PRESIDEXTS ADDRESS. Ml 



were made, we fiud a most interesting illustration of my general 

 argument. When the United States Government took charge of the 

 city it was thoroughly cleaned and began to be supplied with the best 

 modern sanitary appliances. But while these improvements advanced 

 -the general health of the city, yellow fe\er was not diminished at all. 

 On the contrary it was argued thai it had been increased. In 1899 

 there were 103 deaths from it, notwithstanding more than a j^ear s 

 application of the most stringent moclerii sanitary regulations. And 

 in 1900 the death roll went over 300. The additional cleanliness of 

 the city had no beneficial effect, for the patients became more nuinerous, 

 especially among the well-to-do classes, who enjoyed all the advantages 

 of science up to that date. In fact, this year one-half of the members 

 of the Governor-Generars staff were carried off by the disease. 



How are affairs now since the theory that the fever is always dis- 

 tributed by the particular mosquito called Sfegomazia fasciata, has 

 been applied I Within two hours after a case is reported the patient 

 is covered with a mosquito netting. The room and house is thoroughly 

 fumigated so as to kill all mosquitos present. Adjacent houses are 

 also fumigated. All open water in jdooIs, cisterns or vessels that might 

 act as breeding places for the larvae, are emptied, cleaned and care- 

 fully covered. Still water of any kind in or near the city is drained 

 off' or covered with a film of petroleum. No precautions are taken to 

 keep the well from the sick. Mosquitoes alone are the onl}' prohibited 

 parties. 



These measures were instituted towards the end of February, 1901. 

 In January there had been seven deaths from the fever. In February 

 there were five deaths. In March there were but (jne. None were 

 reported in May and .June. There was one in July and another case 

 in September. Since then, for over a year, up until this present 

 month, there has not been a single death from yellow fever in 

 Havana, the native nest of the disease for 1 30 years. One of the 

 most terrible scourges of humanity in the tropical regions of America 

 has been captured, and can now be handed bound into perpetual 

 imprisonment ; — all through the study of the plodding devotees of 

 .science, who for years have been seeking for the truth of the little 

 things about them, without which the present productive development 

 could never have materialized, any more than there can be a harvest 

 without the seed- time of spring. 



