Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-12
SURGEON GENERALS REPORT.
sternbers Gives Interesting Review Of
Yellow Fever Experiments.

Washington Oct. 12-Surgeon Cen
eral Sternberg has made his annual re-
por: to the secretary of war. He says
the health OF the army has been unusu-
ally good during the calendar year, 1900.
The admission rate to hospitals for all
causes in the army, volunteers and reg
ulai's, with a mean strength Of loo. .3s9 in
1900 was 2311.S1 per thousand Of
strength, as compared, with 217S.06 In the
previous year; but during the year 1899
only 39.2S0 men out Of total Of los, SIG
wer. serving in the Philippines, while
during the past year 66.SS2 of a total Of
100.3s9 were thus serving. In the Phil
ippi,le islands with mean strength OF
66,Ss2, the admission rate was 2621.s6.
compared with 2ss552 in the previous
year this increase being mainly due to
dise,tse among the volunteers. the ratio
for which rose from 1S69.21 to 2761.79.
The regulars, on the other hand showed
mission for disease. which fell from
2454.l0 to 2197.73. Two-thirds of the adj
missions for disease were caused by ma
larial fevers and diarrheal diseases. The
deaths from all causes amounted to 2s.75.
per thousand of strength, as compared
With 30.5S in the previous year. Disease
occa stoned 20.26 deaths, the principal
cause of the fatalities being dysentery,.
which, with other intestinal diseases,
gave rate of 9.oS. The rate from in
jury amounted TO S.49 The death rate
in China was large, 1916 per thousand
of strength, 1852 from disease and 2414
from injury. From the close of the cal
enda year 1900 to the latest reports, the
health of the troops in the Philippines
has lieen steadily improving. The health
OF the troops in Cuba during the year
was excellent. As result of American
occupation nearly every city and town
has had it's sanitary conditions i'm
proved. Speaking of special diseases,
Gen. Sternberg says:
THE steady decrease Of late years in
the admissions for alcoholism among
the MEN of the regular army is a mat
ter O., congratulation. Military officers
may be said to be unanimous in their
opini,n that this is mainly the result Of
the establishment of the post exchange
or canteen at military posts. There is
less drunkenness among troops in active
seryiue than in command during gar
rison duty in times Of peace"
Reporting upon the study OF yellow
fever by a board in Cuba, Gen. Stern
berg says:
"Tte results obtained were especially
valuable showing that the bacillus ic-
terod,,s (sanarellD bears no causativc
relation to yellow fever and that the
mosooquito serves as an intermediate
host for the parasite Of this disease.
Further experiments of more interest
ing character demonstrated that yellow
fever is transmitted to non-immunes by
the bite of a mosquito that has pre-
viously fed on the blood of those sick
with this disease; that yellow fever can
also be produced by the subsequent
injection of blood taken from the gen
;eral circulation during the first and sec
oncs days Of the disease; that an attack
of yellow fever produced by the bite of
the mosquito confers Immunity against
the subsequent injection of infected
blood; that yellow fever is not conveyed
by clothing, bedding or merchandise
soiled by contact with those sick with
the disease; that house may be said
to be infected with yellow fever only
when there are present in 1t MOSQUITOES
capable of conveying the parasite of the
disease. and that the spread of yellow
fever can be most effectually controlled
by measures directed to the destruction
of mosquitoes and the protection of the
sick against the bites of these insects"
Gen. Sternberg says the results of the
investigation are of far-reaching Inn
rortarce, as the surgeons are now in
possession OF knowledge which enables
them 10 stamp out yellow fever.