The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-10-12
HEALTH FAVORS
OUR SOLDIERS
Surgeon Generals Re
port Gives interest
ing Figures.

WASHINGTON, Oct. u-Surgeon Gen
eral Sternberg has made his annual report
to the Secretary of War. He says the
health of the army has been unusually
good during the calendar year 1900 The
admission rate to hospitals for all causes
in the army, volunteers and regulars, with
a mean strength of $3.50, in 1900, was
2311. 81 per thousand of strength, as COM
pared with 217S.O6 in the previous year; but
during 1899 only 39,2SO men out of total
of 1o5,546 were serving in the Philippines,
while during the past year 66,SS2 of a total
of 100,3S9 were thus serving.
In the Philippine Islands, with a mean
strength of S. 49, the admission rate was
sc, as compared with 2395.52 in the pre-
vious year, this increase being mainly due
to sickness among the volunteers. The
regulars, on the other hand, showed
marked decrease in the ratio of admission
for disease, which fell from 2454.10 to
2197.73. Two-thirds of the admissions for
disease were caused by malarial fevers
and diarrheal diseases.
The deaths from all causes amounted to
2S.75 per thousand of strength, as COM
pared with 30.5S in the previous year. Dis
ease occasioned POPS deaths, the principal
cause being dysentery, which, with other
intestinal diseases, gave a ratio of 908
The rate from injury amounted to $40
q.
per thousand of strength, 1862 from dis
ease and 2414 from injury.
Since the close of the calendar year 1900
the health of the troops in the Philippines
has been steadily improving. The health
of the troops in Cuba during the year was
excellent. AS a result of American occu-
patton nearly every city and town has
had it's sanitary condition improved
Speaking of special diseases General
Sternberg says
The s+aodv danraosa cf Inta Isara T., ~.
missions for alcoholism among the men of the
regular army IS matter for congratula ton
in their opinion that this is mainly the result
Of the establishment Of the post exchange, or
canteen. at military posts There is less
than in command doing garrison duty in
times Of peace.
Reporting upon the study of yellow
fever by board in Cuba General Stern
berg says:
able, showing that the bacillus ictsrolds bears
no causatve relation 10 yellow fever, and that
for the parasite of this disease. Further ex-
periments Of a most interesting character
TO non-immunes by the bite of mosquito that
has previously fed on the blood OF those sick
with this disease; that yellow fever can also
blood taken from the general circulation dur
ing the first and second days OF the disease:
that 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 convened nv
clothing, bedding or merchandise soled 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
it mosquitoes capable of conveying the para
site of the disease, and that the spread OF
yellow fever be most effectively controlled
by measures directed to the destruction Of mos
quitoes and the protection OF the sick against
the bites OF these insects.
General Sternberg says the results of
the investigation are of far-reaching inn
portance, as the surgeons are now in pos
session of knowledge which enables them
to stamp out yellow fever.