The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-08-23
THE YELLOW FEVER scoURGE.
Colonel Semi OF Operating stan. Gives
a Graphic Account Of the Campaign.

II
a Graphic Aecoun, OF the Campaign.
NEW YORK. August ss-i.ieutenant-
Colonel Nicholas Sem, who went to CUBA
as chief OF the operating stan OF the
army. has just returned from Porto Rico
and Is In the city Speaking VI his ex-
pericncc. he said:
In Cuba our army met as its most
formidable enemy. one OF the most dred-
ed NJ all acute infectious discases-yellow
fever, The cuban Invasion was charac-
tcriEed by hasty action. lack of orsani-
Eauon and inadequate preparation on
the part Of the quarlcrmasIcrs depart
mcnt, Tor which the medical branch OF
the army was In no way responsible. In
less than TWO weeks after our army land
ed In Cuba yellow fever made It's appear
ance,
"ln less than two weeks from thar time
nearly 90 fever cases. most OF them yell
low fcver. impaired the nghting force and
seriously taxed the resources OF the med
ical department ortuna,ely for the
army. the type OF the disease was mild
and the epidemic Is past. II was eN-
tromc!y fortunate that Santiago surrend-
cred "a, the right time, our army would
surely have met the fate OF the Spanish
forces, who lost over 50 per cent OF
their men during the last year from sick
ness.
"In planning the Porto Rican invasion,
General Miles made the proper arrange
monts for preventing a repetition OF this
calamity.
Thus far our troops In Porto Rico
have escaped yellow fever, but soon af-
ter landing fever cases came into different
hospitals at an alarming rate. After
landing at Ponce on August s. / found AZ
least $50 cases OF typhoid fever, In some
OF he cases 1t was difficult and almost
impossible to make a differental diagnosis
between malariA and typhoid fever with
out the aid OF the microscope, u resource
which unfortunately was not al hand
Following the order OF General Greenloaf
as chief surgeon of the army / invest.-
gated for two days all of the fever cases
In the hospital FOR the purpose OF locating
the origin of typhoid fever
"A careful study OF all the cases showed
that W per cent were genuine typhoid
fever cases and that the infection in the
army was brought directly from the
camps occupied in the United States,
am firmly Of the opinion that II the
American army, now in Porto Rico, re-
mains there much longer the loss of life
due to sickness will be rs great as at
Santiago.
"lhe order to General Wilson to take
thA ap.sh v1 4
necessary to evacuate the division hos
pital. All OF the patients We're trans
terred to the Spanish military hospital In
Ponce, which caused the temporary over
crowding. The club houses of the city
and the school for girls, In charge of
Sisters Of Charity, were also offered to
the authorities for hospital use and were
accepted.
~ want To make especial mention of the
valuable services rendered by Miss Chan
dler, of your city, who night and day
with untiring energy, administered to the
sick and wounded soldiers, All of the
officers In the club house became very
much attached to Miss Chandler.
Nostalgia, or homesickness, in a large
measure, has added TO the wretched con-
dition OF the soldiers, not only in Cuba
but In Porto Rico also. 1he postoffice
department has shown serious neglect in
forwarding mail, You give a man a LETT
ter from home and he feels like fighting.
know as an actual fact that more than
zoo letters were sent to me while have
been away from home, but have re-
ceived only two Of them. Newspapers