It is a well-known fact that a long-continued drought, followed by heavy rains, and a bot sun with a continuous heat of over 80° Fahr., and with the decay of both animal and vegetable matter as a natural sequence thereto, is exceedingly fruitful, if not productive, of the disease in question, and this was constantly the case at this post prior to and during the major portion of this epidemic. The previous month had been intensely hot, and a serious of calms having prevailed throughout the months of May, June, and July. During the month of July, and up to the commencement of September, there was an unusually large rain-fall, principally by showers, during the day, after which the sun would pour down with greater violence than before, and the atmosphere be close and stifling; the steam arising from the ground after one of these showers was very appreciable, and I noticed that I always received fresh additions to the sick on those days.

Although the men were sheltered from the sun as much as possible, and the police of the post was well kept up, yet there were certain irreparable conditions existing which aided and abetted, at least, in propagating the fever. I allude first to the mass of old decayed buildings, and rubbish, and filth of different kinds, principally outside of the fort. All anthorities agree that decaying timber, and the walls of old wooden buildings, are powerfully retentive of materies morbi, and as such should be torn down and burnt up; but not being, properly speaking, under the immediate control of thejcommanding officer of the post, these buildings have been allowed to remain for the use of the engineer employés during the winter season. Each year, of course, has added to their decay, and it is no wonder that germs of a disease locating there should remain dormant for an indefinite period.

Such, I consider, to be the true solution of the question of the origin of the epidemic of this year. Yellow fever raged violently at this post during the months of August, September, and part of October, in 1867, and the fever having been on all sides of the fort, it is not only possible, but extremely probable, that some of the germs of the disease remained even after the epidemic ceased, having only been lying dormant in certain localities until certain atmospheric conditions favorable to its germination should exist, and the proper material be present for its rapid reproduction and propagation. Such conditions certainly existed this year. The command was new to the climate, and composed entirely of unacclimated men, and, as hitherto stated, the weather was extremely favorable to its origination, the thermometer ranging over 90° Fahr. every day, and having previously suffered from long-continued drought, this was followed by frequent and heavy showers of rain, with a fierce tropical sun intervening.

At the commencement of the epidemic the situation was most trying. Besides having the intense heat, the weather very calm, the Matchless away, and not a fragment of ice at the post to relieve the thirst of the sufferers, I had the double misfortune to lose the hospital-steward, who is, as is well known, of great assistance, and particularly in such occasions as these. He was among the earliest to take sick, and lived but three days from the time of his seizure. His widow, the hospital matron, broken down by constant attendance upon him, and mental anguish afterward, was quickly attacked by the disease, and died within five days. The nurses from the enlisted men of the command, although ready, willing, and obedient, still, not being schooled or accustomed to nursing of any description, could not be expected to have the requisite amount of knowledge which long experience only teaches, and which a disease, too, where careful discrimination and judgment are essen

in

tial qualities on the part of a good nurse, they did their best, and it was all I could expect. When the command was moved to Loggerhead Key, and a certain number of men were required here as nurses, I was informed by Lieutenant Bell that he had only to make the request, and the requisite number immediately volunteered, and even more than were required desired to remain to assist as best they could. I take pleasure in mentioning the fact, and also that, with but one or two excep tions, the entire command behaved in a courageous manner. Many deserve and richly merit special mention, and the highest approbation of their commanders for their brave conduct in the discharge of their many arduous duties, which they cheerfully and willingly performed. Not a few of these were victims to the disease before many days, and, I am sorry to say, died. As their names have already been mentioned to the commanding officer, it is not, I deem, necessary to note them here.

On the arrival of the Matchless on the 30th of August, the much-desired ice was obtained, which gave great relief and comfort to the sick. As soon as possible the boat was dispatched with telegrams to the headquarters of the department, and urgently requested to be furnished with civilian nurses from Key West. That this requst was immediately complied with on the part of personal friends in Key West, was shown by the fact that the next evening the United States revenue cutter Northerner arrived off the buoy, bringing, besides five civilian nurses and Dr. Otto, a large supply of ice and other articles necessary for the sick. Immediately upon the arrival of these nurses, I asked to have relieved all enlisted men on duty in the hospital as nurses, and advised their speedy removal to Loggerhead Key, there to be placed in quarantine from the rest of the command until such time as the surgeon in charge there should deem it safe to release them. This was done, and I am happy to say that I received from that place only four cases of fever, and they were taken sick within a few hours after their arrival, showing clearly that they had become infected by the poison before leaving the post.

Having made the most intelligent of the civilian nurses acting steward and wardmaster, I placed the rest under his immediate superintendence, and in a few days had the satisfaction and pleasure of seeing the sick not only well cared for and attended, but cheerful and hopeful. I had every reason afterward to be satisfied with the selection made, for James Dunbar, the man to whom I allude, performed excellent service. not only in the capacity of acting steward and wardmaster, but after ward as a nurse, being always, and at all hours of the day and night. both ready and willing to execute all orders and perform any service required of him.

On the 8th of September, Lieutenant James E. Bell, First Artillery, was suddenly stricken down with the fever. The history of his case in detail has, I suppose, been already furnished by Assistant Surgeon Harvey E. Brown, U. S. A., and I merely pause to pay a tribute of respect to the memory of a gallant soldier and officer, who, though faced by death on all sides in a terrible epidemic, bravely stood to his post; and although urged most earnestly to remove to Loggerhead, with the command, yet was unwilling to expose his men to any danger in which he did not share, and, guided by a strict sense of honor and a conscientious idea of duty, he fearlessly maintained his ground, and while struggling for the interests of both well and sick, he was sud denly himself added to the number of the latter, and died on the 11th of September, after a brief illness of three days.

I cannot but think that had a steamer been furnished this post, upon the first outbreak of the epidemic, and the well portion of the com

mand immediately removed to some accessible point on the mainland of Florida, many cases would have been prevented and the epidemic brought sooner to a close; for having nothing to feed upon it must necessarily abate. The removal to Loggerhead was the most judicious that could be effected at first, but even that was open to many objections. There not being sufficient house-shelter and no shade by trees of any description, the majority of the men had to live in tents and open boat-houses, and which, considering the intense heat at that time, I greatly feared would be conducive to sickness; and, besides all this, what little wind there was came from the eastward, passing directly from this post to those at Loggerhead, and it is well known that the germs of yellow fever can be disseminated that way. I consider that t was the moral aspect of the move, and from a pestilential place, that had much to do with the healthy condition of the command after their removal.

Before closing this report, I desire to thank the commanding officer of the post for his many acts of kindness, and for his promptness and readiness, not only to listen to the advice given by the medical officers of the post on subjects touching the welfare of the command, but also for the willingness with which the advice has been complied with. Nor is praise less meet or due to the living than the dead; and I would say that although Colonel Langdon arrived at this post on the 6th of September, some ten days after the epidemic had commenced, yet afterward he remained here on duty, giving all assistance in his power, and laboriously exerting himself for the welfare of the sick and well, and in the monetary interests of the dead.

In this connection I wish to express my thanks to Dr. Otto, of Key West, who, upon hearing of the sickness here, immediately volunteered his services, and, without a thought of recompense, repaired to this place to assist, remaining the major portion of the time in the hospital and among the sick. He rendered valuable service not only in personal treatment and superintendence of the cases, but also by such advice as his long experience and knowledge of the disease rendered him peculiarly well fitted to give. Such a genuine act of humanity is truly gratifying to witness, and it is extremely pleasing to me to be able to commend it to the attention of the Surgeon-General and medical director of the department.

It is but justice, also, that I state (and it is with great pleasure that It is done) that Acting Assistant-Surgeon F. J. Gould, U. S. A., on duty at this post, was most faithful and untiring in his duties and attentions to the sick, and that, too, when four of his own family were suffering at the same time from the same disease. If it is not presuming too far, I would respectfully request that his contract be renewed, and he be retained at this post in consideration of the excellent services lately rendered by him.

I am desirous of extending also my thanks to Assistant-Surgeon Harvey E. Brown, U. S. A., who was on temporary duty at this post daring part of the epidemic, for many valuable suggestions and advice in treatment of certain cases that arose, which his previous experience in treating yellow fever in other sections of the country, had proven beneficial and useful.

I am also under obligations to Assistant-Surgeon R. S. Vickery, U.S. A. post surgeon at Key West barracks, for the promptness, efficiency, and readiness with which he executed all requests relating to the supplies of this hospital, and for the kindly anticipation of my wishes in forward

ing immediately such articles as he knew to be indispensable for the sick, both for nourishment and comfort.

To Messrs. Whitaker and Messina much credit and praise is due for their many acts of kindness, both in nursing the sick and in general desire and willingness to be of service. In fact, had not the former of these gentlemen been present, burial cases could not have been procured, nor the dead given a decent burial, there being no carpenter among the enlisted men of the command.

The total number taken sick during this epidemic, including civilians and all the children, was thirty-nine cases, fourteen of these terminating fatally; and although the mortality was comparatively large, yet, taking into consideration the sudden invasion of the disease, and the disadvantages under which I was placed and labored at first, I have many reasons to be satisfied with the success.

I have now given as exact a history of the progress, treatment, and source of the epidemic, as is possible to do in a brief space of this kind. I trust it may meet with your approbation.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOSEPH Y. PORTER,

Acting Assistant-Surgeon U. S. A., Post Surgeon.

To the Surgeon-General U. S. A.:

KEY WEST BARRACKS,

Key West, Florida, October 17, 1873.

GENERAL: I have the honor herewith to present the following remarks relative to the epidemic of yellow fever, which has lately prevailed at Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas:

It is presumed that the detailed report of this outbreak of fever will be made by Acting Assistant Surgeon Joseph Y. Porter, the post-surgeon at that station, and I shall therefore confine myself to some statements relative to its origin, the phenomena of the disease, and the treatment adopted.

The accompanying report of the sanitary condition of Fort Jefferson. was made by me to the post-commander, in obedience to his orders, soon after my arrival. It will be seen that while there was much which could be properly considered as affording a congenial soil for the imported germ, there was nothing to warrant the assertion that the disease could have originated at the post, de novo, in consequence of bad police or any other factor. We are consequently obliged to fall back on one of two suppositions: either that the outbre. k occurred by reason of infection remaining from the previous epidemic in 1867, or that it was due to a fresh importation of the germinal principle. The first of these propositions will not bear investigation, there being nothing in the sanitary surroundings, or the meteorological condition, materially different this year from what has existed every other year since 1867, each of which has been entirely healthy. Even had there been no general epidemic, yet still, if the infection incurred in 1867 had remained in a dormant condition throughout the following winter, sporadic cases of fever would have occurred in 1868 and 1869, which, so far as I am informed, was not the case. Hence, it becomes necessary to adopt the last alternative, and look for an importation from elsewhere as the exciting cause of the fever. I believe this may be found in the following statement, although it is true the evidence is not as decided and complete as could be desired.

On the 9th of August, Charles Gould, aged about twelve years, son of Acting Assistant Surgeon Gould, United States Army, then on duty at Fort Jefferson, left that post and went to Key West with his father. He remained there four days, returning to Tortugas in the United States schooner Matchless. Being an active, intelligent boy, he passed his time in Key West in going about the dock, visiting the catthe steamers and fruit and fishing boats just in from Havana, and other shipping at the wharves; among these was the Norwegian bark Tonsberghus, which had arrived from Havana in distress on the 9th of August. This vessel had lost two of her crew from yellow fever in Havana, and on arrival her captain was convalescent from an attack of the same disease. She was loaded with sugar. There was no yellow fever in Key West at this time, although a Mr. Townsend, the deputy collector of the port, was ill with what was pronounced by his attending physician to be bilious fever, but which some of the citizens thought was yellow fever. As above stated, Charles Gould returned to Fort Jefferson on the 13th; he was sick with headache, muscular pains, &c., the day he left Key West, but said nothing about it until the 16th, when he took to his bed and theu confessed to having felt very bad for several days. His case was pronounced by his father to be bilious-remittent fever. He was sick in bed a week, and during his convalescence was frequently in the soldiers' quarters and about with the men. On the 23d of August Private Joseph Baumstock, of Company M, First United States Artillery, was taken ill with decided symptoms of yellow fever, and died with black vomit and uræmic poisoning on the 27th. Two more cases were brought into hospital on the 25th, one of whom died on the 28th and one on the 30th of August. The same day that Private Baumstock was admitted to hospital, Miss Lizzie Gould, aged thirteen, sister of Charles, was taken sick and had a severe and unmistakable attack of yellow fever, although it is but proper to state that her father adhered to his opinion that it was biliousremittent. This same day Mrs. Coleman, a laundress, wife of Corporal Coleman, Company M, who lived in the casemate near the officers' quarters, was taken sick, and on the 27th her husband; both undoubted cases of yellow fever; both recovered. After the 26th of the month cases occurred frequently, and the disease was considered as epidemic at the post. Between the 26th of August and the 6th of September, three other children of Acting Assistant Surgeon Gould were taken sick, all with mild, febrile attacks, which were pronounced, as before, remittent fever by the father, but which, in their course and termination, precisely resembled yellow fever as it occurs in those of tender years in the majority of epidemics.

It is doubtful if the following circumstance had any connection with the epidemic, but still it deserves mention as a portion of the history of the post during the period: Early in August a schooner, bound from New Orleans to Havana, foundered in the Gulf, and her captain and crew escaped in a boat and landed at Fort Jefferson, where they were hospitably received and given quarters for a temporary period with the men of Company M. It is not known that this vessel was at all infected, and her captain and crew were entirely healthy so long as they remained at Fort Jefferson; but it is worthy to remark that during his stay the captain occupied the bed of Private Baumstock, who was subsequently the first soldier admitted to the hospital with yellow tever, and whose was the first fatal case.

In reviewing the testimony offered above in regard to the origin of the epidemic, it will be at once noticed that the weight of the argument