Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-09
CHOLERA IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Surgeon Parkman Tells of Outbreak of
the Scourge.

Dr. Wallace f. Parkman surgeon, .. S.
A., in an interview in San Francisco, gives
this account of the outbreak of cholera in
the Philippines:
II was in Manila last February when the
cholera broke out. 1t first appeared among
the Filipinos in the Tondo district Of Ma
Mia, which is populated with the very poor
est of the natives. Camp Wallace was stu
ated on the Luneta, about four miles from
the infected district.
The army surgeons and board of health
consulted. and it was thought advisable to
abandon Camp Wallace. All the troops
awaiting transportation to the United
States were ordered to the Santa Mesa
Hospital. which was turned into a detention
camp. They, as well as the city, were kept
in strict quarantine.
notwithstanding all the precautions, the
disease not only increased in Manila, but
spread rapidly to the provinces. At that
time no whites had been attacked. Hos
pitfalls and detention camps were eStab-
lished at once for the care of the afflicted.
Wherever a case was found all contacts
were promptly sent to the detention camps
and kept in quarantine five days providing
no new case was developed among them.
The patient would be Immediately trans
ferred by special ambulance to the cholera
hospital at San LaZaro.
The people of Manila came out royalty
and offered Major Maus, chief health officer,
every assistance in their power. Nothing
more in the world could be done from a
medical and sanitary Standpoint than was
being done by the Manila board of health.
The difficulties we encountered We're that
the Filipinos knew nothing of sanitary reg
ulations. and it was hard to get them to
understand that the treatment We laid out
for them was the proper course to pursue.
The board of health even had sterilized
water placed at various points every day
for use for drinking, cooking and bathing.
The Fiipinos did not take well to the boon
offered until they saw some Of the brighter
ones do so. The sale of all fresh vegetables
was stopped and the natives were con-
stantly coached as to proper food and its
preparation.
Before / left for home some of the Amer
leans and English were taken with the dis
ease. There were then. so far as l knew no
deaths among them. These men would
submit willingly to the treatment and their
chances were good.
Il am not surprised to learn from the lat
est reports that cholera is on the increase,
but I can conscientiously say that 1t can
not be attributed to any shortcomings on
the part of the board of health or the Off
GERS serving there, for they worked inces-
sanity. Poor Major F. a. Meacham was
an Illustration of the fine workers who are
representing the United States the ISL
and. His death was attributed to overwork
during the present epidemic.
The cause of the outbreak was attrib-
uted to fresh vegetable brought from Hong
Kong. where the disease was epidemic.
Others put 1t down to the entrance of an
infected Chinaman.
THE treatment We used there was the
preparation of benzozone which was fur
nished by the board of health. We found
that 1t worked admirably, and many cases
recovered. In conjunction with the benzo-
zone. the treatment was symptomatic.
Il certainly do not think that the out
break will be anything like what it has
been heretofore, simply because the SAM
tary condition of Manila has been vastly
n he 4 rpe nat m