552 WALTER REED. 



to undergo a period of inciilintion of from ten to fifteen days, and 

 probably in the body of a biting insect. 



Up to this time the most generally accepted theory as to the cansa- 

 lion of yellow fever was that of Sanarelli, who claimed that the 

 bacillus icteroides, discovered by him, was the specific agent of the 

 disease. JNIajor Reed, in association with Doctor Carroll, had, how- 

 ever, already demonstrated that this bacillus was ojie widely dissemi- 

 nated in the United States and bore no special relation to yellow fever. 



In June, July, and August, 1900, the commission gave their entire 

 attention to the bacteriological study of the blood of yellow-fever 

 patients and the post-mortem examination of the organs of those 

 dying with the disease. In 24 cases where the blood was repeat- 

 edly examined, as well as in 11 carefully studied autopsies, bacillus 

 icteroides was not discovered nor was there any indication of the 

 presence in the blood of a specific cause of the disease. 



Application was made to Gen. Leonard Wood, the military gov- 

 ernor of Cuba, for j^ermission to conduct experiments on noninnnune 

 persons and a liberal sum of money requested for the purpose of re- 

 warding volunteers who would submit themselves to experiment. 



It was indeed fortunate that the military governor of Cuba was 

 a man who by his breadth of mind and special scientific training 

 could readily appreciate the sirguments of Major Reed as to the 

 value of the proposed work. 



Money and full authority to proceed were promptly granted, and 

 to the everlasting glory of the American soldier, vohmteers from the 

 Army oti'ered themselves for experiment in plenty, and with the 

 utmost fearlessness. 



Before the arrangements were entirely completed. Doctor Carroll, a 

 member of the commission, allowed himself to be bitten by a mos- 

 (juito that twelve days previously had filled itself with the blood 

 of a yellow-fever patient. He suffered from a very severe attack, 

 and his was the first experimental case. Doctor Lazear also experi- 

 mented on himself at the same time, but Avas not infected. Some 

 days later, while in the yellow-fever ward, he was bitten l)y a mos- 

 quito and noted the fact carefully. He acquired the disease in its 

 most terrible form and died a martyr to science and a true hero. 



No other fatality occurred among the brave men who, in the course 

 of the experiments, willingly exposed themselves to the infection of 

 the dreaded disease. 



A camp was especially constructed for the experiments about 4 

 miles from Habana, christened Camp Lazear in honor of the dead 

 comrade. The inmates of the cauip were put into most rigid quar- 

 antine and ample time was allowed to eliminate any possibility of 

 the disease beini>- brouoht in from Habana. 



