The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-06
EVERY PROBATION
Possible Is Being Taken to Keep Out
Yellow Fever

Washington. April 6.-All the troops
which are to return to the United
States for muster out, are expected to
return before May 1. About $4,000 re-
turned in March and it is expected that
$4,000 more will arrive during the pres
ent month. Every precaution is being
taken by the war department and the
marine hospital service to prevent the
introduction OF infection from these
troops.
Up to April 1, the regulations of the
treasury department required the dis
infection of the baggage of the troops
and over 1000 tons of baggage were dis
infected during March. Since April 1,
in addition to the disinfection of bag
gage, the detention of all troops for ex-
animation has been demanded by the
marine hospital The period of deten-
ton is from three to six days. To pro-
vide for the camping of the troops dur
ing the period of detention the cooper
alton of the quartermaster general, the
surgeon general and the marine hoSpi-
tai service and Gen. Brooke in Havana
was necessary and a thorough under
standing has been reached by these Of
ficerS as the course to be pursued.
Not every quarantine station has IA
cilities for accommodating a regiment or
more of troops. Those that have been,
or are now being actually used for this
purpose are the United States stations
at Dry Tortugas, Blackboard station,
off the coast of Georgia and Egmont
Key station, near the Florida state quar-
antine station at Mullet Key. The
troops when disembarked are required
to pitch their tents.
This summing and airing of the tents
is considered sufficient but if the tents
are not pitched, they are disinfected.
Orders have been issued to Gen. Brooke
not to permit any bedding or mattresses
to come with the troops The baggage
of men and officers is disinfected under
the direct supervision of the marine
h oil nff Of =, CO.
Their measure of cooperation General
Brooke is required to notify the war de-
partment in advance of the proposed
sailing of each ship and it's destination
is determined here after consultation
with the surgeon general who decides
to which quarantine station it shall go.
This will effectually prevent confusion
and OVercrowding.
Most of the troops thus far have been
landed at Savannah, where the joint
work of disinfecting and managing the
troops is performed by the marine hos
pita1 surgeons and Col. Ballinger of the
QuartermaSter'S department. The lat
ter has done especially efficient work.
Today he reported that DafuaSki island,
six miles from Savannah afforded ex-
ceptiOnal advantages for detention
camps. 1t is capable of accommodating
six regiments at a time. The surgeon
general has recommended the use of
this island and it is likely that a large
proportion of the troops will land there.
Some of the troops, especially those from
Santiago and south side generally will
go probably direct to northern ports.
Several efforts have been made to evade
the vigorous quarantine regulations by
officers and others, but invariably with
out success. In one case a colonel forci-
bly, took his baggage from the ship and
sailed for Tampa. The facts were COM
municated to the authorities here i'm
mediately and upon the officers arrival
at Tampa, he was met with orders from
the war department to return with his
baggage to the quarantine station and
remain there until discharged by the
quarantine authorities.
The mastering out troops will in many
cases take place in the detention camps,
in order to prevent delay. The yellow
fever situation in Cuba is said to be
very much better than it usually Is at
this time of the year. There are a few
cases at various points, which is to be
expected, as Cuba is never entirely free
from sporadic cases, but at no point is
there as yet anything approaching an
endemic