The Red Cloud chief., 1898-10-07
AClTY OF SICK AND DEAD.
General Wood Describes Santiago Ate,
tho Surrender.

General Leonard Wood, military gov
ernor Of Santiago. II is personal TO .
great extent, but Secretary Alger has
allowed some extracts TO be published.
The secretary feels that General Wood.
combining his medical skill with high
soldierly qualities and executive abil-
ity, has met and overcome the prob
lens presented at Santiago. The let
ter presents wildly the frightful con-
ditions that confronted the American
army of occupation after the surren-
der Of Santiago.
General Wood says in part: 81 have
had n very difficult position from q
sanitary point of view and not alto
gether nm easy one from q military
and civil standpoint. When we came
into the city the sanitary situation
was something frightful. There were
a great many nnburied dead in the
houses, between 1000 and 1900 Span
ish wounded and sick, and a great
horde of half famishcd end sick pco-
pie, nearly 10000 in number, who had
just returned from FL Caney, where
they had gone during the siege.
The water supply of the city had
been cut off; there was no water TO be
obtained except from cisterns and a
few wells, and the streets were full of
dead animals and all sorts of filthy
materials i had to start in from the
bottom and repair the waterworks.
Then came tho removal Of the dead.
Some Of these were burned, because
the number was SO great and decompo-
sition had advanced TO such an extent
that they could not be buried. Burn
ing is not uncommonly practiced hero
during the epidemic season.
I'VE have yellow fever oil around
Us, and about twenty cases in the
Spanish military hospital. Tho civil
hospital was full OF dying people, and
public buildings were being used as
hospitals. l have been working sys-
tcmatically with every means at hand
to improve the sanitary condi.
ton of the city. / have q force
Of about ITO men constantly en-
ployed and ut many times have had
nearly double this force working
day and night TO remove the vast &C.
CuUlulutiOuS OI lHNcSCIiDdDIS MIN
which has accumulated in the out
houses and yards, as well as the streets
of the city, which is reputed to be one
of the most unhealthy and dirty in the
world. The death rate has dropped
steadily since we cams in and is now
about o~ne-fourth OF what 1t was in
July. Tho water system has been put
L., ArJar nu1 n yepat vpnnv ranairs
made to it, and the supply, although
insufficient, is utilized to the greatest
advantage.
Il have had to hire doctors for the
hospitals, purchase medicine for them
and supply them with beds and bed
ding and food, in fact, re-establish aut
take entire charge Of them. l hav'
also established a strict system o.
house inspection and inspection Of tn,
streets, and have a disinfecting depart
ment al well as a cleaning department
Tho city has been divided into fv'
districts in each Of watch is q relic
station where food Is distributed an'
q physician in attendance who pre-
scribcs for those who present them
selves sick, and visits the sick in tn
houses. am issuing at present about
Is, 900 rations a day. The physician
are probably prescribing for about 60
or 700 people, and soma days man,
more. These physicians are nativ
Cubans, educated in the United State
and employed by our government a
contract surgeons.
1T has long been the custom in thi
town to depend upon heavy rains an
the rushing floods through the street
' to sweep away the accumulated fit
of the dry season. All this has bee
swept down to the water front, whcr
it has been collecting for years, chol
ing the drains and filling the sha'
{ low waters near the shore, 50 tina
when the tide goes ont masses {
4 dumping material are exposed to tn
C intense rays of the sun and furnish
frightful cause OF disease. Later thi
year, when tho epidemic season sha
a have passed, 1t 10 my intention, II
( am granted funds and authority,
G have the shallow places dredged on
so that at least a thin layer OF wat'
will cover them at low tide and pr
s vent the present condition OF aftair'
Y 1.-The great expert on yellow feve
d DR.. Guiteras, assured me in July th'
:, an epidemic Of yellow fever of gre
= severity was absolutely unavoidabl
Il and that we were destined to lose
No large proportion Of our people her
II Thus far it hns been avoided, and N
). only avoided, but to-day don't kno
of an authentic case OF genuine yello
;. fever In Santiago de Cuba proper, al
). every day increases our chances
escape"
30 General Wood discusses the probe
Of getting the Cuban army disband
o and the men composing it ut work.
or discussing this phase of tho situate
s. he seems to think that IL will
a. necessary to discourage the idea amo'
the Cubans that rations will be CO
a stantly issued to them. General Wo
lr says that all indications now point
ne the speedy disbapding of the Cub
I'd army. He says the feeling OF I