The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-12
HAS COST 100000 LIVES.
M. BRUNNER's ESTIMATE OF THE
WAR WITH SPAIN.

He Attributes the Heavy Increase in
Mortality throughout the Country
at Large to Diseases Imported
From the Tropics and others En-
rendered by CrOwding Troops in
camps in This Countrywide COun-
Try May Have TO Pay Further In
sediments on This Bill of MortaIi-
~.
THE Spanish American war has cost
this country 100000 lives"
This statement was made to a Morning
News reporter by Health Officer Drummer
When asked to explain what he meant by
his apparently very exravagant state
ment DR.. Drummer said that he did not re-
fer to the several thousand soldiers, who
were killed in battle or died of wounds
and disease in camp and hospital during
the war. nor particularly to those who had
succumbed since being mustered out, from
diseases contracted during their service In
the army.
Il mean" he said that the war has re-
suited in The deaths of that number more
than would have died otherwise by reason
some imported from tropical countries and
others engendered by the assembling to-
eether of large numbers of men in camps
under unsanitary conditions. Every army
camp proved a center of disease which
mad disastrous effect upon the communi-
ties in or near which the camps were
situated and the seeds of which were
afterwards scattered to other communi-
ties
The encampment of the troops a Sa-
vannah was a mistake from a sanitary
standpoint" said DR.. Drummer. Il have
40 desire TO see another such encampment
here. The sanitary condition of the
camps here was undoubtedly good and the
men enjoyed better health, perhaps than
a other camps but the effect upon the
heaAh of The community was bad.
when l came back here from Cuba last
spring" said Dr. Drummer, II was as
founded al the heavy death rate which
had prevailed during the several preceding
months. l could account for this on no
other basis than that it was due to the
presence of the troops. This theory was
confirmed with the departure of the troops
from Savannah. AS the troops departed
the death rate decreased and by summer
it was down to normal again. The NOR
tality figures for Savannah for the first
i've months of 1899. taken without ex-
planation make a poor showing. The fig
ures for the remaining months of the
year compare favorably with the figures
for previous years.
DR.. Drummer said that he was confirmed
in this belief by reports of the experiences
Of other communities where camps were
located and by the further fact that re-
ports from the health departments of the
various cities show a heavier mortality
during 1899 than for previous years.
There is not the slightest doubt in my
mind" said DR.. Brunner chat the cpl
demic of smallpox now prevailing
tirely to the war with Spain and the in
his country and Cuba and Porto Rico
and civilians the seeds of the disease were
scattered broadcast, and it will be many
months yet before it is eradicated."
DR.. Drummer does not regard the SAM
tary outlook for the country at large as
anyways assuring at present. With the
campaign still in progress in the Philip
pines and the number of troops likely TO
be returned to this country from those
islands this summer there is the very evil
dent danger of the Introduction of furth or
disease from these chimes, to say moth
ing of the possibility of the
Introduction of the bubonic plagu
With the heavy increase in NOR
tally throughout the country Or.
Drummer thinks this country has paid
very dearly for it's acquisitions from
Spain, and he fears that the bill is one
upon which there are many instalments
Yet TO be paid.