The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-19

Conditions in the Philippines
The annual report of Surgeon Genera
Sternberg was submitted to the Secretar
considerable space to a statement regard
ing the health of the troops:
The total number of men examined TO
enlis ;ment in the Regular Army durinl
the year 1899 was 70.311. of whom ca. 80
were white and 6,0GS were colored. TIL,
number accepted was 1889. or 6S1.24 GU
Of every LOCO examined. The ratio o.
accepted men was e77.3s for the white and
! 122.S7 for the colored. The rate of rejec.
| tion on primary examinations was 273 6!
among the white and 25017 among the
coloTed candidates, giving a mean OF
| 271.64.
| The contract surgeons have rendered ex.
cellent service, but the Surgeon General
thinks the corps should be increased
Reference is made to the good work the
army nurse corps has performed
The organization of the army nurse
CORPS General Sternberg says. has been
steadily improved, and its adjustment to
the army made more satisfactory in de-
tails. The work of the nurses continues
to be highly appreciated, and their serv-
ices are in demand at almost all hos
pitfalls of Importance"
In a general chapter on the health of
the army during 1899" General Sternberg
says:
During the calendar year 1899 there
were 229,2S5 admissions to sick report re-
corded in mean strength of 105, 546 regu-
lars and volunteers. This is equivalent
to rate of 2,17S.O6 per 1000 of strength.
as compared with 2,146.1S per 1000 during
the year 1898, and with 1,237.24, the mean
annual rate for the decade 1SSS-97. OF
the admission rate for the year. 71499
was constituted by malarial diseases,
3S0.69 by diarrhoeal diseases. and 1928
by injury. of which 21.56 admissions per
1000 men resulted from gunshot. Typhoid
fever contributed only 20.s9 cases per 900
OF strength. OF the admission rate for
1898. malarial fevers constituted 611.7S,
diarrhoeal diseases 1882. injuries 1903,
OF which only 1892 resulted from gunshot.
Typhoid fever contributed 141.59 cases per
1000 of strength.
THE deaths in 1899 amounted to 1916,
equal to rate of 1S.43 per 1000, as oon-
trasted with 27.99 during the year 1898,
and with 6.69, the mean of the preceding
decade. The principal causes of death
and the rates per LOCO men contributed
by them were: Gunshot wounds, $40;
other injuries. L57; typhoid fever. 3.44;
diarrhoeal diseases, 2.14; malarial dis
eases, SO; pneumonia, "a, and variola,
so. The prominent causes of death and
the rates contributed by them in 1898
were: Typhoid fever, 1883; gunshot
wounds, 2.G4; other injuries, .9S; diar-
rhoeal diseases, Las; malarial infections,
81, and pneumonia, .92.
Troops serving in Cuba had the high
est rate of admission, 2.749.74 per 900, as
against S,413.54 per 1000 in 1898, the re-
suit Of exposures during the active ser
vice of the Santiago campaign. The low
est admission rate during the past year.
1,677.51, was given by troops serving in
the United States. The highest death
rate during the past year, 30.5S per 1000
men, was reported from the Pacific ISL
ands. One-half of this was caused by in
juries. gunshot injuries being responsible
for the death of 1850 men per LEGO of
strength. The highest death rate in 1888,
91.55 per 1000, was reported from Cuba.
or this rate 67.94 was caused by disease
and 1851 by injury, gunshot injury being
responsible for the death of 21-69 men per
LOCO Of strength.
The number of deaths from all causes
amounted to 1.202 equivalent to 1866 per
1000 of strength; $50 of the deaths, con-
stituting $50 of the total death rate. |
were due to injury and 24S, or 3S5 per |
1000, to gunshot wounds. The principal |
diseases which caused this mortality were |
typhoid fever. with 1S0 deaths, giving |
rate of 2.79 per coo men, and diarrhoeal |
diseases, with 1872 deaths, causing rate |
of 236.
,har af he tod rn-pll
the volunteer army was 743, OF which |
324 were due to injuries and 4l9 to dis
ease. The death rate from all causes
was 1905; from disease. 1920; from in
juries, 7.SS. The principal causes of this
mortality were diarrhoeal disc ases. which
contributed 1.95 to the rate; typhoid
fever, L90; smallpox, LA; pneumonia,
1.2e; malarial fevcrs, Los, and guEshot
injuries, 7.0G.
'In the army, regulars and volunteers.
during the calendar years 1898 and 1899
there were reported on the monthly re-
ports of sick ard wounded BAT cases CT in
sanity and 90? of these cases. or IS per
cent, were committed to the Government
Hospital for the Insane. One hundred
and thirty-fve cases, or 66.7 per cent CT
the commitments. recovered in an aver
age period of 3.9 months, 13 we're i'm
proved died. and As remained unim-
reported on the monthly reports Of troops
serving in the Pacific islands. and 80 of
these, or 1913 per cent, were sent to the
Government Hospital for the Insane.
Seventeen cases, or 53.1 per cent of those
committed, recovered in an average pc
riod of 36 months, were improved, 2
died, ard II remained not improved.
The exposures, fatigues, and excitements
Of a prolonged campaign are responsible
for the large sick report and the relative
ly large death rate among the troops in
the Philippines. However, the opinion is
prevalent among cur medical officers that
in time Of peace and doing only garrison
duty the sick rate Of the army in the
Philippine Islands would be no higher
than it ordinarily is in the southern
United States.
The latest reports received from the
chief surgeon, division of the Philippines.
dated August Is, 1900, show a percentage
Of SAT sick for the command which on
that date had a strength of 60554. There
were sick in quarters, 1851; sick in regi-
mental hospitals. Liz; sick in military
hospitals in departments" 1,241; sick in
Manila hospitals sos, making a total