Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1898-06-11

it is apt to produce diarrhea. The
green fruit contains large percentage
of tannic acid, and l have seen it eaten
by the natives to correct this very con-
dition.
"There are very few streams in that
part of the island, and most of the water
is obtained from wells, and as limestone
Is the principal formation the well wa
ters are heavily charged with lime salts.
AS there must be thousands of unused
wells since the devastation of the coun-
try and as l am informed that many of
them have been used by the Spaniards
to buy their dead, | should consider wa
ter from all such sources exceedingly
dangerous to the troops operating in the
country Pocket filters | have always
considered as of little value. Boiled wa
Ter is the only sensible precaution one
can take against polluted water.
"What | have already said about yell
low fever | repeat here 1t does not exist
in the country and only in very few
Of the interior cities, but it is endemic
N Matanzas, Sagua, Havana, Cardenas
and Santiago. Malaria does exist
throughout the lowlands of Cuba, but
one rarely finds the severer forms, such
as the chagres fevers of Panama Around
the swamps Of Zapata (the southern
part) possibly such forms might be met
with, but not along the northern coasts
or among the hills Sporadic forms of
dysentery exist throughout the island,
but more especially in the citi>s and
villages. Lavage of the lower bowels
with solutions Of tannic or nitrate of
silver and large doses of ipecac seem to
have been the most efficacious remedies
used by the Cuban physicians. Sun
stroke i'll Cuba is very rare, but l have
no doubt it would not be uncommon
among recently arrived troops unless
properly clothed and if the men We're
too much exposed to the tropical sun
without the opportunities for frequent
bathing. This consider very important
From personal experience in Cuba l
found it necessary to bathe after pro-
longed exposure to the sun.
"Now as to food The native popula-
ton live principally on animal Sod and
consume large quantities of fas Plan
tains, bananas, sweet potatoes, corn,
beans and rice form the principal arti-
cles of vegetable diet. There i' little
beef used by the people of the country,
but large quantities of pork are con-
sumed; but the pork in Cuba (if there
be any left) is quite different from that
obtained in the United Statss, and l
consider it decidedly more wholesome
and palatable. l should unhesitatingly
recommend that mixed diet, with an
excess Of nitrOgenous food, be used by re-
Gently arrived troops on the island rath-
er than an excess of vegetables. Plenty
of meat, few vegetables and generous
quantity of coffee and no alcohol for a
few weeks at least is the most sensible
plan to be followed in regard to the
feeding of recently arrived northern
troops in Cuba during the summer
months.
"a few words as to clothing. Cloth
of any kind or description is not to be
thought of in the island of Cuba Light
linen or cotton, both in color and weight,
is the proper clothing to be worn; thin
undershirts and drawers, and every
man should have at least one extra
change of underwear, stockings and
shoes. The fall of dew and the damp
ness are so great that the men will be
wet below the knees daily until or 9
O'Clock i'll the morning if marching any
distance during the early morning
hours, the most seasonable time at
which to work them. Wool, although
na,,1al NV thn F,n1i 81, a,,thpri
ties as the proper clothing in the trop-
les, is certainly not so desirable in Gu
ba from the fact that it retains the
dampncss much longer than either cot
ton OF linen.
Gas to hats, l should certainly pre-
fer to use a straw or linen one to any
felt, no matter how light, but the Span
ish rural guards all wear (or used toy
light felt hat, the soldiers straw or what
are called panamas, with broad brims,
white, and of very light weight. The
Cuban insurgents and in fact the people
who live i'll the country wear over their
undershirts a shirt with pockets called
chamarreta, dispensing thereby with
coats and vests. 1t is decidedly the most
comfortable dress for Cuba. Every SOL
dier should be provided, of course, as /
believe he is, with waterproof coat.
A hammock is also necessary 1t is as
rule, too damp to sleep on the ground,
and it would be decidedly safer to sleep
i'll one than even on a rubber blanket.
"There is no yellow fever i'll the coun-
try districts of Cuba, and the forms of
malaria are of a mild type, except along
the southern borders in the swamps of
Zapata Rain and dampness are the
great obstacles to a summer campaign
i'll Cuba, and not yellow fever, as Amer
leans have been led to believe. The
Spanish soldiers have died in Cuba more
from bad treatment and insufficient food
and clothing than from the effects of
climate and disease. New York Sun.