The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-09-01
THE FEVER IN CUBA.
ROW AMERICANS WILL ROOT OUT
THE DISEASE.

nsa weyler's Calculation That the
ssTsllow Jack" Would Fight Wholly on
she Side OF Spain is Not Without Points
sf interest.
When the Spanish butcher, General
Weyier heard that the United States
were concentrating troops for the in
vasion of Cuba, he cody remarked
The yellow fever will kill half Of
than and we shall dispose Of the other
half" Weyler in threatening our
armies with this scourge seems to for
get that he really furnishes this gov
exnment with an excellent and most
eagsnt reason for Kidding ourselves
once for all Of the proximity of a pest
house on our borders, and the beinging
Of Cuba under the same sanitary con-
ditions that have practically extirpated
the yellow fever from the Southern
ports. Had the United States no high
er grounds for interference in the af-
fairs Of an adjacent island, the filthy
and unhealthy conditions under which
the Weylers have perpetuated them
selves in Cuba would have been alone
amply sufficient For until the Span
lard is driven out the yellow fever will
remain to be a menace to the health
and happiness Of the people Of this ma
ton despite every effort Of Congress
10 bar 1t out.
The United States will not neglect
cleanliness, vaccination, and the pro-
curing Of wholesome drinking water
for the Cubans, and least of all need
there be any apprehensions that our
people will encourage the Spanish idea,
that epidemics are specially sent by
God. and that only in his own good
time will they disappear. The benev-
olent butcher-general need not rely
too much either on the decimation of
our troops by yellow fever which will
eventually be driven out with the pious
despotism Of Spain at the point of the
lancet. For meantime we shall burn
enough Of sulphur to not only kill all
those murderous microbes through
which Weyler with characteristic cow
ardice hopes to overcome the valor of
our army, but to keep the name and
2rowess Of the great republic ringing
around the ears of the dying dynasty
Of Spain for the balance of Mr.. Wey-
tsr's natural life.
Don Weyler's calculation was that
the yellow Jack" would fight wholly
on the side of Spain. This is not with
out interest. Upon what is this hope
based? Is 1t upon the belief that the
microbes love the spaniards and hate
the Yankees? It Is difficult to see how
Americans would be more amenable I'd
the disease than have been these SOL
dfers which Spain has already sent to
Cuba That the Spanish, however.
rely as much on yellow fever as upon
the boasted tenacity Of their aims to
play havoc with the troops of the
United States seems plain enough.
and the dread Of the epidemic NAV
have some influence in causing the
country to give such attention to vel
low fever as 1t never previously con-
sfdered necessary.
About ten years ago movement was
before Congress to establish commits
sion to check the ravages of yellow
fever by incubation. The proposed
bill which was backed by the Louisi-
ana State Board of Health was report
ed favorably to the Senate but no
proper action was taken on the SUBJ
iect then. though the Investigations
had the effect Of increasing informa-
ton on the nature of this disease that
is far ahead Of any in the possession
Of Spanish doctors.
Yellow fever is a heritage of the era
Of slavery. Had we never imported
Africans We might never have known
what yellow fever was. The virus Of
yellow fever comes originally in the
last resort from the discharge of the
sick negro and from the scourings of
slave ships that had been thrown out
at the ports of debarkation and which
carried back and forward with the flow
and ebb of the tide fermented under
the heat of tropical sun and so taint-
ed the shores of the surrounding at
mosphere.
The poison first generated in quar-
ters where the negro lived from
which it spread along the shores
OF the Gulf of Mexico and fructified
particularly in the mangrove swamps
Of Cuba and the West Indies. For
twenty years after the termination of
the Civil War-slavery being continued
in Cuba-it ragged in Memphis, Mobile
and other Southern cities. With us.
however. it has long since yielded to
scieace and sanitation though occa-
sionally the taint has periodically
reached us from Havana,-where the
virus has fermented and multiplied:
being carried into harbors in trading
ships through various varors on in
fected crews. When extirpated from
Havana it will be finally eradicated
from its favorite habitat In the breed
ing nest provided for it by Spain and
from which repeated quarantines, fum-
igations and distinctions have been
powerless to abate its virulence, prin-
cipally on account OF the difficulty of
divOrntpO fba