Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-29
Disease Strikes Down Sol
diers of Uncle Sam in
Great Numbers, Ac-
cording to Report.


WASHINGTON, Sept. 27-Thirty-fiva
deaths from Asiatic cholera among sol
~iers of the United States army is the
record of the dread disease for the period
between July 10 and August u. These fig
-ures are contained in a report just receiv-
ed at the war department, The assurances
that the epidemic of cholera was abating
have been so frequent that this large fa-l
tally list created no little surprise among
officers at the war department. OF the IA
talities about a half dozen are those OF
natives serving in the Philippine scouts.
The remainder are American soldiers
General Chaffee's report states that the
cholera is scattered all over the islands.
General Health letter.
Surgeon General O'Reilly had received
from General Adair. chief surgeon OF
the Philippines. a report for the month
ending August 10 1902. 1t shows that the
percentage of the sick in the command In
the division of the Philippines was 719 per
cent. marked falling off from the fig
ures of 7.29 for the preceding month Col
onel Adair says there have been fifty-one
deaths from Asiatic cholera in the month
from July to August 10. which is three less
than in the preceding month. The de-
crease of the command, however, makes
the rate of the mortality somewhat higher
than before. He states no cases OF variola
within the time covered by his report
Better health was enjoyed by the United
States army in 1901 than in the previous
year according to the annual report Of the
surgeon general of the army just made
public. A gradual Improvement in the
condition of the troops is evident. The
rate OF sickness and death are of course
greater than the average rates for the de-
cade 1890 to 1899. for during eight Of these
ten years the army was in a condition OF
profound peace and not exposed to the
rigors of tropical service as they are now
in the Philippines.
More space is devoted in the report OF
cholera than to anything else.
The report says:
First Cholera Case.
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 20 the board of health
as being present in the San Juan de Dois
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.
Two days later orders were issued an
nouncing that at the request of the civil
governor all medical officers were made
members OF the boards Of health and re-
Quired as much 70 take charge of the aan--
itation Of the towns IN which they were
stationed. on the same day the chief sur
geon issued circular with regard to the
use of disinfectants.
These instructions and the requirements
were promulgated in the departments OF
the division.
"As a result of the carrying out OF these
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 natives and Chinese resi-
dents suffered severely.
In his report for the month ending May
Is. 1902, the chief surgeon reported that in
Manila. which was the focus OF the dis
ease, no case had occurred among the
troops, but that Pasay. Santa Mesa, and
the transports Warren and Hancock in
the harbor each had a case or two.
Fifty-one Stricken.
Outside of Manila, however, ffty-one
soldiers has been affected and thirty-one
had died.
with a view to guarding against fnfec-
ton from water supplies in the future
recommendation was made to include IN
orders for the movement of troops In
cholera territory a paragraph requiring
the providing of distilled water and cooked
food in sufficient quantity and the presence
of a commissioned officer on each or other
boat
I'm the city of Manila at this time the
cases number 1005 and the deaths 500
Twenty-three Americans and thirteen Eu-
ropeans had been attacked with eighteen
and ten deaths. respectively. In the pro-
vinces 1910 cases. of which 2.522 were fatal,
had been reported. but 1t is probable that
a moderate estimate of the unrecognized,
unreported or concealed cases would add
20 per cent to these numbers.
Later information showed greatly
increased and increasing prevalence Of the
disease. It was thought that 5000 cases
constituted a conservative estimate for
the archipelago.
Among the troops during the month
from June Is to July Is. two officers and
seventy-hve men were attacked, both Of
the officers and fifty-two of the men fatal 5
IT, Several OF these cases occurred in Ma
Mia. but the majority were in Laguna and
Batangas."