430 BACTERIA IN 7 INFECTIOUS DISEASES. 



" The clinical thermometer was constantly used for 

 the purpose of recognizing any slight febrile movement 

 which might possibly occur, and the blood was examined 

 microscopically from time to time. As the experiments 

 made gave no promise of positive results, the Com- 

 mission did not feel justified in giving more time to this 

 portion of the investigation. It is, however, of the 

 opinion that the reports heretofore referred to, and the 

 importance of a physiological test of the presence of 

 the poison would justify the National Board of Health 

 in pursuing this inquiry in future, especially with such 

 animals as this Commission has not experimented upon. 

 A few experiments are here given as examples of those 

 made : 



" Exp. No. 1. On the morning of July 28, four 

 days after arrival in Havana, the following animals were 

 exposed on board the infected brig 4 John Welch, Jr.,' 

 viz. : two dogs, two cats, one monkey, two rabbits, three 

 guinea-pigs, two geese, three chickens. The time of 

 exposure was forty-eight hours, at the expiration of 

 which time the animals (in cages) were brought back 

 to the laboratory. The 'Welch ' was a very foul ship, 

 and was loaded with molasses. During the time the 

 animals remained on board six of her crew (all) were 

 down with yellow fever. After bringing the animals 

 back to the laboratory, the temperature of each was 

 carefully taken, and daily observations were continued 

 for some time after. No symptoms of sickness presented 

 themselves, except in the case of one dog. This animal 

 suffered a sharp attack of fever, but it is believed that 

 the case was one of a disease common to imported dogs 

 in Cuba, known as romadizo, a disease the clinifal history 

 of which is very different from that of yellow fever. 1 



1 See special report to National Board of Health, dated October 15, for 

 full history of this case. 



