The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-05-19
A Car.beo vaccine Farm. D -

Nevertheless, the doctors are making
many vaccinations. They have estab-
lished vaccine farm here at which they
use young carabaos. water buffaloes,
TO furnish the virus, instead of cows as
with us. Ten thousand points so treated
Were sent out in response TO one order
yesterday and carabao vaccine is being
distributed through all the army posts l
went out to the. vaccine farm this morn
ing ana watched the mode of treating
the animals. A carabao calf about a
year old was lying strapped down upon a
table as | entered the operating hall. The
head and three legs of the beast were
strapped to the table. The animal Law
upon its side, its head and three legs so
fastened that it could not move: and its
fourth leg, one of the hind ones, so tied
to post that the belly was plainly ex-
posed. The hair had been shaved from
this part of the body, and it was upon it
that the vaccination wounds We're being
made. The skin of a carabao is of a DEL
icatee pink, and that of calf has the
peachy tint of a maiden's cheek. 1t was
upon this tinted background that the
scratching was done, evident by a dozen
bloody spots which could be seen here
and there upon it,
A native Filipino doctor was perform
ing the work of incubation, the poor car
abao now and then uttering a cry which
was almost human as the lance cut
through his hide. The doctor told me
that the scab formed very quickly and
that large number of points can be dip
/ ped in one scab. The carabaos are thor
/ oughly examined to see that they are
heallhy before they are vaccinated. Their
sores last but a short time and within a
WeeA or so they are as We'll as ever
Some Filipino superstitions
One trouble about vaccinating both Fill
ipinoS and Chinese lies in their supersti-
tons. Many of the F'ilipinos are fatal
lists. They think they fated to die or
get well, and if so vaccination will not
/ heip them. one belief is that cholera is
+, brought by black dog who runs through
the streets with the disease following be-
hind him. They believe in charms and
in prayers as preventiveS of disease and
the priests have encouraged them in this.
Some years ago cholera morbus was COM
mon, and some of the friars advised the
people to pray to st. Rogue. The disease
Kept on for some time, but when it stop
pea that saint got the credit for it.
The tlhplnos have numerous shrnes
scattered over the country which are sup
! posed to be especially holy. One is at
Anti Polo, not far from Manila 1t is
frequented by thousands of pilgrims in
the the month of May, and it is said that the
such pilgrims for its living 1t is a town
of about 1000 people.
There is a famous shrine in the Island
OF Cebu whose patron is known as the
Holy Child of Cebu. This child is an
ebony image Of Jesus which is said to
have been found on the seashore more
than 300 years ago by the Augustine or
der OF friars and a church was built for
1t. This church was burned, but the
image was saved and another was erect
eu, III winch IL is sun kept. The image
Is about fifteen inches high and is loaded
with silver trinkets. 1t is carried about
in procession on certain days of the
year.
There are plenty of relics of saints in
the churches here in Manila. and scat
tered over the Philippines are virgins
saints and relics which are supposed to
nave special virtues in the healing of
the bodies and the saving of souls.
L ind the people here very religious
every woman, and almost every man.
wears a scapulary. Some of the peonIe
have what is called "Angting-angting -
charms of paper. silver or ivory, upon
their breasts under their clothes. These
are drawings of the saints and special
words or texts which are supposed to
not only ward off disease, but to prevent
the Wearer being killed in battle. Many
have been found upon the bodies of the
tilipinos killed by our soldiers the
charms having for some reason failed to
protect the wearers from our Krag-Jor-
, sensen bullets.
FRANK G. CARPENTER