The prophylaxis of yellow fever / by G. M. Guiteras.

  • Guiteras, Gregorio Mario, 1863-1934.
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The prophylaxis of yellow fever / by G. M. Guiteras. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    on these points the presence of a case of yellow fever could be an- nounced without any fear of alarm or panic and the measures to prevent its propagation put in force at once without clamor or delay. The physician could act simply on the merits of the case from a pro- fessional standpoint. If the disease under observation presented the symptoms of yellow fever, he would announce it as such without stopping to consider or, for the time being, trying to determine from whence it came or obscure his judgment with considerations as to the effect of his diagnosis on the business interests of the locality or on his own personal interests. Such a condition of affairs is much to be desired and with patience and preserverance may be attained. The education of the public on this subject acts not only in this indirect manner, but directly as well, for it will so guide public opinion that it will be possible to practically eliminate the transmit- ting factor of the disease, the mosquito, the stegomyia calopus. And as it is impracticable to select only the stegomyia calopus for destruc- tion, a campaign against this mosquito must be a general one, and also include those responsible for the transmission of malaria, filaria, etc., thus removing from the Tropics and subtropics some of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality, and which heretofore have been serious obstacles to their political, commercial, and indus- trial progress. Education on this subject, therefore, I consider of prime importance in the prophylaxis of yellow fever, and it is sur- prising how little has been done or is being done on this line. The writer in his report to the surgeon-general on the yellow fever epidemic at Laredo, Tex., in 1903, said: Insistent and continued efforts should be made through the public press and other available means to educate the people within the sphere of influence of the stegomyia fasciata (calopus), so that they will learn to protect themselves against the invasion or spread of yellow fever among them by destroying the means for the propaga- tion of said mosquito and by protecting themselves against the mos- quito by efficient screening. Above all, to eradicate the existing fear in the medical profession as well as among the laity, of declaring the presence of yellow fever. If the first case presenting the slightest suspicious symptoms of that disease were promptly made public and the proper modern precautions taken, there would be no danger of the disease spreading. In fact, the public should be taught to ac- knowledge the existence of yellow fever in their midst with the same equanimity as they do in the case of measles or scarlatina. And again, in the report of the epidemic in Vicksburg, Miss'., in 1905, the writer stated: There is still much ignorance and skepticism (on the subject of the method of transmission of yellow fever). An effort should be