The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-30
ALARMING.
Over One Thousand Sick Sol
diers in Porto Rico
And the List is Increasing
Rapidly.
is NO YELLOW FEVER
But an Abundance of Other
Varieties,
Including Typhoid Carried
From the United States.

From the United States.
Philadelphia. Aug. 8O.-The yacht
May, which arrived in this city today
from Porto Rico via Newport News
brought the report of the representa-
tives of the national relief commission,
ex-minister to Italy, William Potter,
William Van Rensselaer,, Louis c. Van
Uxem and DR.. G. G. Graft, who went
to Porto Rico to superintend the dis
tributiOn of the supplies, sent to the
sick soldiers by the commission. The
May, which was loaned to the govern
ment by Mr.. Van Rensselaer, left this
city on August and reached Ponce
states that the commissioners reported
70 General Miles and were by him re-
terred to Colonel GreenIeaf, chief sur
geon OF the army in the field. Colonel
Greenleaf ordered the seventy tons of
medical supplies to be taken from the
May and placed in the lower floor of the
custom house, which is now being used
as the headquarters of the army in
After giving details of the distribu-
ton OF the supplies, the report says:
IN almost every instance we found
the army surgeons most anxious to
have at their disposition money for the
purchase of needed luXurieS for the sick,
such as fresh milk, ice (When obtain
able) and canned goods, and we are
happy to report that in every case we
have been able to meet the demands
made upon US.
There are about 10000 American
soldiers in Porto Rico and on the day
of our departure, August p, there We're
over 1000 men on the sick list. OF this
number one-hah were cases requiring
prompt and careful treatment. There
was a large number of typhoid cases
but on the 22nd instant this disease was
not on the increase, a fact which in
n fnez hat NF1a Il
Tied from the camps at home and is not
Indigenous to Porto Rico. However,
there was a very large increase in
diarrhrea, dysentery, dengue or break
bone fever, and malariaI disorders, due
to the hot, unhealthy rainy season, just
commencing, which causes the water
supply to be filed with malariaI germs
from the constant decaying vegetation.
''All medical authorities in the army
in Porto Rico agree that the sick list
is increasing and that an alarming con-
ditiOn may be expected unless the war
department promptly arrangeS barracks
for the army of occupation and immed-
lately provides additional Transports
Thanks From Miles.
eft Is impossible for men from
northern climate to recuperate in a
tropical country during its most IN
healthful seaon-
IN conclusion, we are glad to report
that we reached Porto Rico with our
medical and hospital supplies just at
the time when they were most needed
as, owing to the lack of steam launches
with which to unload the vessels in the
harbor and those hard aground on the
coral reef, the medical department
could not secure its supplies promptly
and our consignment had been most
carefully selected, containing many
useful articles not supplied in the hos
pital equipment of the United States
army.
I'VE cabIed to the national relief com
mission on the 22nd to forward to Porto
Rico consignment of light groceries,
such as condensed milk, cereals, canned
soups, clam broth, etc; also pajamas
and underclOthing, all of which are much
needed in the hospitals, and are not OBJ
tainable in the island"
Attached to the report is a letter from
General Miles thanking the commits
siOners on behalf of the army for the
supplies and for a big consi gnment of
Greenleaf, expressing thanks for the
gift of an ice machine, in which he
says:
Ice $50 a Ton.
IT cannot adequately express the sat
1sfactiOn with which the results of this
donation will be received by the sick
Ice in this country is an expensive lux
ury, costing $50 per ton in Porto Rican
money, which necessitates the exercise
of rigid economy on the part of our
medical officers in its use. To have the
output of such a machine at our dis
pOSal is a blesSing.the benefits of which
y
have served in these hospitals
In addition to three relief commits
siOners, the following officers and men
returned on the May:
Col. John W. ClOus, deputy Judge ad-
Vocate general, u s A.
Col John Biddle, of Gen. Wilson's
star, who with Captain Harry Alvan
Han, of the Sixteenth Pennsylvania and
Lieut.. F. NJ. FullingtOn, also of General
wilson's staff are commissioned by that
commander to present to the president |
OF the United States. the royal ensign
captured August 9 in the engagement at /
Coamo; James WolcOtt WadswOrth
congressman from the Both New York: !
MAYOR clayton Parkhill, chief surgeon |
FIRST division First army corps
On SICK leave, Lieut.. John Noorkfzer
18TH United States infantry; Lieut. w
toward PancOast with Privates A r /
chester and Wilson Potter, all of light |
battery A,Philadelphia; James G. Clark /
York. - @'e"
On furlough, Addison Kelly. P.T,over-
ueio, Joseph Knight and Samuel Bowie /
an or battery a, and Myron R StoWeU
war correspondent, Pittsburg Times
Dr. Graft will remain Temporarily in
oFto Rico and will cable from time to
tlIne the needs of the commission in the
CARNEGIE'S BRIGHT IDEA