1893-1894 - The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

70 NORTH CAROLINA BOARD OF HEALTH.
gentleman from French's Creek, Bladen county, that a
woman coming from Brunswick, Ga., between two and
three weeks previously had just died, after an illness of fortyeight
hours, of what was pronounced by Dr. Lucas, of our
Board, the attending physician, yellow fever. On the same
day telegrams were received from ^Mr. Harris, Acting
Mayor of "Wilmington, asking for information, and from
Dr. Thomas, of our Board, giving the substance of the
communication and asking if he should investigate the
matter. In view of his proximity to Bladen county and
the difficulty of reaching Dr. Lucas by wire he was
requested to do so. With characteristic promptness and
energy he managed the investigation and the next day
received a statement from Dr. Lucas to the effect that the
person referred to "did not die of yellow fever."
xVfter a
sickness of nearly two weeks "she died with tj'^phomalarial
fever. * * * It is currently reported that
she had yellow fever, but it is false." So the threatened
panic was at once nipped in the bud.
On September 24th I received a letter^ from Supervising
Surgeon General Wyman, of the Marine Hospital Service,
enclosing "a newspaper clipping relative to an alleged
occurrence
of yellow fever aboard a vessel from Wilming-
The letter was referred to Dr. Geo. G. Thomas,
ton, N. C."
Secretary
Quarantine Board, Port of Wilmington, as well
as a member of our State Board of Health, for answer.
From his repl}' now on file in the Secretary's office it
appears that the disease alluded to was evidently malarial.
On the same day a written request was received from
Dr. J. W. McGee, Physician to the Pentitentiar}', requesting
me to officially visit the Penitentiary and aid the
authorities in investigating the cause of an outbreak of
fever, malarial and typhoid, made up of 41 and 21 cases
respectively, inside the prison. A careful investigation