The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-07-07

| Twelve iron D6dS, Supplleu with fajEly
clean sheets and pillow -cases-thanks to
Red Cross auxiliary No. 2, which sup
piled them, together with a quantity OF
pajamas, at the earnest solicitation Of
| Major Hisel. But the stock is entirely
| inadequate for so large number of pa
pients and would not change one quar-
| ter of the cots i'll constant use There
are no regular laundry appliances in
any Cuban hospital, the work being al
| ways "given out" or done by employees
and convaleScentS in common wooden
| tubs in the patio, The supply of city
water is very short indded and not
available at the hospital except at GER
| tain hours of the day and then in limi-
| ted quantities The Cuban doctors ac-
counted for the filthy condition of the
patients, soiled bed clothing, dirty floors,
ETC., by the statement that they could
not possibly get water enough to wash
them. Our American doctor said, with
a few adjectives, which / will not re-
peat, that he believed it was q lie, be-
cause the baths, postmortem rooms,
etc., are all abundantly supplied with
water under strong pressure-surely
enough to keep the sick people decently
clean. All these native medcos agree
with US in the opinion that cleanliness of
the patients person is essential to sue
cessful treatment; but none Of them eX-
plain why in all Cuban hospitals the
sick are allowed to come in reeking with
filth, are put to bed unWashed and go
out, (if they live to go), with the origi-
nal dirt upon them, augmented by that
gathered during their stay. This hos
pital 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 else
where in Cuba, is a room for embam-
ing, with the necessary appliances. All
American soldiers who have died in this
vicinity have been embalmed here for
removal to the United States except in
one case where the body had been too
many days in transit and the tissues
were decomposed. Just before we left
the United States army wagons came up
and delivered the days rations-Ar-
mour's roast beef. timed tomatoes, half
barrel of Irish potatoes, several boxes
Of hard tack and twenty pounds jerked
meat Ore trembles to think what
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
uel. Even now a great deal is left to be
desired The big store-room was bare Of
fresh vegetables. cereals, or any sort of
delicacy, so badly needed by GONZALES
cents; and as for soap, I am told that
none is ever provided. With the beauti-
full consistency for which these people
are noted, the kitchen is their pride and
joy, with its expensive range, hot-wat5r
boilers, etc. brought from France in
prosperous days. at cost of six thou
sand dollars. Floors and wainscoating
are of Dutch tiles and could easily be
kept clean with the force of servants
employed; but the least said on that
subject the better for ones future appe
tite. Dinner was being prepared for
four hundred and fifty people-soup of
jerked meat, stew Of fresh meat. pota-
toes and onions, canned roast beef bread
and coffee; good enough for doctors and
employees, but rather a heavy diet for
sick people and convalescents,
FANNIE BRIGHAM WARD.