New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-07
TROOPS RETURNING HOME.
RIGID PRECAUTIONS TAKEN AGAINST THE
INTRODUCTION or 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 l. About thirteen
thousand returned in March, and 1t Is thought that
twenty-five thousand more will arrive this MONTH
Every precauton Is being taken by the War De-
partment and the Marine Hospital Service to pre-
vent the Introduction OF Infection from these troops
Up to April the regulations Of the Treasury De-
partment required the disnfection OF the baggage
OF the troops, and over one thousand tons OF
baggage were dIsnfected In March. Since April
J. In addition to the disinfecton of baggage. the
detention OF all troops for examination has been
demanded by the Marine Hospital service the
period of detention H from three to SIX days 10
provide for the camping OF the troops In the period
Of detention the cooperation OF the Quartermaster
General. the Surgeon General and the Marine HOS
pital Service and General Brooke In Havana was
necessary and n thorough understanding has been
reached BY these officers TO the course 10 DC
pursued. Not every quarantine station has facili-
ties for accommodating n regiment or more OF
troops. Those that have been and are now being
actually used for this purpose are the uni'ed
States stations at Dry Tortugas. Black Beard Sta
ton off the coast OF Georgia. and Egmont Key
Station near the Florida State quarantine station
at Mullet Key The troops when dlsembarked are
required to pitch their tents. This summing ana
airing OF the tents Is considered sufficient, but II
the tents not pitched they are disinfected
Orders have been issued to General Brooke not
the troops The baggage of men and officers Is
dislnfected under the direct supervision OF the
Marine Hospital officers at each port
As a further of cooperation General
Brooke IL required to inform the War Department
in advance of the proposed sailing OF each snip,
and it's destination IS determined here after con-
to which quarantine station 1t shall go. This VIII
effectually prevent confusion and overcrowdng.
Most Of tho troops thus far have been landed AT
Savannah. where the joint work of dsinfectng
and managing the troops is performed by the
Marine Hospital surgeons and Colonel Banger.
of the Quartermaster's Department. The latter
has done especially efficient work. To-day he re-
ported that Daufuski Island, six miles from Sa-
vannah. afforded exceptional advantages FOR de-
tention camps 1t is capable of accommodate ting SIX
regiments Mt time. The Surgeon General mas
approved the recommendation for the of this
the troops will land there. Some Of the troops,
especially those from Santiago and the south SIDE
Of Cuba generally, will go probably direct to North
ports.
Several efforts have been made to evade the rig
quarantine regulation by officers and others,
but invariably without success. In one case a
colonel forcbly took his baggage from the snip
and sailed for Tampa The facts were communi-
Gated To the authorities here Immediately, and on
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 mustering-out OF the troops VIII in many
cases take place In the detention camps In order
10 prevent delay. The yellow fever situation IN
Cuba Is said to be much better than II usually Is
at this time Of the year. There are few cases at
various points which Is to be expected as Cuba is
never entirely free from sporadic cases but at no
point il there as yet anything approaching an