The National tribune., 1902-07-10

man and he also went back to the United
States to health and life. A few weeks
later two other dysentery cases were dis
posed of on disability certificates that
were secured just in the nick of time to
get them berths on transport fitted up
for the conveyance of sick. the Medical
Department having also ''secn new light
by this time. More than month before
l had secured stability certificates for
these men, but they We're returned with
the Endorsement that the men would first
be tried at the new hospital that was then
just being established on Corregidor Is
land, at the entrance to Manila Bay. This
was as good location for hospital as
existed anywhere on the low lands near
the bay, being open to the fresh salt
breezes from the China Sea. 1t was 80
miles from Manila and it was an all-day
journey there and back by the little
steamer which piled daily to and fro.
A month at this place was a month of
steady deterioration for these men.
paid them several visits and became con-
vinced that if they were to live they must
be sent away on the first transport. For
tunately the Major and Surgeon in charge
agreed with me as to these and several
others, and by little lively work | sue
ceeded in getting all the papers ready and
the men on the transport. These four
men, sound and healthy, met the company
on its return home and gave their former
comrades hearty greeting. That was
far more satisfactory to me personally
than the alternative of entering them on
the muster-out roll as "Died in Hospital
at Manila" There were similar cases in
other companies, but l am relating only
my own experiences.
SMALLPOX UNIVERSAL.
One of the diseases we had to contend
with was smallpox. This is a disease al
most universal in the Philippines Scarce
ly Filipino has not had it in infancy,
and it is so common that the natives pay
little attention to it. Children afflicted
by it are kept in the living room of the
family, and no attempt is made at isola-
ton or special treatment. We stumbled
upon it everywhere. The lavendero who
brought home our clean clothes might
have child at home sick with it, or in
the back room of the tailor shop where
we were fitted to a new canvas or khaki
suit there might lie q child covered with
an eruption.
There was no getting away from it or
guarding against it until regulations were
made and enforced looking to isolation,
and even then it was almost impossible
to learn of the existence of cases among
children.
/ remember an amusing incident that
occurred at Marilao while we were per
forming guard duty along the railroad the
following April. Crowds Of refugees
passed along the road by camp on their
way back to the homes they had deserted
10 flee from the advancing army. Bun
dies of all kinds were carried on the head
or suspended from poles over the shoulder,
and the men, until they received strict
orders to let them alone, were accustomed
to make them stop and open up their bun
dies to prove that they did not have any
thing improper in them. On one occa-
sion man carrying a basket and ac-
companied by woman and young girl
was halted and told to show what was in
the basket. He protested and refused,
and in little time quite a crowd of sol
diers had gathered around to see what
was the matter. The one who had chal-
lenged him insisted. and finally stepped
up to the basket and removed the cover.
himself, only to see lying iii it a little
child broken out with the smallpox.
The crowd fell back in haste and there
was no more exploring of bundles there
after.
Under such circumstances 1t was not
to be wondered at that sporadic cases
should appear here and there in the
various company quarters. AS soon as
recognized the men were sent to the gen.
eral hospital and all their belongings that
had been in any way in contact with them
for several days past were burned In
this way the disease was kept from
spreading in the regiment, but new sources
Of contamination were constantly being
found outside and new sporadic cases
appeared.
l had case in my company which was
contracted in the general hosDital by n
man who had been sick with typhoid
malaria. He had not been either in or
near the smallpox hospital, but had been
in one of the regular wards. and yet with
in four days after being discharged from
the hospital he was sent back again with
smallpox and died within 10 days of a
most malignant type Of the disease.
4his SHOWS how difficult II was to pre-