The History of Cuba, vol. 4Johnson, Willis Fletcher
History
The History of Cuba, vol. 4
Johnson, Willis Fletcher
Cuba -- Economic conditions; Cuba -- History
So Camp Lazear was founded and was named after this hero. There were
erected two large frame buildings, one for infected mosquitoes and one
for infected clothing. The mosquito building was divided into two parts
by a permanent wirecloth partition, impervious to even the smallest
mosquito, but of course permitting free circulation of air. All the
windows and doors were securely screened in like manner, so that it was
impossible for mosquitoes to pass in or out. This building was
ventilated in the most thorough manner. Three men entered it and lived
there for a fortnight. One of them entered the compartment which was
infested with fever-infected mosquitoes, and was bitten by them. The
others remained in the other compartment which was free from mosquitoes
but through which the same air circulated and in which all other
conditions were identical with those in the insect room. The result was
that the man who was bitten developed the fever, while the others,
though fully as susceptible to it as he, showed no signs of it. Such was
the convincing demonstration of the mosquito house.
The clothing building was kept free from mosquitoes, but was well
stocked with the clothing and bedding of yellow fever patients. There
were the beds in which men had died of the fever, soiled with their
vomit and other excreta. The room was purposely deprived of ventilation,
so that its air should constantly be heavy with the reek of disease and
death. Into that indescribably loathsome place brave men entered, and
there they lived for weeks, wearing the soiled clothing and sleeping in
the soiled beds of those who had died of the pestilence. But not one of
them contracted the fever. Not one sickened. All emerged from the
noisome place at the end of the experiment in perfect health. Such was
the convincing demonstration of the infected clothing house.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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