Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-07-23
WITHOUT WARNING
was Yellow Jacks Attack
on Santiago.
The Outbreak of The Dreaded Dis.
ease Among the Troops was
More Than Was at First SUD.
posed by fine war Department.

Wash ;ngtcn, July 22.-The yellow
fever outbreak among the troons OF
the Fifth infantry a; Santiago ap-
pears to have been more serious than
was at first supposed by war depart
ment officials
There has been much comment
among officers of the army on The
fact that the disease was allowed to
spread as rapidly as it did. out not
un-fl today has there been any expla-
nation Of the failure of The medical
department to meet the emergency.
Surgeon General Sternberg today
received a letter from Major Har-
ward. chief surgeon at Santiago, who
makes an interesting repona on the
yellow fever situation. Part of this
letter was given out for publication.
but certain passages were omitted 1t
of iihe communication give the much
is learned that the eXpurgated parts
Iooked-for explanation of the spread
of The yellow fever
Major Harvard explains that Ow-
ing to the large area covered by the
general hospital, it was thought that
the first cases might be treated in one
section of it. He says THAT the COM
mand in which the fever broke out had
no hospital-of its own, the sick being
sent directly to the general hospital.
This condition prevailed when the
yellow fever made its appearance. and
instead of sending the yellow fever
patients to a separate camp ;dley Were
placed merely in isolated wards of the
general hospital.
Major Havard does not say that
this caused the infection of the pa
tieEts in the hospital or the surgeons
on duty there, but merely states that
it was thought thab arrangements
would prove satisfactory He does.
however, criticize General COmba,
whom he says was reluctant in the
absence of General Wood to adopt
radical measures to stamp out the dis
ease. He mentions specifically than
he recommended the removal of all
troops from the barracks, but General
Comba authorized the removal of but
two companies, leaving the other two
in the infected barracks.
In another part of the report Major
Havard refers no the excellent assist
ance rendered by the marine hospital
authorities at Santiago, but this does
net appear in the statement given out
by General Sternberg.
Major Havard's letter is dated July
., and Says:
Fever broks upon us suddenly, al
most wf5hout warning, the first case
in dirty lodging house in town, but
the second and third cases almost 81,
multaneously in the barracks.
I'VE have no doubt that the city is
infected in various places, but special
ly in the barracks lately occupied by
four companies and band ofthe Fifth
infantry, from which have come the
great majority of our cases. The bar
racks and hospitals have been evacu.
ated. as we'll as all other public build,
ings, and all our troops are in camps.
The first two companies are now free
from yellow fever, but The last two
have continued to furnish many cases.
On the second and third ahese infected
companies We're disinfected and sent
into the foot hills five miles away,
where we expect good results.
Up to this evening We have about
104 cases, including 10 civilians with |
total deaths of %.
Our general hospital is now under /
canvas, but 1 hope to be able to have
4 frame structure put up. Al our
cases with the exception of a Cuban
md Spaniard, are Americans. and as /
Ill our troops are out of the city, we
necessarily expect a prompt decrease
IF the epidemic for want of material
% feed upon 1 have but high praises
tor all the emdical officers on duty
lere IN this city