The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-14

curative agents. / understood that Vi
never used leeehes, although they aHe
very plentiful throughout the islandf.
He claimed to have an infallible cure for
pulmonary tuberculosis. which is very
common here, and he was held in high
esteem by his fellow practitioners on at
count of the many wonderful cures that
he had effected
The natives have a remedy for scorpion
bite which seems to be very etlicaciOus.
These bites cause a sharp, burning pain,
and the part swells and becomes hard
ana white, but cold application OF
crushed garlic relieves the pain almost
instantly and reduces the swelling. The
island abounds in poisonous snakes, which
are a real menace the bites of several
varieties almost always proving, fatal.
The most common symptoms of sna, e.
bite are profound exhaustion fever. and
intermittent pulse, nausea and great ra-
pdity of respiration; the speech Is indis-
thct and the pupils ddated. Snake-blte
Is 50 common in the Philippines that the
American troops. if they come here, ought
to be instructed how TO apply lgatures TO
a bitten limb, and how to treat the vic
tins of the deadly daghong-palay. From
a conSide rable experience in this and sim
liar climates, l am inclined to believe
that our troops will suffer much annoy
ance from sore feet for in the tropics,
especially during the wet season, all
ANNtNAtNA 0iAptS oilliih bdIlys WINE the lS'tN
swell and become very tender. This an
noyance may be obvated TO a great ex-
tent by bathing the feet frequently, twice
day being none 100 often, and those
who take the trouble TO do this win be
amply repaid in comfort.
AS a rule the native women are very
clearly, many of them taking exquisite
care Of their persons The younger ones
are pretty and coquettish, they do MOI
wear corsets, ana in their native cos
tune look very supple, feminine and pic
turesque. There is more than the usual
percentage of ilegitimate children born in
Luzon. one of the principal causes of
this is the Old custom of the prospective
brhesroom's serving for a longer or
shorter period in the household of the
brides parents, somewhat as Jacob served
for Rachel. The priests do what they
can to discourage these Irregularities
but with only moderate success. Getting
married Is rather an expensive luxury
here as the government demands tax
for almost everything, from carrying OH
business to cutting down tree. The
tax on an ordinary carriage amounts to
a sum equal 20 $l2 a year, or 50 for each
wheel, and the hOrse-tax is ST. There Is
regulation requiring forty days forced
labor for the public from each man dur
ing every year; there is also a poll tax,
an income tax, innumeable stamp taxes,
excessive license fees, and extortionate
fines. The income tax Is often collected
from people who have no settled income,
and the system of fines is both arbitrary
and dishonest How this legalized rob
berry is enforced during the present con-
dition of things at Mania / have been
unable TO learn. According to the latest
Information, meat is now between 50 and
50 pound, and the other necessaries of
life are in proportion Business has been
partially resumed in Binondo, on the
other side of Pasig, though ii is evil
dent that a state of panic exists through
out the city, for many of the foreign sub
jects are taking refuge at Cavite.
Judging from the character and DISPOSE
ton Of the natives of Manila, they are
probably spending these exciting times ia
cock fighting and other amusements of a
similar nature. The cock fight is to the
Philippine Islanders all that the horse
race is TO the Americans, and consider
ably more. The owner of a fine game
cock takes a greater pride in 1t than in
wife or family, and if the bird becomes in
or Is badly wounded in a fight he is taken
10 the cock doctor with ali speed. These
functionaries are important personages,
and they have receiving houses where
injured cocks are treated. To stanch the
flow of blood the wounds of the petted
fowls are dressed with a mixture made
frcm tobacco leaves and cocoanut wine
IL is no uncommon sight to see a native
going to church with his faVorite game
cock under his arm and when he reaches
the church ne fastens the bird TO a bam-
boo plug outside, goes in and listens
awhile to the mass, then hurries back 10
his pet. Gaming of all kinds is the favor
lite passion Of these people and Il would
be interesting to know whether the great
national lottery, which exists here the
same as in Cuba, is as well patronized
now as 1t was in times of peace.
In the interior the natives are ruled
principally by the monks, who only
a little less greedy for the church than
the Spanish officials are for themselves
and 1t is generally believed that the isl
anders would be glad 10 be under Ameri-
can rule, though the Spanish priests rep
resent the Americans are heretcs and as
a people practically without religion, who
forbid baptism and the religious solemnl-
cation of marriage.
There is a revolutionary society here
which the Spanish call the Free Ma
sons but whether it has anything 20 do
with real Masonry or not / have been I'M
able to learn. The priests denounce this
society, and it is to be remembered that 1t
was priest who notified the governor Of
the plot among the members of this order
to massacre the Spanish officials and
priests which had been communicated to
him in the confessional by the wife Of Pc
dro ROXaS, one of the supporters of the
revolution. Roxas. who was one of the
wealthiest planters in the islands, vas
eventually shot, after his property had
been confiscated and himself and cousin
arrested. Horrible stories are told about
the treatment by the natives Of Spaniards
who fell into their hands at that time.
Many Of the monks were Slaughtered,
some Of them being dismembered limb
a day while others were burned alive. 1t
is clear that our proposed allies will have
to be very gingerly dealt with for they
proved themselves as cruel as their Spar
ism masters
A physician who has spent many years
in these islands gave me interesting
account Of some Of the superstitions of the
natives They believe in witches and in
evil spirits, and some Of the means taken
to exercise these demons are violent In the
extreme. For example, evil spirits are be-
lieVed to hover about a pregnant woman
waiting TO snatch the soul of the unborn
infant; and when labor commences the Ma
buling- hilot, or midwife is summoned In
haste; for as the midwife Is supposed 10
be deeply learned in ways of dispensing
witches, a doctor seldom assists al the ac-