The times., 1899-07-03

feet square space and remains as if glued
to the spot from start to finish. hardly lift
ing their feet from the floor. but swaying
and wriggling their bodies to and fro, while
ciasped in each others arms. with move
ment suggestive of 'hcochee-c -coochee and
other Oriental dances. Meanwhile the
music fairly tingles in ones veins. 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, muffied thunder of drums-all
wild and passionate, in harmony with the
ardent nature of the half-Spanish. half
negro population.
From grave to gay from lively to Sc
vere'' is 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 bullhght, or some Nother
recreation. to entertaining strangers; and
so we were compelled to defer our tour in
inspection until Monday. First to the
great Hospital de Caridad, 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 Glen
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 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 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 it.
| The medical and surgical staff are doing
wonderfully well with what they have. ac-
cording to their lights. Diseased clothing
is roasted in tin box. placed in the oven
Of the kitchen range-often with the din
ner cooking above it, The first six warls
visited had each twelve iron beds st,pplied
with fairly-clean sheets and pillow cases
thanks to Red Cross auxiliary No. q which
supplied them. together With a quantity of
pa1amas, at the earnest solicitation of
| Major Hisel. But the stock is entirely in
adequate for so large number of patients,
! and would not 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 q 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 soilsd
bed clothing, dirty floors, etc, by the state
| ment that they could not possibly get wa
| ter enough to wash them. Our American
docter said, with few adjectives which
| will not repeat, that he believed it was
lie. because the baths post -mortem rooms,
ETC., are abundantly supplied with water
under strong pressure-surely enough to
keep the sick people decently clean All
| these native medicos agree with us in the
opinion that cleanliness of the patient )
person is essential to successful treatment; /;
but none OF them explain why in all Cuban
hospitals the sick are allowed to come in
| WIN OllE-dTe put 10 Del I'LL
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 a 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 a barrel OF Irish potatoes, several
boxes of hard tack, and twenty pounds OF
jerked meat. One 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. Even
now q 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 convalescents; and as for soap.
am told that none is ever provided With
the beautiful consistency for which these
people are noted, the kitchen is there pride
and joy, with It's expensive range. hot
water boilers. etc. brought from France
in prosperous days, at a cost of $4,000.