The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-30

vIded for the very visitation now occur
ring IN The city
shortly after the hospital was in readi-
ness SO many cases were sent there that
attention was attracted % it, one Ameri-
can connected with the postofice went TO
the palace in alarm one day. Gen Wood
smiled grimy when the man stated MS
errand.
yellow fever" he exclaimed Non
sense, The reports say pernicious ma
laria. and / guess the doctor knows what
he is talking about"
But" he added gravely, you must re-
member that peruiciOus malaria is not TO
he fooled with. 1t has been known TO re
suit fatally Better keep yourself in good
condition. leave rum alone and stay m
doors at night"
Each day the one paper then being pub
lished in Santiago recorded the death Of
from TWO 70 ten citizens or soldiers from
pornicious malaria. These reports excited
little or no comment. There was a IA
mihar ring TO the word malaria" at least
10 the Americans. and if they wondered at
all fl was that "chills and fever could
carry off so many.
one day the man In charge of the Mer-
ritz and Chapman wrecking operations on
the Spanish warships strolled into the
Office of the companys agent, Julian Cen
doya.
II am not feeling very well,' he said
duly. Il guess Il must be the heat
Before Cendoya could reply his visitor
lurched heavily against desk. The next
moment he was prone on the floor The
agent knew from certain symptoms just
what was the matter, and he hastily sum
moned a native doctor living in the neigh
borhood. An hour later the stricken man
was resting in a boarding house back of
the cathedral. Then the doctor, according
10 the rules, made his report at the palace.
1T is peTnicious malaria, senior he
said TO Gen. Wood. The patient has all
the early symptoms of a severe case.
There is intense pain in the back and
shoulders, a temperature of lO5, structure
in the throat and black vomn-"
Have that man removed to the island
within an hour or l win put you in the
Cabi1do," interrupted Gen Wood. "And
remember-it is malaria, do you under
stand2"
When the man left the hospital con
valescent several weeks later he carried
a certificate wrung from the surgeon bear
ing the significant words, discharged
cured of yellow fever"
Anticipated the Epidemic.
In October Gen. Wood drew up an elabo-
rate plan to be followed when the antici-
pated return of the fever in epidemic form
occurred. Ii was now that his training as
a physician proved invaluable.
He understood the disease in all its
phases, and he knew just what precautions
were rational and efficient. There were
three principal points as outlined. These
were, first, the immediate breaking up OF
th. various regiments into small squads
and their being kept constantly 90 the
move from camp to camp outside of the
citv. second, the absolute maintenance OF
sobrietv among all Americans; third, the
establishment of a rigid quarantine.
4 look upon rum or any alcoholic bever
age as the greatest factor in the contrac
zion of yellow fever" he said in explain
ing his plan. Heating the blood wit.
bad whisky is simply creating a hot be,
for the propagation of the germs. A mar
cannot drink and face the fever I'M
scathed"
Ii is this rule that Cen Wood IS nov
enforcing so strictly in Santiago. His &C
| ton in closing the saloons and summary
| arresting any American found under th'
/ influence of liquor is simply part of hi
/ carefully arranged plan of campaign
4 against Yellow Jack
The idea of dividing the various regi
ments on duty In and about the city int
/ small bodies of from one TO three com
/ panies each, and keeping them movin'
/
| " necessary from a sanitary point of view
/ 1t also affords occupation and diversion
! 90 the men, which is extremely essentia
| to their well being under such circum
stances.
The maintenance OF a rigid quarantin
| I'm the city, the third item in Gen. Wood
plan. is, of course. followed wherever con
tagious diseases are TO be combatted. Il
| Santiago the task is comparatively sim
Pile There are only two railways, tha
running to San Luis, twenty miles inland
and the ore railway owned by an Ameri
can mining company Both are easil
controlled, and it is within Gen. Wood
power TO seize them If necessary.
The arrival and departure of vessel
from the port, of course rests entirel
with MORO castle at the entrance. If on
hostile fleet could not enter without per
mission, certainly no fever ship could.
OF wagon roads. and paths there are no
a bakers dozen, and these approache
could easily be guarded by one compan
of soldiers. 1t will be seen from the fore
going that Gen. Wood found no trouble i
completely stopping all travel within
few hours after his recent return TO San
tiago from the United States.
The peculiar condition of affairs, In fac
in Santiago, would make it possible (
control even interminal travel. There ar
no street railways, only a score or so c
public carriages. and the construction {
the city is such that few well-place
troops could confine the inhabitants 1
their houses.
Method of Treatment.
It has been remarked that the percer
tage of casualties in the medical depart
ment in Santiago has so far been excessive
This can be only explained by the faC
that all the victims had been exposed &c
some time to the enervating tropical cl
mate. thus rendering them more suscep,
, Bile to the disease.
The question of adequate medical attend
ance in case of an epidemic visiting Sar
uago was early considered by Gen. Woo,
Ii is his intention, if necessary, 10 call III
, on the native doctors. There are numbC
in the province who have had practical an
extended experience in the treatment {
yellow fever. and their services can be g,
cured without trouble.
The course of treatment followed 3
them Is on the general lines adopted in a
tropical countries. The patient is imm
e.