Evening star., 1901-08-30
SOLDIERS HEALTH
Interesting Report From Chief Sur
geon Greenleaf,
CONDITIONS IN TEE PHILIPPINES
Real Cause to Which the Inn
provement is Due.
NJ ILIT AIRY HOSP AIS

Acting Surgeon General Forwood of the
army has received an interesting report
from Col. Charles r. Greenleaf chief sur.
geon, division of the Philippines, of the op-
erations of the medical department in the
philippines for the period ended May 81
last He says that the health of the troops
continues to be good and that the ratio Of
non-effectives to the whole strength has de-
creased from S.S4 per cent to 7.52 per cent.
The month of August gave the highest per-
centage, 9.5S, and March the lowest 812,
Intestinal and gastric diseases, including
dysentery and typhoid fever, give 34.22 per
cent Of the total sickness; malarial fever
and sequelae come next, with 1923 per
cent, and venereal diseases are third, with
13. Is per cent.
Cause of Improvement.
Col. Greenleaf says that the great im-
provement in the health of the troops is to
certain extent due to improved sanita-
ton, but that the greatest factor is that
the regiments have been gradually weeded
of their weaklngs and chronic invalids,
The immature youths the hard drinkers
and recruits of weak constitution have been
gradually returned to the United States.
Service in the Philippines, Col. Greenleaf
says shows on grand scale the operation
of the law of the survival of the ftteSt.
Typhoid fever has not existed as an epi-
demic anywhere in the Philippines. Indi-
vidual carelessness on the part of the men,
drinking water indiscriminately and con-
Stunning natiVe-made lemonade, ice cream,
etc, has probably caused typhoid fever in
greater part. There was one case of bu-
bonic plague in an enlisted Chinese cook
In the eth Infantry near Manila, un-
doubtedly contracted in the city. The pa
tient recovered and the extension of the
disease was prevented. Smallpox has ex+
listed in much less degree than before, but
hos ,,,ntr r-nff fn11 11-- 1te-o,1 ra6
Heat Stroke Unknown.
1t is an interesting fact, says Colonel
Greenleaf. that heat stroke, generally SO
much feared in the tropics, is practically
unknown in the Philippines. He says that
men often drop out on the march over-
come by heat, but fatal stroke and last
heat exhaustion are rare Wounds and in
Juries show very little variation and the
proportion inflicted by the enemy remains
large enough to indicate that the army has
engaged in about as much marching.
sllirmishing and fighting as ever, until the
last two or three months From August
I, 1900 to April 80, 1901, 265 men were kill
ed in action, twenty-four died of wounds
and 366 were wounded.
Contrary to general belief in the United
States, Colonel Greenleaf says, there is not
much disability from alcoholism. The hab-
it's of the enlisted men differ but little from
those in the United States, and an exciting
cause of a certain proportion OF the In
sanity, as well as the origin of large part
of the drunkenness in the provinces, is the
use Of the so-called vino of the natives,
crudely distilled alcohol, causing very
rapid ntoxication. which Is rather easily
recovered from without suffering when a.
moderate amount is taken. In great ex-
cess, it causes wild delirium, unconscious
ness and sometimes death, and in habitual
users a deterioration of the mental facul-
ties, delusions of persecution, attempted
suicide and aphasia.
Military Hospitals.
A chapter is devoted to the military hos
pitals, and Colonel Greenleaf says that
there is no probability that any one OF
them can be discontinued in the near fu-
ture.
The people of Manila evince a gratifying
willingness to accept the sanitary instruc-
tions of the board of health, and the city
is reported to be in excellent sanitary con-
dition. improvements most urgently need
ed are a system of drains and sewers,
dredging and cleaning moats and canals
and a water supply pure and ample.