Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-08-07
Was in the Hospital for q Time
From Overwork.
THIS DOUBTLESS STARTED RUMORS
ottumwa Friends Feel Treasured by
Letters Received Today Which Say
That the Doctor Was in the Land of
the Living July I.

On June "A DIR. Harry J. Watson,
formerly we'll known physician in
this city, but now a surgeon with the
United States army in the Philippines,
had not taken the cholera, which dis
ease he was said to have contracted.
But a short time prior he was taken
to the hospital suffering from
overworlh, which fact doubtless gave
rise to his belief that he had con-
tracted the dread disease On July
he was still in his usual health, al
though 5000 people had died from
the plague within radius of twenty
miles from Calamba, Laguna province,
the place where DR.. Watson is station
ed. This information is contained in
letter and postal card received to-
day by A. l.. Reynolds, corner of Main
street and Iowa avenue.
DR.. Watson's condition is matter
Of much concern to host of Ottumwa
friends who learned last Wednesday
with regret that he had contracted
the plague while nursing cholera vic
tins in the military hospital where he
is stationed.
The letter and postal card received
today from DR.. Watson,
were written after the epis-
tie was penned which said that he was
contracting the disease. Hence the
doctors friends in Ottumwa feel re-
assured.
The postal card dated July / says:
Cali well up to date. Two deaths
from cholera yesterday here. The
prospects are getting brighter. Over
5000 deaths have occurred within a
radius Of twenty miles from me-"
The Letter.
The letter received by Mr.. Rey-
nolds in Ottumwa today, was written
some days before. 1t follows:
Brigade Hospital, Calamba, Laguna
Province, June "a. 1902.
"Just a line to say all is go
ing well and that the cholera now
shows some signs Of improvement.
We have had a hard old time of it
around here for the past two months
and do not want to have any more Of
it for the rest of my life. We have
had about 200 deaths in this town so
far and hundreds of cases in other
towns. So far nine of the soldiers in
nv care have been attacked by the
disease, but at other stations, from
ten to fifteen miles away, some com
panies have lost as high as fifteen
men.
81 lost thirty-two pounds in weight
from real, genuine. hard work and had
at last to give up and go into the hos
pital myself for about ten days. I
had to get other doctors here to help
me out, as it was impossible for me
to do the work alone.
well, today, it shows signs of quit
ting around me, and / trust 1t will.
have had the time of my life and il
has been one of great worry, can tell
you. This town is the main port for
this section of the country. l had to
look after all the boats coming here
and at last had to stop all passengers
coming from Manila.
eve have to Iced about 5000 ma
tives daily with rice, which means a
lot of work for all of the officers here.
We have had to bring in company
of native troops to help act as quaran.
tine guard and they have been Of
great assistance to us.
81 just heard that you have had
quite extensive storms in Iowa.
think I would prefer even that to a
cholera epidemic. l have not as yet
received my orders to return to the
states but will be glad to get them, as
1 am about worn out by this time
81 have heard that large number
Of new doctors are coming, SO the ole
ones could be returned to the states
hope they will get here soon. They
will, however, have comparativel.
easy time compared to what we have
experienced during the past two
years.
Give soldiers were killed a few
days ago about twenty miles from
here. The war is practically over,
think. and the country will now &c
ahead, although this cholera epidemic
has knocked prosperity and full
dinner pail out for this year anyway
A state convention lobby is a hare