The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-04
Some Practical Suggestions About
Tropical Fevers.
from the New York Sun.


In the coming military operations in
Cuba the enemy that our troops fear most
is the yellow fever The full-blooded
northern constitution is particularly open
to it's attacks, and, as rule, succumbs to
them more readily than one seasoned to
the conditions of a tropical climate.
Yet there are certain simple precautions
that may be said to insure immunity from
this dreadful disease. The first is to
choose, in the case of troops, locality
for encampment above the fever level
This as rule is about 800 feet above
the surrounding country, If marshy or
covered with jungle, or if close TO the
coast about the same height above the
sea level. But hundred feet or so higher
is still better There is, however, good
natural indication of the fever limit that
may be studied with advantage, which
is the height in any given locality to
which the night mists rise above the
country level. Those spots that remain
uncovered can be assumed TO be safe
camping grounds.
Where possible troops should not be. ex-
posed to tropical night air; for, though
there may be no yellow fever about, there
is always more or less danger in the germs
Of malarial fever that find congenial con-
uiblOflS IN IODuSI nOFtNNTn CONSTITUTIONS.
The hours between the dissipation of the
night mists in he morning and sunset are
without danger even in ordinary bad fever
localities.
Then there are personal precautions that.
should not be neglected. The principal pre-
cautions look 10 the avoidance Of chills,
generally the most fertile cause of tropi-
cal fevers. Damp or wet underclothing
should be changed as soon as practicable
nj c1o In, DIV
stances. Cotton and wooden clothing next
to the skin are the safest particularly tho
wooden; linen should be especially avoid
ed
In the matter of food, heating and slim
uiatng articles Of diet and drink should
be partaken of only at the evening meal
and then only moderately; never in the
daytime. When night work has to be
done, such as sentinel or patrol duty, the
men going out or coming in should receive
a small quantity of tolerably strong black
coffee without sugar or with very little Of
Il, and always without milk, which in
tropical climates is apt to produce digest
i've dsarrangement. A dash of good rum
or other pure spirit in the coffee will do
no harm, andsa soldier should always be
provided with some hard biscuits in his
haversack TO MUNICH whenever SO in
clned
Where troops are cncamped on rivers or
creeks, the drinking and cooking water
should be taken invariably from up stream
and never below or in the immediate vicin-
ity OF the camp. The quality OF the water
for drinking purposes can always be de-
termined by the medical officers, and there
Is nothing related 10 the hygiene Of an
army that requires more careful attention.
Weak cold tea, with squeeze of lemon or
lime juice in it and not overs weetened, Is
an excellent and most refreshing drink on
the march. and should be carried, when
ever practicable in The soldiers water
bottles The great thing is to see that. the
materials composing The food and drink
Of the soldier while engaged in operations
in such O climate as that Of Cuba during
the rainy season are of the best quality
and properly prepared
AS the efficiency Of an army, large or