The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-20
ON HIS WAY TO HAVANA.
DIR. Drummer Talks of Government
Plans to stamp Out Yellow Fever.


DR.. W. F. Drummer, sanitary inspector
of the United States marine hospital ser
vice at Havana, viii leave Thursday for
Port Tampa, and viii proceed from there
! to his former post Of duty. He has been
in consultation with officials of sthe de-
partment, and has full idea of the plans
the government will adopt in improving
the sanitary conditions of the islands
As soon as he returns TO Havana, DR..
! Drummer win superntend the disinfection
of all vessels leaving that port. which will
have the effect of dispensing with the
quarantine regulations as to these vessels.
The government does not carry out these
precautions in a careless, haphazard way,
and for this reason, any detention or dis
infection at this end Of the line would be
useless What there is left when DR..
Brunner and his big disinfecting machines
get through with a vessel VIII not be
worth looking for. Not only will the yes
seis be thoroughly disinfected, and every
germ of disease killed by the application
OF various approved processes, but the
crews viii be watched with the closest
scrutiny. Each man will be stripped af-
ter which he will be put through process
of cleansing. His clothing will be steam
Su at Il hts II temperature, ana after these
precautions are observed. the vessel will
be watched and none OF the crew allowed
ashore.
THE fact that Is per cent. of yellow fe-
yer eases in the United States find their
origin from those islands makes it highly
important tfat the disease be fought
there" said Or Drummer. For over 1863
years the Islands have reen infected win
contagious diseases. there having been no
effective sanitary precautions taken by the
government In control To extrpate the
disease entirely win entail the expenditure
of millions by this government, and there
are few of the present generation who will
live to see the task completed In some
of the cities 1t viii require an enormous
amount to even start while in Matanzas
do not believe good sanitary conditions
will ever prevail on account Of its loca-
ton.
TT is different with Havana, however
where the first work in draining and clean
ing up will probably begin. The streets are
paved with cobble stones, and between
them are regular cesspools of filth. The
construction of house drainage systems
will precedc paving the streets, but first OF
all, the ships for this country viii be dis
infected. We win try TO confine the dis
ease to the islands while trying to stamp
ii out"
There is now a yearly appropriation Of
100000 by Congress to the marine hos
pital service for the purpose of preventing
the spread Of contagious diseases in this
country. This amount will be used in the
work on the islands, and 1t may be add
tonal appropriations made provided,
a. oove all, the islands are annexed to the
United States. This seems now to be the
general assumption.
DIR. Drummer talked freely on the subject
of future operations of the marine hos
pital service on the islands, and his talk
TO the Board of Trade this morning will
certainly be fraught with rich suggestions
which will be the more valuable on account
of their reliableness.