The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-05
YELLOW FEVER
NOT 70 Be FEARED.
E1-Surgson General Hamilton
Says Danger Is Exaggerated.
He Declares That Cebe n Nsfosetsy
as Healthy NJ Any TrOpscai sssy,
and with Proper Sanitary Preeas-
sse.. ana Good Hospital Campo,
There h No Reason Why the
Health Of the Troops ShonId ssf-
fer In the Coming Campaign.

CHICAGO. MAY a.--Dr. John 3. Ham,
IAN. former surgeon general OF the marine
hospital servies OF the United States, N
an address given at the Physician. ciso.
maintained that the danger from yellow
fever in Cuba If much exaggerated. Tue
paper was In regard TO camp hygiene. with
soectaa reference to the prssesfs ana aes-'
cep,ed theories Of the heat conditions OF
Cuba. 3sae
Dr. Hamilton began with a brief kuui-
mary OF his past experience In sanitary
camps OF various kinds. Al fiae time 81
The csysl war, ne said. little Thought was
given to the matter. provided there was
plenty Of water and hillside ON which
90 Pitch tents He acquired considerable
experience during the war and lafeF In
ass2 and isss he had charge OF the bis ysi7.
low fever epidemic In Texas ard LOUISE
ana. The camp near jacksonville he built
In Ave eays and there worked OUT the sys--
TEN he advocates for use In the present
war. He described the camp In Jackson
vile and stated that the basis OF the whole
systern was the twice-a-day inspection. IT'S
1892 he built the cholera camp at Sandy
Hook. the first OF It's kind. lie stated
positively that the nurses and attendants
never ran any danger from diseases Sne
cholera and yellow fever In these open-air
camps
After the comments on hygienlc camps
Or. Hamilton took up the question OF
yellow fever In Cuba and its treatment
The danger to our soldiers. he said. Was
not half as great as the people believe
He had no hesitation l.. saying that cubas
was naturally as healthfu country as
any In the tropics He then ennnlerated
the places where yellow fever was first
propagaied; the infected buildings in Ha-
yana. the infected waarves and lastly the
upper end OF the bay OF Havana. This. he
said. WAS the principal cause Of all the
trouble. In this part OF the bay the water
Is ssagnant and filthy and breeds disease
On tho banks IL established the military
hospital. Instead of taking the yick up
on the hills they are put In this infected
building. Was II any wonder. he asked.
tina, the fever could not be eontrolied?
A consideration of the geographical con-
dltions In Cuba showed that the hills back
OF Matanzas are twelve 10 fifteen hundred
feet high and hack of Havana they are
eight or nine hundred. BY making the
camps on these hills. the speaker said. the
danger would be greatly reduced. There Is
80 other seacosst city where II would be
so easy TO keep troops. providing the sys-
tenn OF regular and careful inspection he
maintained. The stagnant portion of the
hay OF Havana oond he purified by q ca
nal from the Alrnendarez river and after
q period of proper household sanitation
in fhA city. Havana would become rs
heslthfui az any city In the tropics. He
calls attention 10 the fact that England
bad given lesson In sanitation at .Ja-l
ms'ca. Al one time Kingston was as sub
1cet 10 yellow fever as Havana, but now
eases seitlo,a occur.
The carsdessncss OF the goyerpment. he
said. was the principal CAUSE of all the
yellow fever danger. Not half the neces-
rary precautions were taken at the
wharses. where the danger was greatest.
In conclusion DIR, Hamilton said that
there had been reason enough for war
with Spain before the present crisis Any
country whieh would earrlesSiy allow such
5isease-hreedsng center 20 affect the
ships of the world. without any EFFORT TO
improvs The conditions. deserved nothing
better than the most severe and summary
punishment.