or yel-
low fever for at least Hfty-seSen Gays
after sucking the blood OF an in1ecteo
person.
"The MOSQUITO infected with yellow
fever can easily make the voyage from
Panama to india; once there IL VIII
find a susceptible horde OF human pc
ings in q number OF regions, "ien
somewhat rudimentary notions OF pre-
ventive medicine, but plentifuliy+ pro-
yided with the kind Of MOSQUITO most
adept at spreading the disease.
Universal Quarantine Possible.
"If yellow fever should become seat
ed in the Malay ports or those OF In
dia, commerce between India ana
Europe might have to submit 10 uni
versal quarantine, with loss IN money
hardly to be calculated. leaving out OF ,.
consideration the lives in India which II
would be difficult, If not impossioie'
adequately to protect.
"By the same new trade currents
cholera might find a new means OF ac-
cess to the western world. The dis
ease always exists in certain reservoirs
in India. The length Of the voyage
across the Pacific to Panama wouio
give q fair chance to discover all ac-
tual cases Of cholera in ship. but
cholera may be transmitted by per-
sons without symptoms Of disease.