The National tribune., 1902-07-17

water system consisted of a pumping sta
fion at Santolan, on the San Mateo or
MaraQuina River, some 10 miles east of
the city, and an underground reservoir.
known as the Deposito, about midway.
This reservoir was made by tunneling out
chambers in the rock beneath the level of
the ground, and cost a very large sum of
money. During the rainy season there
was more or less contamination of the
water by drainage from the surface of the
ground, but in the dry season this diG not
occur, and the hydrant water at that time
was comparatively good. There existed in
many places, especially the churches, con
vents and large private residences, wells
of good water. either built over pure
springs or made to catch rainwater from
proper roofs and filter it through a wall of
porous stone. At first we had recourse to
these, but soon orders were issued to use
nothing but boiled water. / got two large
wine barrels and made a good charcoal
and sand filter in one of them, the filtered
water running into the second for reser-
voir, from which it was drawn by a
faucet. From the company fund l pur-
chased ice and kept it in the barrel of fill
tered water, which was first boiled before
going into the filter.
Men caught drinking hydrant water
were punished for diSobedience of orders,
and yet they persisted in doing it, because
1t tasted little better than the boiled. i'll
tered and iced water. 1t was impossible
to make some of them believe there was
any sense in being particular about the
water they drank.
As an illustration, l had a man who
served for a time as second cook until he
went to the hospital with malarial fever.
/ then learned that it had been his habit
always to drink from the hydrant near
the kitchen instead of the boiled and fl
tered water. When l visited him in the
hospital | took occasion to let him know
that l had learned of his drinking of
hydrant water as a custom. and he said;
ayes, l always drink the hydrant water.
It rever hurt me none" l asked him what
he thought had made him sick, and he said
1t was whisky. Yet that man was burning
up with malaria, and was still uncon-
vinced.
THE DEADLY DRINKS AND TOO MUCH FOOD
Filipino street vendors and keepers of
little shops all sold soda water, a cheap
carbon charged and Sweetened concoction
made with water from the hydrants or
dipped up from the horribly dirty river.
The drinking of this was interdicted also,
but could not be prevented, the men, with
few exceptions, taking no heed o. the
reasons for the interdiction when out of
quarters and beyond the observation of
their officers. A majority of them ate and
drank anything that pleased their palate
from half-ripe mangOeS to the vile vino,
or sugar alcohol. with utter disregard of
consequences. The officers maintained
proper sanitary conditions in quarters.
provided everything for health and regula-
tons to promote it, which they inforced.
but they could not follow the men while
off duty and keep them out of trouble.
Another cause of sickness was overeat-
Ing. This may sound funny to those who
In some manner absorbed the impression
that the soldiers were half-starved all the
time, but it is none the less the fact. The
men ate as heartily of the solid food Of
the regular ration as they would have
done at home, notwithstanding the climate
and conditions required much different
diet and moderation in eating. That this
was largely the fault of the Commissary
Department must be admitted.
1t was the duty of that department to
see that the ration issued was suited to
the needs of the army. Even a scanner
Of consolidated reports ought to know that
the ration in the Klondike and Manila
should not be the same. The men were
Issued too much meat and not enough
fruit and vegetables. The very best thing
of all that should have been given them
freely, prunes, was issued but occasionally
In very small quantities. Vegetables, ex-
cept potatoes, beans. and canned toma-
toes, were SELDOM seen. ne company
fund was used to supply variety in this
respect as much as possible, but the sup
ply from native sources was limited and
poor.
Rice should at once have been made an
important part of the ration, and when we
got into the field where we could forage
for it we did so make it, but it was
months before an authorize ton could be
had from Washington to increase by
10 fv nf hof
Three hearty meals a day, with an undue
proportion of meat. and with only the ex-
ercise of guard duty about once in four
days and an hours drill each of the other
three, aided and emphasized by overindul-
gence in native fruits and other eatables
and drinkables not hygienic was the chief
cause Of the great majority of cases of
bowel trouble, from which many died and
many others were sent home more or less
chronic as to this trouble. The difference
between the well men and the men who
became sick, especially from bowel trou-
bles and fevers, was chiefly the difference
IN their personal habits and care of them
selves.
They all lived in the same climate under
the same conditions. Those who took care
Of themselves and restrained their appe-
tites and drank pure water and let whisky
alone for the most part were not sick
Those who did not, show up prominently
on the sick report. There were exceptions
to the rule, as to all others, but in the
main this is statement of fact.
l ascribe my own immunity from sick
ness Of any kind, from any i'll effects from
the long marches under blazing sun.
from ali the hardships / endured in com
mon with the company, from which / had
not single days respite while on cam
paign, entirely to moderation in eating and
drinking and general observance OF the
hygienic rules laid down for the observ-
ence Of all. / may not have had as much
fun eating things as did some of the 9th
ers, but as a consequence 1 never lay on
hospital cot and had more time to devote
TO the business and duties which the Gov
ernment expected me to perform
One Of the worst cases of over-indul-
gence in my company was that OF a man
about 70 years old, over six feet high. and
weighing about 200 pounds. / received
one day from his mother n letter express
ing deep solicitude for this hapless youth
and begging me to look out for him. a let
ter similar to others received by myself
and other officers. / had, and still have. a
deep appreciation of the distress of mind
Of the mothers and wives and children of
the soldiers who had gone to that far and
mysterious land. peopled with strange ter
rors to those anxious ones left at home.
had wife and daughter of nv own
worrying about me, and what might hap.
pen to me by sickness or the bullets of
the enemy. To all such letters | always
wrote reassuring reply, as / did to this
one, but In this instance / felt that Solo
mon with his rod was the special care
this iusty six-footer needed 1t is hard
Tor mothers to realize that their sons have
grown up and have assumed all the re-