Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-14
MORE DANGEROUS THAN WAR
Spanish Now Forced to Contend with Yel-
low Fever.
AFRAID IT WILL BE EPIDEMIC SOON
Chief of the Sanitary Corps of the
Army Discusses the situation in
Detail with Corr
respondent.

HAVANA, March 13-(New York World |
Cablegram-Special Telegram.)-I have had
an interview with Major General Lozada
chief Of the sanitary corps Of the Spanish |
army in Cuba, on the subject of the health |
of the troops. He is very distinguished in |
his own country and his military rank cor |
responds to that of surgeon general in the |
United States army. Since his arrival in |
Cuba last November he has revolutionzed |
the practices in the medco-surgical service
Immediately upon his arrival he decided
| to remove the military hospital from the CEN
| tury-old building located in the unheathiest
portion of Havana, reeking with germs of
disease, to a breezy hill near the Principe
fortress, outside the city. He was also the
| first to separate yellow fever cases from
| other patients in the hospitals. Genral Lo-
zada stated that the present health of the
army is excellent Reports from different
| stations on the island, some OF which, ow-
| ing to lack of telegraphic communication,
had been delayed week or more, showed
an aggregate of 5,545 cases of sick, wounded
and disabled from all causes on March l,
| out of a total number of 10000 regular
| troops. The prevalent diseases are malarlal
| fevers and throat and lung affections, with
some yellow fever, mostly at Santiago, Man
zanillo and forts along the northeast coast.
The general hospital in Havana contains
are officers. There are 249 surgical cases.
including wounded. There are nineteen
cases of yellow fever. No doubt some of
the yellow fever patients contracted the dis
ease in the old hospital building, In which
there are now about 600 patients. The new
hospital at Principe contains over 500. In
a fortnight all the patients will be removed
to the new hospital. 1t is on the American
army plan with modern pavilons. Infec-
tious diseases, especially yellow fever, are
isolated at the new hospital. At all hos
pitals on the island yellow fever is
isolated, practice that never prevailed be-
sore.
There have not been SO many cases OF
gunshot wounds, sword and machete cuts
as supposed" said General Lozada ''our
soldiers appear to have had comparatively
few Of such injuries. When 1 arrived saw
Immediately the necessity of removing the
sick from the old hospital I presented
the subject to Martinez Campos, and he
at once approved it. Since then l have re-
ceived additional authority to extend the
new hospital at Principe. General Weyler
: will grant all the necessary funds. The
reason why this important change was not
made before was that authority could not
be obtained. Some strong local interests
. desired the hospital to remain in the cid
situation, which is the worst. from sani-
. tary point of view in Havana. l anticipate
an unhealthy summer.
AFRAID OF YELLOW FEVER.
"There are so many unacclmated people
(soldiers) here that much sickness, due to
: the climate is inevitable / fear that yell
low fever will be epidemic OF course every
thing in our power will be done to main
tain the health Of our soldiers. The Span
sh army in Cuba has never before been SO
we'll provided with hospital facilities as now.
2 There are hospitals in all the principal cen
= ters OF the island, and many private houses
: have been fitted up to receive the sick at
5 other points in the field. find that huts
f thatched with palm leaves make a good shell
| cic wounded while awaiting
: transportation to general hospital. l have
d an abundant supply of medicines and an
Il excellent corps of medical officers. The
d fidelity Of the latter is attested by the fact
n that fifteen surgeons died OF yellow 1eVer
& last year"
General Lozada has only recently recov-
cred from fever himself.
r Antonio Maceo and the band of Lacret and
q Quintln Bandera have made dash for the
province Of Havana, following the border OF
the great swamp on the southern coast In
their progress Today they were ON the line
of the railway to San Felipe, near Guines
h They were at San Nicholas last night
n As usual, numerous Spanish columns are
i in front and on either flank of the insurgents
q The latter are very short Of ammunition
Il The purpose Of the westward movement 4:
IS unknown. 1t was not the intention to re-
3 turn when Macec went eastward into Matan
" zas. Gomez has moved in a northwesterly
= direction since last reported towards the
IT jurisdiction of Jovellanos.
o Constant skirmishing of a petty natur,
'e continues between the Spanish columns ant
% the rebels.
Gomez is reported i'll with malaria To
night he is said to be near Santa Glars
again. WILLIAM SHAW BOWEN.
n Only a CorpornTs Guard Deserted.
VIENNA, March 13-An investigation
. into the report circulated by news agency
10 in the United States that "the entire Italiar
la garrison at Verona has deserted, with III
lg arms and baggage, and crossed the Aus
IN tranian border into the Tyrol," discoses thu
AZ following facts
~ "The Neue Freie Press this morning au
nounced that the guard on duty at For
Ceraino, consisting of about eight men, lee
by Corporal Zamberlan, recently deserted
(. through fear of being ordered to Abyssinia
m This previous to the posponement o
:, the departure Of the Italian reinforcement
AZ for Africa"
,e As Verona has population of about 70, 00
a, inhabitants is strongly fortified, stands nea
\ one Of the gorges OF the Tyrol, and ha
l. accommodations for a garrison of 20,0
A. men, 1t will be seen that more inexcus
ID ably sensational and misleading report coulC
not have been sent out The difference be
tween a corporals guard and 10000 mel
could easily have been ascertained by tn
- news agency circulating this alleged news.
ID Emperor Called on the Queen.
n NICE, March 13.-Emperor Franz Jose
ne paid a brief visit to Queen Victoria a
lg Cimiez this afternoon. 1t is believed tn
Il Austrian emperor will leave here soon TO
& Italy. where, according to report. he viii
meet King Humbert and Emperor William 0
Germany.
In LONDON, March 13.-The Pail Mall Ga
h. zette this evening publishes a dispatch fror
- Mentone, saying that II is reported ther
10 that the Emperor Francis Joseph Of Austri
I'd and Emperor William Of Germany will NEE
er King Humbert of Italy at Genoa within
I'D few days, according to present arrange
ments.
Refused TO unseat a Member.
n LONDON, March 13.-The petition agans
ne the return of Harry II. Marks, proprieto
er of the Financial News, and formerly G
ne New York, to Parliament for the ST. George
division of the Tower Hamlets, was dis
- missed this morning. Marks is a eonserya
ad tive. and was elected on July II last, defeat
81 ing the liberal candidate, John William
10 Benn. by only four votes The petition
al which was presented by Benn. alleged
among other things. illegal and corrup
practices in the election
he ReichstaE Crfticises the Government
Of BERLIN. March l3-The Reichstag toda
| tank he NJ fba 81