Evening star., 1898-11-07
YELLOW FEVER IN HAVANA
Increasing Number of Gases Alarms the
American Colony.
Two Clerks in Quartermaster's Office
Down with the Disease
Lack of Attention.

The New York Herald's special correspon-
dent at Havana, Cuba wires, under date
of Sunday: The yellow fever situation here
Is causing great anxiety among the Amer
lean officials. The increasing number of
cases, a majority of which are of a serious
nature, has alarmed the entire American
colony. and the announ cement today Of
two new victims caused the alarm to de-,
velop almost the character of a panic. The
disease is apparently spreading rapidly, and
is not confined to the Vidado district, ,where
Capts. Foraker and Beebe were stricken
Chief Clerk Caldwell of the quartermas-
ter's department, who was taken ill yaster-
day evening, was seen and examined by
DR.. Laine today. The doctor declared his
disease yellow fever. ordering his removal
and isolation in a building near the TrOtcha.
clerk named Stuart of the quar- termas-
ter's department has been i'll since last
Wednesday. His case also diagnosed
as yellow fever and he was removed to the
same place. Two other clerks are slightly
ill this evening, but fever symptoms have
not yet developed.
All the persons named, together with Col.
Williams. were living at the Hotel Pasaje.
Col. Williams condition was unchanged
today. Caldwells attack is a mild one but
Stuarts case is serious. He is not likely
to recover. Many gusts of the hotel are
leaving, believing the house to be infected.
Delays Preparing for Troops.
This serious outbreak in the quartermas-
ter's department has temporarily disorgan-
lied the work of the office. which has
charge of the erection of camps and MAX
ing preparations for the reception of
troops. AS matters now stand it scarcely
seems possible to get them ready by De-
cember 10, the latest approximate date vet
named.
Col. Smith of the commissary department
who arrived yesterday, took charge of the
chief quartermaster office this morning in
place of Col Williams.
The case of Clerk Stuart shows the abso-
luta need that Gen. Sternberg shall i'm
mediately make provision to meet this out
break. Stuart became i'll Wednesday,
private doctor was called in but he had no
attendance save that provided by friends
in the sama office. He has lain until TODAY
without proper attention. when DR.. Brun-
ner, the physician attending him, proposed
q subscription among the Americans to
provide nurse and to obtain necessaries
Before this plan was carried into eF.ct
Clerk Currie of the quartermaster's Office
went out this morning to the Trotcha and
saw Cen Wade. He explained the stua-
tion and asked assistance. Gen. Wade in
structed DR.. Laine to see Stuart and do
everything possible for him.
Office Work Disorganized.
1t is only fair to Col. Williams to say
that ne gave instructions that Stuart
should have everything necessary but his
own and Chief Clerk CaIdwells illness dis
organic the office work. The other clerks
say they did not know how serious was
Stuart's condition and that they did all
for him they could personally do. What in
attention. however, he hes suffered was
due to the lack of proper system to meet
this rapidly spreading outbreak
Immune nurses are especially required as
well as properly equipped isolation hospi-
tai Dr. Laine, whom l saw today regards
the situation as grave. He strongly recon-
mefded the proposal to bring properly
trained immune nurses. The assistance oh
tanned locally is very Inefficient Converse
ton with military officers regarding the
SITUATION shows consensus of opinion
that the outbreak should not delay the ar
rival of troops The local climatic con-
dltlons are as good as they ever will be
until the unsettled weather is past. Their.
mas been no rain since Thursday The out
break is not the commencement of Il new
epidemic, but simply the spread of the
ever-preyalent disease because of more new
material to feed upon. The conditions in
havana. the military officers believe will
be no better in December and January than
they are now.