YELLOW FEVER EXPEDITION 
55i 
' Domingos Freire.' This was opened on the 29th of April 1900, for the reception 
of patients. 
Month 
Admissions 
Deaths 
en 
d of" May 
83 
33 
99 
June 
94 
+ 2 
99 
July 
87 
42 
99 
August 
85 
3° 
99 
September 
56 ... 
20 
99 
October 
34. 
1 2 
99 
November 
31 
9 
99 
December 
++ 
1 1 
9 9 
January 
51 
2 i 
99 
February 
45 
10 
99 
March 
29 
5 
Amongst these cases are a small proportion due to other diseases, but the majority 
are due to yellow fever. The figures, however, are merely an indication of the 
amount of the disease that was prevalent at the time, for there is no compulsory 
isolation, thus many cases remain distributed at their own homes ; most of those that 
found their way into the general hospitals were transferred, but not always ; lastly, 
there are a number of cases which are not recognized, or are called by other names. 
Leprosy cases, when recognized, are sent to an isolation hospital out in the forest 
at the back of the S. Isabel region. The patients seen were mostly rather advanced 
examples of the disease, and were one hundred and eight in number at the time of 
my visit. The number corresponds to 0*5 per thousand of the population of the 
whole state. The Rio Tapajos by repute is the chief centre of the disease ; probably 
not more fish is eaten there than in other riverain places. 
Venereal complaints are common. Gonorrhoea is very frequent, and I was told 
that the majority of the female patients who applied for treatment at the general 
hospital were either suffering from some form of this or from phthisis. Amongst the 
patients at the yellow fever hospital we did not notice much syphilis, or signs thereof. 
Diphtheria is quite rare ; an occasional case occurs, but it appears that the disease 
does not tend to spread. Whether this is due to an absence of the conditions which 
cause its spread in other climes, or whether it exists in a modified and unrecognized 
form of tonsillitis, cannot be said. The children on their way to school may be seen 
carrying their little bottle of ink and pens, slates are probably too expensive an exotic 
luxury. 
Scarlatina is another disease which is said to be practically unknown ; again, 
either the climate, etc., is not suitable for the extra-human life of the causative agent, 
or else the conditions necessary for its spread from individuals are absent. 
