The evening times., 1899-07-05

clasped in each others arms with a move
ment suggestive of Oehee-coochee" and
other Oriental dances Meanwhile the
music fairly tingles in ones ems. II is
an irregular. barbaric medley-the throb-
bing of deep-toned guitars, the rasping of
scratch gourds. and the sharp staccato click
of gourd-rattles, mingled with the inter-
mittent. mufied thunder of drums-all
wild and passionate, in harmony with the
ardent nature of the half-Spanish, half
negro population.
From grave 10 gay from lively TO Sc
we're" is a short transition often met in
Spanish America. The hospitals and asy-
lums have the mo admittance" sign out
on Sundays-probably because all con-
cerned prefer the bullfght, or some other
recreation, to entertaining strangers; and
so we were compelled to defer our tour in
inspection until Monday. First to the
great Hospital de Carload. well out of the
city in high and airy location. We found
in its Office group Of American army Off
GERS paying off the employers for wages
earned during the past two months, and
learned that Major Hisel. the United
States army surgeon in charge of
the Province of Santa Clara, has been
providing liberal rations, including eighty
pounds of fresh meat every day. The in
stitution is a city property. in normal
times entirely supported by the municipal
ity, and receives not only the sick of Cien-
fuegos, but those from other towns in the
province. For these a charge is made
against the towns in which the patients
belong, but now a-days the outside towns
cannot pay their bills and Cienfuegos has
no municipal revenues available for the
purpose. The hospital building proper
though very large one, has not sufficient
capacity, as an adjoining building, which
had been occupied by the Spanish cavalry,
was taken for the sick. and now. all to-
gether, there are about 400 patients The
old cavalry barracks, used for men only
! has no floor, and is in a dirty and wretched
condition, most of the patients in ham
mocks for want of cots. Most conspicu-
Gus in the main building is the operating
room, equipped in better days with a fine
cabinet of surgical instruments. adjustable
glass table, and sterilized apparatus, all OF
the best quality. Now an outfit of disin-
fecting appliances is badly needed, but
there is no money to buy il.
The medical and surgical staff are doing
wonderfully well with what they have, ac-
cording 10 their lights. Diseased clothing
| is roasted in a tin box, placed in the oven
| OF the kitchen rangNoften with the din
| ner cooking above il, The first six wards
! visited had each twelve iron beds. supplied
| with fairly-clean sheets and pillow cases
| thanks 10 Red Cross auxiliary No. 2. which
| supplied them. together With a quantity Of
| paiamas, at the earnest solicitation of
! Major HiSel. But the stock is entirely in
! adequate for so large number of patients,
and would net change one-quarter of the
! cots in constant use. There are no regular
! laundry appliances in any Cuban hospital,
| the work being always given OUT or done
| by employees and convalescents in common
wooden tubs in the patio. The supply OF
! city water is very short indeed, and not
! available at the hospital except at certain
! hours of the day, and then in limited guam
! titles. The Cuban doctors accounted for
the filthy condition Of the patients, soiled
bed clothing. dirty floors. etc. by the state
ment that they could not possibly get va
ter enough to wash them. Our American
| docter said, with a few adjectives which |
will not repeat. that he believed it was a
lie, because the baths, post-mortem rooms,
etc, are abundantly supplied with water
under strong pressure-surely enough 70
keep the sick people decently clean All
these native medicos agree with US in the
opinion that cleanliness of the patients
person is essential to successful treatment
but none of them explain why in all Cuban
hospitals the sick are allowed TO come in
reeking with flth-are put to bed Tn
washed, and go out (if they live to go)
with the original dirt upon them augment
ed by that gathered during their stay.
This hospital has good baths, even in
| the nurses wards, but there is no evidence
| that the patients ever use them One
feature of this model hospital. not found
elsewhere in Cuba, is room for embalm-
ing. with the necessary appliances. All
American soldiers who have died in this
vicinity have been embalmed here for re-
moyal to the United States. except in one
case where the body had been two many
days in transit and the tissues were de-
composed. Just before we left the Ameri-
can army wagons came up and delivered
the days rations. roast beef, timed toma-
toes, half barrel of Irish potatoes, several
boxes of hard tack. and twenty pounds oi
| jerked meat One tremhles TO think wha
| would become of these hundreds OF help
less creatures and the many thousands in
other hospitals OF the impoverished island
| without the bounty of Uncle Sam Ever
now a great deal is left to be desired. The
big storeroom was bare of fresh vegetables
cereals, or any sort of delicacy, so badly
, needed by conyalescents: and as for soap
/ am told that none is ever provided. VIII
, the beautiful consistency for which these
, people are noted, the kitchen is there pride
and JOY with its expensive range. hot
, water boilers. ETC.. brought from France
in prosperous days. at a cost of $4,000
, Floors and wainscoating are of Dutch tile:
and could easily be kept clean with tn;
force of servants employed; but the leas
said on that subject the better for one!
, future appetite. Dinner was being pre-
, pared for $50 people-soup of jerked meat
, stew of fresh meat, potatoes and onions
canned roast beef bread and coffee; goo'
enough for doctors and employees, bu
, rather a heavy diet for sick people ant
, convalescents.
FANNIE BRIGHAM WARD.