Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-30

at first insisted that all should be burned,
| but the Chinese and Fiiipinos made such
| an cutlery over this that Gen. Otis has
| countermanded the order When the plague
| was so bad in Canton many of the pail
| bearers who were paid to carry the collins
| to the graves were stricken with it, and
| when four men would go out for that I,ur-
| pose often but two would return. Inc
| Chinese here are very anxious to have the
| bo eies of the deceased sent back TO China.
| They put them in immense wooden co1flnS
| which are Theoretically sealed by varn1sn-
| ing them again and again with sort OF a
| lacquer but which are, nevertheless, unsafe
I in case of the plague. During the preva-
| lence of the disease at Canton there were n
| number of Chinese coffin associations, men
| who dubbed together to furnish collins for
the poor. In one such club two thousand
| collins were given away, and altogether
| more than sixty thousand coffins were fur
| nished for plague patients.
| It Is said that 80 per cent of the people
of the Philippines suffering from skin
| diseases and, from the amount of scratch
| ing l see going on. judge that the figures
are not overdrawn Every second person
you meet whether man, woman or child
| jerks his clothes this way and that ap-
parently hunting for fieas The diseases
forms the chief diet of the native Filipino.
It brings about a fish eczema, in which the
skin scales off making the patient look
at times not unlike a ieper' Then there here
at least one-third of the foreigners have
| had it. This is supposed to be caused by
a parasite which comes in the water in
which the clothes are cleaned by the tlii-
Pine washwomen. 1t usually attacks the
toes, the armpits and the parts Of the body
which perspire most profu:ely, causing
rash. 1t sets one almost crazy, but it is
easily cured and is not at all dangerous
The natives themselves pay but little at
tention to such diseases, although they
have numerous medicinal plants, and the
min not
found in different parts of the islands are
very well patronized.
The Smallpox.
The most dangerous of all the skin dis
eases is of course, the smallpox, which
has lately broken out in a number of
places. 1t exists along the line of the rail-
way In Luzon and at several of the ports,
and is said to be spreading in Panay and
Cebu. Several officers of the army have
had 1t, but yet, it has not affected the
foreigners to any extent. The spring
months are the most dangerous times of
the year for this disease. The weather is
hot and dry, and the heat from noon until
about pm. is often oppressive.
1 called at the health department to-
day and made some inquiries of the doc
tors. They are not alarmed at the situa-
ton, but say that they are vaccinating as
many people as possible. A wholesale vac
cination of all the people would be a good
thing if it could be carried out. 1t must be
remembered, however, that there are 5000
900 of them and that at least 100000, I
should say. need such treatment. Practi-
caily no vaccination had been attempted
among the lower classes up to the time of
our taking possession of the islands. The
people do not look upon smallpox as we
do. They are like the Chinese in that
many of them pay no more attention to 1t
than they do to bad cold. They do not
care to be vaccinated, and the Chinese es-
pecially object to having their arms
scratched up by the doctors.
A Carabao Vaccine Farm.
Nevertheless the doctors are making
many vaccinations. They have established
vaccine farm here at which they use
young carabaos, or water buffaloes, to fur
nish 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. 1 went out to |
the vaccine farm this morning and watched
the mode of treating the animals. A cara |
bao calf about year old was lying strap
ped down upon table as I entered the OPP
Grating hall The head and three legs of
the beast were strapped to the table, The
animal lay upon its side, its head and three |
legs fastened that it could not move; |
and it's fourth leg. one of the hind ones, 80
tied to post that the belly was plainly ex-
posed. The hair had been shaved from this |
part Of the body, and 1t was upon 1t that |
the vaccination wounds were being made |
The skin of a carabao is Of a delicate pink, |
maiden's cheek. 1t was upon this tinted |
background that the scratching was DONE |
evident by dozen bloody spots which |
could be seen here and there upon 1t.
A native Filipino doctor was performing |
the work of incubation. the poor carabao |
now and then uttering cry which was al |
most human as the lance cut through his |
hide. The doctor told me that the scab /
formed very quickly and that large num-
Der of points can be dipped in one scab. |
The carahaos are thoroughly examined to |
see that they are healthy before they are |
vaccinated. Their sores last but short |
time, and within week so they are as |
well ever.
Some Filipino Superstitions.
One trouble about vaccinating both Fill |
pinos and Chinese lies in their superstitions |
Many of the Filipinos are fatalists. They
think they are fated to die or get well, and |
IL SO vaccination will not help them. One |
belief is that cholera is brought by black |
dog who runs through the streets with the |
disease following behind him. They believe
in charms and in prayers as representatives.