40 YELLOW FEVER PROPHYLAXIS IN NEW ORLEANS 



officers in charge of the Wards, instructing them in their duties, and 

 holding daily conferences with the various representative bodies* 



On August nth he met the Presidents of the Ward Organisations 

 and agreed upon the following general plans : — 



That the work of the Ward Organisation must be carried on as 

 strenuously in the future as in the past. 



That there should be a "mosquito killing day" throughout the 

 City once a week, when the entire population should make an effort 

 to kill by fumigation the mosquitoes in their houses. 



That all the street gutters should be flushed out once a week. 



That every Ward undertake a complete minute inspection of all 

 cisterns in its territory to see that they are perfectly screened. 



That as an extra precaution the oilings of all cisterns be continued. 



That only oil of at least 1 50 flash test be used so as not to render 

 water unpleasant. 



That all physicians and everyone else in the City report to head- 

 quarters every suspicious case they might learn of. 



A feature which struck me as one well worthy of particular note 

 was the degree of freedom of action which he allowed to his officers, 

 and the trust which he placed in their intelligence, commonsense, 

 energy and loyalty. I can certainly say from my close observation of 

 this confidence in his juniors that it worked admirably, the sense of 

 freedom which the younger officers possessed, in my opinion, contri- 

 buted to their feeling the responsibility thrown upon them, and to 

 their taking an intense personal interest in the progress of affairs in 

 their Wards. There existed a complete sense of brotherhood 

 between seniors and juniors, and all felt it to be their paramount duty 

 to make a success of the campaign. In spite of the fact of the 

 intensely hot and close days of August, and that their chief work 



* For example, on August the 8th, at a meeting convened at the residence of Bishop Sassums, 

 of the representative Laity, Clergy and Medical Men, he gave the following practical hints, viz. : — 

 That during the epidemic the ladies should not visit unnecessarily. That they should not go out 

 unless business called them. That they should not leave home unless for Cliurch or for actual 

 necessary shopping. That they should not wear low quarter shoes. That they should not go into 

 their neighbours' homes unnecessarily. That they should not go out without a veil, and that they 

 should not go out without gloves as both were a protection against Stegomyia. 



He also exhorted the medical men present to report all cases of fever. *' If you have a case of 

 fever and it is a bit questionable, set aside all your professional pride and call in an expert to see if it 

 is not a mild case of Yellow Fever. A little child may have a light fever for twelve hours, pass off, and 

 the family physician say it was nothing. That child may be bitten by mosquitoes, and in about twelve 

 or fifteen days the whole family may be taken down with violent cases of Yellow Fever. That is why 

 I appeal to the family physicians to help us. One mild case that you are not inclined to call Yellow 

 Fever, or not report, may be responsible for lOO cases." 



