The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-29
RAINY SEASON IN CUBA.
Situation on the Island Discussed by
an Old Resident of Hayann


KEY WEST, Fla, May 2S-The rainy
season in Cuba began more than a week
ago and it is not unlikely that Havana is a
perfect pesthole, but Admiral SIMPSONS
quarantine is effective that not single
disease germ can live. An old resident of
Havana said to the Associated Press rep
resentative to-day: Havana has malarial
fever and smallpox the year round, but
they are not epidemic except in the rainy
season. Within a week after the rains be-
gin the death rate shows a large increase
and the situation grows worse as the season
advances, but few days are enough to
scatter disease. 1t is no wonder the people
believe the rain itself contains deadly
poison. For several months the weather has
been unusually dry and following precedent
the rains should be heavier than is custo-
mary. When the war broke out there were
10000 persons in Havana who had not suf-
ficient means of support for one week.
What must be their condition now, after
five weeks of the blockade? AS a rule Gu
bans are not provident, while Spaniards are
not open handed Hence the Spaniards had
something when the war began, the Cubans
nothing. Weeks before the blockade was es-
tablished a large cigar firm commenced to
feed its workmen in an immense kitchen.
The tobacco supply had run out, the fac
tories were closed and the workmen were
soon almost starved. 1 do believe the Span
iards refused to sell food to the Cubans
with the idea of starving them. In time
like this the instinct of representation
predOminateS.
"The man who has money will live longer
than the man who has none. The latter
will starve to death unless disease hastens
the end. Hunger soon puts person into
condition in which, pestilence can readily
seize him Among the reconcentradoS small
poX has killed more than any other disease.
The people were unable to keep clean, I'M
able to be vaccinated, even If willing and
they died by tens of thousands. In their
debilitated condition disease operated rap
idly. Smallpox ought now to be dangerous
in Cuba One large manufacturer induced
his 5000 employees to be vaccinated and
only one-half died from smallpox. Malarial
fever is now. feared by the Cubans more
than yellow fever is Yellow fever attacks
a person only once and the Cubans generally
have the disease in mild form during
childhood and are thenceforth immune, but
malaral fever has no antitoxine and is very
contagious. The Cuban insurgents camping
in swampS suffer severely from malarial
fever. 1t is estimated that So per cent. of
the Spanish troops have had yellow fever
and are immune as are all the volunteers.
Smallpox can be excluded from the armies
by vaccination, but malarial fever will kill
or incapacitate many thousands or General
Blanco'S men.
when a death from yellow fever occurs
in Havana the victim is buried with the
usual public funeral exercises, and the house
in which he died is occupied as before with
out disinfection. Smallpox victims, however,
are hurried away to the graveyard and bur-
led as soon as possible. During certain rainy
seasons / have known hundreds of deaths
per day to occur from contagious diseases,
and with the present conditions the daily
death list may run into the thousands be-
fore the middle of the summer. In Havana
province there are numerous bands OF from
twenty to fifty insurgents each. They are
no longer able to raid the suburbs be-
FORE the defenses having been strength
ened, but they do hang about to cut off
stragglers. a small body of Spanish sol
diers who would wander away from the
town would be pretty sure to be chopped
to pieces by Cuban machetes. With the
fleet in front and the Cuban guerrillas be-
hind, Havana is practically besieged, and
the same may be said of the other towns"