Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-12
MALADIES FROM SOUTH SEAS
Prominent Omaha Doctors Discuss Diseases
from the Philippines.
HARD TO GET FooTHoLO IN THIS COUNTRY
Bubonic Plague Wight Possibly he
Conveyed from Hong Kong To the
United states by Rats I'm
the Holds OF Vessels.

Since Ine OF u great many ItslllSuN'
from the Philippines the American people
have become interested in the probability
of disease being spread from that source.
and some alarm is felt that the possession
of our new colonies may endanger the health
not only OF our men sent to serve the gov
ernment in the tropical climates, but also
the United States itself. The leading doc
tons Of Omaha have given the subject care
full study and generally express themselves
as satisfied that the precautions taken by
the government will guard against any great
spread of disease.
Dr. William II. Hanchett spoke
very highly of the efficient manner in
which the government had met conditions
and diseases which were entirely new and
unusual to our medical profession, and 1t
was his opinion that when more time had
been given to understand the situation there
would be no reason to fear unusual i'll health.
The hot climates of our new possessions"
said DR.. Hanchett, will necessarily bring
to the consideration of our medical men new
diseases, or at least more virulent forms Of
disease. Typhoid, malarial and yellow fever
are always worse in hot climates, as are
bowel and venereal diseases. l believe that
no fear need be anticipated from the impor-
tation Of disease from these colonies under
a more strict quarantine and scientific re-
search into the nature and virulence Of the
diseases which prevail in those countries.
The proper precautions of sanitation and
diet will reduce disease and sickness to a
minimum. 1t is surprising that more sick
ness and greater fatality have not been in
cident to the rapid mobilization of large
bodies of men to these tropical regions. Un-
were largely responsible for the fevers which
appeared among our soldiers
In the opinion of DR.. Robert Gilmore the
typhoid and dysentery found in the Philip
pines are of a much more severe type than
any we have in this country. There is no
danger to the health of our people in these
new colonies" he said. "The temperature
there is practically the same the year round
and when civilized people get control Of
affairs and accustomed to the climate the
health of the countries ought to be above the
average. No contagious diseases are being
brought over here, and the care taken by
the government officials is sufficient to keep
out any epidemic"
A Strange Disease.
DR.. Frederick Teal, in speaking OF the
danger from new diseases, said: II have
result OF the return of the First Nebraska.
1t is called dhobe Itch l believe that
dhobe is the native term for washwoman,
and the theory is that it is due to parasite
found in the soldiers clothing after return
ing from the home of the native wash
woman. 1t generally starts from chatting
and is characterized by fiery red eruptions
on the skin, which spread all over the body.
1t is not dangerous, but is inconvenient, be-
cause it causes a swelling in the feet and
prevents marching. Over one-half Of the
First Nebraska had this disease in some de-
gree on its return" Dr.. Teal said he con-
sdered our greatest danger was from
diseases in the Hawaiian islands. "A large
proportion of the people over there he
said, "are affected by tuberculosis, and the
Hawaiian race is actually decreasing in
numbers from the ravages Of this disease"
DR.. ]. e. Summers said there were no new
diseases in the new colonies and little dan
ger from such maladies as typhoid fever,
dysentery and smallpox because those suf-
fering from those diseases are detected be-
fore they reach this country, and the trans
port is properly isolated and taken care
of at the port of entry both by the city
health officers and by the government OFF,
cals of the marine hospital service. There
is some real danger" said he, from the
plague, which has broken out in Hong
Kong. This disease is conveyed by rats in
the holds Of vessels and may be unloaded
with the merchandise and in this way start
an epidemic. The spread of venereal dis
eases is an unfortunate feature which at
tends the mobilization of an army in those
because it does not contine itself
to one generation
AS to the plague in Hong Kong DIR. R.
c. Moore thinks that the great distance will
prevent its getting a foothold in this coun-
try. Before the voyage is completed any
disease of that kind is fully developed
said the doctor, "and the vessel is promptly
quarantined by the authorities. The gov
is very careful about the health
of its people, and we have no reason to
believe that there will be any danger as
soon as we are accustomed to the new con-
DR.. Van Camp said he had not given the
matter any great consideration and he did
not believe that the conditions would
present anything new in the medical line.
at is very much the same" he said, "in
our new colonies. in regard to disease as
thnrn rta toe