The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-20
VERITABLE PEST HOLE.
Conditions at Santiago Ripe for an
Epidemic of Yellow Fever,


Endemic of Yellow Fever,
SANTIAGO July IS. via Kingston. Ja-
maica, July 49, noon.-General Shafter has
had a thorough examination made of the
sanitary condition of Santiago. The work
was done by DR.. Goodfellow of the gen.
erals staff, and by civilian physician, DIR.
Orlando Dwiker. They find that, although
there are at present but six cases of yellow
fever in the city, in addition to two sus-
poets, the town is ripe for an epidemic.
Santiago and Rio Janeiro are considered the
greatest er-breeding centers in the world.
This town lacks every sanitary feature at
its best, and now, after two months siege,
leaving it dirty and repellant, it is a verita-
BILE pest hole. The awful stenches that
arise from the streets stagger and choke
one. No cordial in Santiago has the power
to wash out this odor from ones throat.
The city of Santiago is typical tropical
place, with narrow crooked streets and low,
one-storied dwellings and stores Many of
the houses are succeed and painted with
startling colors, sky blue and vivid shades
or green predominating. These with the
red tiles OF the roofs and the quaint Neran-
daS, show evidences of past picturesque
ness, but everything is now in a state of di-
lapldaton ana decay, and the city is but
shadow of its former self. The majority
OF the houses are absolute ruins and public
lected. The iron fences are broken and
rusted, while the fountains, on account of
the dearth of the water supply, have long
been dry. But here and there, through the
open doors OF more pretentious dwellings,
one meets with the vision of an open court
hlled with palms, brilliant-hued pouchianos
and other Towering trees and plants. 1t is
like glimpses of happy past. long gone.
There is no sewerage system. The city
SSGaihnage is all from the surface into the
harbor, and the lower part of the city,
through which much of the drainage runs
especially from the poor quarter around the
bull ring to the northwest of the city is
the seeding center of malaria and other low
fevers.
There are four hospitals in the city the
civil hospital, presided over by the Sisters
Of Charity, and the military, Mercedes and
Conchas hospitals In these four hospitals
are LA patients, which is a comparatively
small number, considering the lack of food
and long siege but 1t must be remembered
that the reconcentrados were never admit
ted to the hospitals, and when the notifica-
ton of the proposed bombardment by our
batteries received every patient who
could stagger out was driven into the
streets. Twenty lepers who were in the
civil hospital were turned into the streets,
and they have been roaming in the streets
ever SINCE. The largest number of patients
thrty-seven wounded Spanish officers and
431 wounded soldiers and sailors. In add-
ton there are hundreds of cases of malaria
and dysentery and six cases of yellow fever.
The sailors were wounded in the battle of
July and 2 They were disembarked from
the ships of Admiral Cervera's fleet in
der to assist in resisting the attack of the
American troops by land. These sailors say
that when the Spanish fleet sailed out of the
harbor half of the sailors and marines
board had been fighting and working in the
trenches for forty -eght hours previously.
Admiral Cervera, they also assert sacri-
feed his fleet in obedience to the popular
clamor, both in Spain and Cuba, including
Santiago, that he should give battle to the
American fleet.