The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-27
THE HEALTH OF HAVANA.
The City Free of yellow Fever and
Smallpox.


/ The War Department yesterday re-
ceived from Major Gorgas, Chief SAM
tary Officer of Havana, Cuba, the follow
ing report of the vital statistics of that
city:
3 Havana April G.
"Adjutant General, Department OF Cuba,
havana:
Il have the honor to forward you here
with vital statistics for the month of
March.
# desire to invite the attention of the
major general commanding to the con-
tinued excellent sanitary condition of the
city, shown by the general death rate.
The general death rate. 26.2s. it will be
seen, is considerably lower than that OF
any March since 1889
THE lowest previous rate for the pre-
ceding eleven years, being that OF 1873,
when we had 2760; the highest that of
when we had IS. 1t will be seen from this
that we have had a steady decrease since
the American occupation, and that we
compare favorably with many other of
the larger cities of the world.
According to Marine Hospital reports,
Liverpool, for the week ending February
g, 1901. with population OF 90, 6iS mad 800
deaths, being a death rate of 1926. Dub
lin, for the week ending February 10,
1901, with population of 1884, had 235
deaths, which gives a death rate of 3i.S4
per thousand Marseilles, for the month
of January, 1901. estimated population
iii, 944, deaths 1,1S1, giving death rate 31.20.
The number of deaths for March is
considerably larger than that for Feb
ruary, due to the increased number in
the diarrhoeal diseases of children, and
an increase in pulmonary troubles gen.
orally. AS these causes affect the Cuban
population mostly, it will. be seen that
the increase is entirely among the Gu
bans. The Cubans in February, 1901, had
SO5 deaths. and in March, isei, IA
But what l wish more particularly
to invite attention to is the condition of
10
Our report shows four cases and one
death. The only two years since 1883
showing as small number of deaths as
this were 1882 and 1893, when we had one
death in March for each of these years.
OF these four cases reported in March,
1901, only one took sick during March,
the other three were taken sick during
the latter part of February and re-
manned over into March. In 1900 during
March we had eleven cases and four
deaths.
Previous to the year 1899 no record
was kept of the number of cases, so that
/ am unable to make comparison As
matter of fact, we have had only one
case of yellow fever in Havana since
the LIST of March and since March % the
city of Havana has been entirely free
from that disease. his is the first time
this has occurred since June. 1893. There
were two occasions ia 1900 when we went
for few days with no fever, but none
since the time mentioned that We have
been free from fever as long as at the
present. i feel very much encouraged
at the prospects for the summer.
Il think our present freedom from
fever is in part due to the systematic
and extensive way in which we have
been killing the mosquitoes for the last
month. ! have the greatest hopes of
destroying the foci as they appear by
systematically killing the mosquitoes over
a large area around each focus as II oc-
= Il am inclined to think that we have
been free from fever for a longer time
than has ever occurred in Havana before.
Our records show longer periods in which
NJ fever was reported in the early part
of the year 1899, but at that time ply
scians had not learned to recognize the
miider types I yellow fever. and were
much less careful about reporting them,
so that case of yellow fever, which is
now promptly recognized and reported,
would then have been passed over
Our condition with regard to smallpox
is equally satisfactory, and while this
disease is occurring in every part of the
United States we in Havana have not had
a single case since August, 1900.
These two diseases, yellow fever and
smallpox, have been looked upon as being
endemic in Havana. / think the present
state Of affairs particularly worthy of re-
mark.
II also call attention to the large
amount OF sanitary work being done, as
shown by the report. In the report for
this month i have changed the form
somewhat. giving more data under this
head. i incorporate this month, for in
stance. the large number of legal pro-
ceedings instituted for noncompliance
with orders. Twelve hundred cases is a
very startling array, and will no doubt
strike the health officer of most of our
large cities as being very excessive. But.
as ! have the power of Withdrawing cases,
] use this measure very freely for get
ting the work done. If any work ordered
has not been commenced on reinspection
within week after the order is given |
start legal proceedings. This almost in
variably causes the owner to commence
work, and when the work is completed |
almost always withdraw the case. Prob
ably not fifty of these 100 cases were
carried through and fined.
The meteorological examination OF
sputa was commenced March 3; that is
stations were established at various
points about the city. The physicians
were requested TO send the sputa to these
stations and arrangements were made to
collect the sputa and give the result OF
the examination the same day. The sue
cess of the scheme has proven very salts
factory. The report will show that eighty
cases have been examined since the Sd
of the month. This is as gratifying as it
is unexpected. DR.. Davolos of the NUM-
cipal laboratory, kindly makes the ex-
aminations for us. w. c. GORGAS
Major and Surgeon, L. S. A, Chief SAM