The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-24
SANTIAGO AND SANITATION.

No more interesting and graphic story
in its way has been published for long
time than General Leonard Woods ac-
count in the May scribners of the trans
formation of Santiago last year from a
deaths hole TO a clean. attractive and
healthy city. II ever the benefits of sani-
tation were strikingly exhibited. the dem
onstration occurred in Santiago de Cuba
In 1898
listing In the city when the Americans
took charge almost staggers the magma
ton. 1t is doubtful IL there was at that
time any flthier town on the globe Out
of population of $4,000. more than 49,.
600 were SICK not counting 1000 sick Span
ish soldiers. The streets we're filled with
great heaps Of decomposing refuse of all
kinds The drinking water was polluted
and there was no food for the starving
thousands, General Wood says
Long lines OF wan, yellow, ghastly-lookinR
individuals dragged themselves YEARLY up
and down the filthy streets, avoiding the dead
animals and heaps OF deoonposing refuse or
sank YEARLY In some friendly shade, seeking
to recover strength in sleep, Frightful odors
moro strongly than words OF the dead within.
The very air seemed laden with death. All
about ono passed and repassed funerals all
day and all night. Men could not bury the
dead fast enough, and they were burned In
great heaps OF eighty or ninety piled high on
gratings Of railroad iron and mixed with
grass and sticks over all were turned thou
sands of gallons of kerosene and the whole
frighttul heap reduced to ashes.
These great flaming pyres constituted
the first step in sanitation. Then the ma
tives were gathered up in groups of one
put to cleaning out the frightful traces
of death In the deserted houses. The men
did not want to work but were made to
perform hard, unremitting labor Hor-
rible deadly work it was. says General
Wood but at last II was finished. At the
same time numbers OF men were working
day and night in the streets. removing
the dead animals and other disease pro-
ducing materials. Others were engaged
In distributing food to the hospitals, pris-
ons, asylums and converts. Food stations
were established in every ward and
rations issued to all corners between Z
a. m. and p. nj. AS the people went
out with their food they passed by the
doctor. who examined and prescribed for
them. The water supply was early looked
after and Improved, both in quality and
quantity.
These were the conditions and this the
work-the Herculean task before the
American authorities. 1t was fortunate
the governor general was also a capable
| physician and a man of affairs. What
was the result? General Wood tells us
that to-day the city of Santiago is clean,
! free from odors and as healthy as any
city of its size in the United States. ex-
oepting, perhaps. for the constant presence
Of malaria" 1t was in July OF last year
that the appalling conditions before de-
scrihed existed in Santiago. During the
worst month of the unhealthy season there.
September. two months after the Ameri
can occupation. the death rate was below
the normal OF the best preceding yearsi
Sanitation pays--in fact. General Wood
has notably demonstrated that It Is a
physical imposslbility for an epidemic to
flourish In thoroughly clean city. He
has also made an enviable name for him
self as brilliant executive officer