Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-22
Treatment Of Cholera.


Cuba and Porto Rico the rates for these af-
fections were comparatively low.
Treatment Of Cholera.
mo case of cholera was reported from
the army during the year 1901, but on the
afternoon Of March 20, 1902, two suspicious
cases were reported to the board of health
of Manila as being present in the San Juan
de Dios Hospital.
"Orders were Immediately issued from
headquarters of the division of the Philip
pines containing instructions to all officers
for the protection Of their commands, OF
themselves and their households, and Colo
mel Sanger, inspector general and chief OF
staff, was directed to visit all barracks and
camps, corrals and other places pertaining
to the administration and command of the
army in Manila, and to ascertain whether
the orders were thoroughly understood and
in course of execution. Two days later or
ders were issued announcing that, at the
request of the civil governor all medical
officers were made members of boards of
health and required as such to take charge
of the sanitation of the towns in which they
were stationed. On the same day the chief
surgeon issued circular with regard to the
use of disinfectants.
Later, on April II, circular was issued
from headquarters Of the division giving a
thorough discussion Of the cause, preven-
ton, pathology, diagnosis and treatm OF
Asiatic cholera, compiled by Maj Charles
Lynch, surgeon, United States volunteers.
AS the result of the carrying out Of the
measures required by these orders and cir
culars the troops in Manila and other in
fected towns suffered little from the dis
ease, while the native and Chinese resi-
dents suffered severely.
with a view to guarding against infec-
ton from this cause in the future a recon-
mendation was made to include in orders
for the movement Of troops in cholera ter
q pranh ha
of distilled water and cooked food In suf-
ficient quantity and the presence of a COM
missioned officer on each casco or other
boat.
IN the city of Manila at this time the
cases numbered 1,O05 and the deaths 500
Twenty-three Americans and 13 European rs
had been attacked with Is and 10 death
respectively. In the province 3,2I0 cases
of which 2,522 were fatal, had been report
ed, but 1t is probable that moderate es-
innate of unrecogniZed, unreported or con-
cealed cases would add 20 per cent to these
numbers. Later information showed a
greatly increased and increasing prevalence
of the disease. Tie chief surgeon. under
date of July u. 1892, reported that with
the increase of the epidemic the proportion
of recorded cases among the people de-
creased SO that probably not more than
one-fourth Of the cholera cases were re-
ported.
The insular board of health confined its
work to the city of Manila and sanitary
medical officers of the army, but inasmuch
as many towns were not occupied by troops
cholera ragged in them unchecked 1t was
thought that $4,000 cases constituted a con-
Among the troops during the month from
June Is to July 10 two officers and seventy
five men were attacked both Of the Off
GERS and fifty-two of the men fatally. Sew
eral of these cases occurred in Manila but
the majority were in Laguna and Batan-
gas.
I'm the army as whole with a mean
ported during the calendar year 1901
1891 cases of venereal disease olufva
lent to an admission rate of 1904
case per thousand of strength. These rates
are exceedingly high when we compare
them with the mean annual rates Of the
decade 1SSS-1S97. The admission rates in
the Philippines and in the United States
144.N and 1896 respectively. but those in
Cuba and Porto Rico were very high,
2S7.23 and 3.63.
Alcoholism. and Insanity.
During the calendar year 1901. 201S
cases of alcoholism were reported from the
army with a strength Of 92,491 men. This
is equivalent to 21.S2 admissions per 1000
of strength with 10 discharges for disa-
bility, equaling L per 1000 and 20 deaths.
equaling % per 1000. This record COM
pares favorably with that of the army
during the ten years. 1885, 1897. when the
mean annual admission Iate was 80 o. the
discharge rate. O4. and the death rate, 81
I'm the United States there were G06
cases, equaling 1928 per 600 of strength
with Z deaths and discharges for disa-
biiity, equaling rate for each of 2 per
1000 men. The admission rate in the Phil
ippines was only 1S4S. Notwithstanding the
sensational reports concerning the use of
vino by our troops, the discharge rate, .o5
and the death rate. 30. In Cuba the adj
mission rate was 1851 and In Porto Rico