The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-23
TAKEN FROM THE STATES.
The Volunteers Carried Typhoid Germs
With Them Into Cuba.


The Volunteers Carried Typhoid Germs
With Them Into Cuba
New York. Aug. z2.-Lieut. Col. Mich
olas Sem. who went to Cuba as chief
of the operating staff of the army, has
just returned from Porto Rico and is
in the city. Speaking OF his experience
he said: I'm Cuba our army met as its
formidable enemy one of the most
dreaded of all acute infectious diseases
yellow fever. The Cuban invasion
was characterized by hasty action. a
lack OF organization and inadequate
preparation on the part of the quarter
masters department. for which the
medical department of the army was in
nowise responsible. In less than two
weeks after II army landed in Cuba
yellow w made its appearance.
I'm less than two weeks from that
time nearly 500 fever cases. most of
them yellow fever, impaired the fight
Ing force and seriously taxed the re-
sources Of the medical department
Fortunately for the army the type of
disease was mild and the epidemic is
past. II was extremely fortunate that
Santiago surrendered at the right time
our army would surely have met the
fate OF the Spanish forces, who lost
over so per cent Of their men during
the last year from sickness.
I'm planning the Porto Rican inva-
Stiitidi lhiltS Hdut lht pIppti
arrangements for preventing a repeti-
ton of this calamity. Thus far our
troops in Porto Rico have escaped yell
low fever, but Don after landing fever
cases came into the different hospitals
at an alarming rate. After landing at
Ponce on Aug. s / found at least $50
cases of typhoid fever. In some of the
cases it was difficult and almost inn
possible to make a differential diagno-
sis between malarial and typhoid fever
without the aid of the microscope, a re-
source which unfortunately was not at
hand.
Following the order OF Colonel
Greenleaf, chief surgeon Of the army, ]
investigated for two days all of the fe-
YER cases in the hospital for the pur-
pose Of locating the origin Of the ty-
phoid fever. A careful study of all the
cases showed that 90 per cent were
genuine typhoid fever cases and that
the infection of the army was brought
directly from the camps occupied in the
United States. l am firmly OF the
opinion hat II the American army now
In Porto Rico remains there much long
err the loss OF life due to sickness VIII
be as great as at Santiago.
The order to General Wilson TO take
IN the march toward San Juan made 1t
necessary to evacuate the division hos
pitaL All of the patients were trans
ferred to the Spanish military hospital
in Ponce. which caused temporary
overcrowding. The club houses OF the
city and the schools for girls, in charge
OF Sisters OF Charity, were also offered
to the authorities for hospital use and
were accepted. I want to make espe-
ciai mention Of the valuable services
rendered by Miss Chandler of your city,
who. night and day. with untiring ener-
gv administered to the sick n
wounded soldiers. All OF the officers liz
the club house became very much at
| .ached to Miss Chandler.
Nostalgia, or Inconsistencies, In 2
large measure, has added to the
wretched condition OF the soldiers. not
only In Cuba, but in Porto Rico also.
The postofice department has shown
serious neglect In forwarding mail. You
give a man n letter from home and ne
feels like fighting. / know as an aetna
fact that more than 200 letters were
! sent to me while I nave been away
from home. but I have received only
two Of them. Newspapers were in greai
demand and were eagerly bought ano
read.
"The war has again demonstrated the
great value Of the small caliber hulle'
and has shoNn that IL is a most hu'
name veapon. Contrary TO expecta'
tions hut few surgical operations werf
necessary, and our attention was al
rected entirely to the proper dresslhs
of wounds.
81 want to correct some OF the re
ports which have come from Cuba anC
Porto Rico as to the feelings or IN
Standards against the Red Cross. Th'
snaniards never purnosely hired at TN
Red Gross representatives OF our couh
try. and if any OF those were injured
II was entirely due to the fact ina
the red badge of the order could no
ba easily distinguished at a distance:
THE following touching incident 10
example. shows that the Spanlsrds sr'
in sympathy with the work OF the ite'
cross organization. While a COMPANY
Of Infantry was charging a hill at Qua
Mica. a volunteer who had rushed ~
wards ahead OF the line was SUDDEN!
Frustrated by heat. A Spanish once
ran 10 him and picked him up n car
ried him to our line amid h cheers o
our troops
Colonel Sem Is enthusiastic abou
Porto Rico and declares the island L
be worth It's weight in gold.
cit Is a beautiful country, a comolna
ton of Italy and Switzerland, and IL
are incalculable. what l
now needed in Porto Rico Is America
civilization with its little red schoo
house, 1t will take at least % year
to bring the natives OF Porto ttico an
cuba 10 such a state of CIVILIZATION
that they can govern themselves.
think the best plan for the Unite
states would be 70 establish a colonia
government in the new colonies some
what upon the plan by which Englan
governs India. / am of the opinion tina
even in Cuba military o
the part OF the United States VIII b
necessary for a long time"