The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-04-28
THE CUBAN CLIMATE.
AMERICAN SOLDIERS HAVE NOTHING
TO DREAD FROM IT.

Withstand 1t - spain's Troops succumb
Because OF Lack OF Proper Food aud
Clothing-How TO Check Yellow Fever.
American soldiers need not fear Gu
ba's climate. even at its worst, which is
during the rainy season, now near at
hand. This government could land
troops on the island at this date and
keep them there all summer. Spain
could not prevent its men from dying
in droves Their experiences on the is
land on several occasions have proved
this. This is because disease takes them
easily. condition due to lack of food
and clothing. Our soldiers are in excel
lent physical condition because they are
fed and clothed properly.
Cuba's rainy season begins about May
/, but usually only light showers are
experienced until after the beginning
of June. Then the rain comes down in
torrents, continuing in the eastern end
of the island for week at time. At
the less mountainous western end the
rain comes every afternoon and falls
heavily for an hour or two. Then the
sun comes out and evaporation and veg
etable fermentation begin. 1t is this
that loads the air along the coast with
disease breeding germs.
The season lasts through August.
During its stay the Spaniards remain in
barracks in the cities and do not at
tempt to do anything. Yellow fever is
unknown in the interior of the island.
1t Is only on the lowland> near which
the ports are that the scourge reigns.
The rainy season does not interfere
with trade, and sailors on merchantmen
do not suffer if they do not go ashore
too much or get drunk too often. Tenn
perance in food and stimulants is essen
tial to combat disease Vegetables rather
than meats should compose the food.
Then, too, to be sure of good health the
pores of the skin must be kept open and
the surface of the body kept at uni
form temperature. Wooden undercloth-
ing should be worn and blankets used
when sleeping.
Another instance of the ability of
Americans to Withstand Cuba s climate
may be taken from the fact that until
the last rebellion started it was the GUS
~
the island every year to look after the
machinery on the sugar plantations.
They never suffered from yellow fever.
They took care of themselves in addi-
tion to having good American constitu-
tions.
OF the 200, 900 soldiers Spain has sent
to Cuba since the outbreak of the rebel
lion 90, 0o0 have been in the hospitals
all the time, about 100, 900 have been
unfit for duty in the field and have been
relegated to garrison duty, and the re-
manning so, 900 have been harassed
from one end of the island to the other,
half starved, half clothed and footsore.
Many of them have been killed, wound.
ed or taken prisoners.
Spanish officials must have their
commission" and the commissary de-
partment is mine of wealth for all
connected with it. The soldier is allow
ed 30 cents a day for food-that is, 80
cents charged up against the govern
ment for his keep-but he does not re-
ceive one. third the amount. The rest
goes to the officials.
The Spanish soldiers principal food
is rancho, a pork stew, with little
beef and chickapea added, and bread
called "pan de muncion"- bullet
bread" it is so solid. The bread is in
digestible and pork in tropical climates
produces skin diseases and even leprosy.
The beef is tainted. AS to the sort of
pork the men receive one may guess on
learning that ordinary pork i'm the mar
ket is SIS barrel, while pork for the
soldiers is SO. 90.
American engineers who have gone
over Havana harbor carefully say that
If it were cleaned out at q cost Of 3d.
600, 600 to $4,000, 900, there would be
no yellow fever there. For hundreds Of
years it has received all tho sewage and
garbage of the city, and is is coated
with deep layer of slime. Santiago,
Matanzas and other ports are the same.
The government has q sanitary bureau,
but as in other bureaus the officials
pocket all they can lay hands on and do
no work. Take the photographic bu-
reau in Madrid, for instance. with its
hundreds Of employees. II supplies it's
merchantmen and its navy from charts
made by United States surveyors Spain
doesn't know Cuba. 1t does not under
stand the temper Of the men who now
are fighting for independence. Cuba is
naturally healthful island, as Is shown
by the statistics of old age. There are
many centenarians there, and hundreds
Of able men and women all the way
from 80 to 100 years old. Only SPANS
lack of control has made Havana nur.
sery of yellow fever germs. A man like
General Butler could clean her effective
ly and protect not only the island, but
the United States. from contagion by
repeating Buffers work at New Or
leans. New York Press.
L Trilauia IN