New-York tribune., 1902-08-22
THE HEALTH OF HAVANA.
REPORTS THAT 1T Is DETERIORATING
DENIED BY DR. FINLAf-

rrRo. a SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE
Havana Aug 15-The Tribune corresl'oiue :, !,
nav called on DR.. Carlos Ffnlay. VINO suceeeHe ~
Ssosor " q tSorgas at tn close OF the government
NJ intervention as chief sanitary olncel III
NJ the san.tarion of Havana, in reference 70 liie
charges which have been made In Northern Pdleio
Of sanitary deterioration in Havana ana oInei
of rbe island since the Americans went away Inc
CHARGES which have been made in the United 0'Hles
and which received the greatest puohcl'!'
those made by Major George NJ. Barbour, late SAM
tary officer al Santiago de Cuba Dr- flillds Sa-
ther he could answer other city than f1d'aiie
but that in his opinion, assertion tha1 'he SCI
vice was not being kept up 10 the hlgh staiiuai u
coy bz, Major Corgas was unjust, and not borne OUT
by the figures OF the department The statement
has been made that the cities ana espee4a-lS
Havana were falling into the old conoltlon OF Htii
from which the latter saved at the appearance
~ m. military government Dr. Ffnlay showed the
statistics Of the forces employed by the sanitary de
partrnent to-day, and proved that there had oeen
practically no change IL the course Whlch had oeen
observed by the old regime DR.. Ffniay said;
In my report which I shall make TO the Secretary
of Government within a few days VII lay @ peIoIs ,
him these facts: The mortality during ihe l4u II
of July just past has been 5S4. is So day. whch
is equivalent to an annual death of twenty fVe
q thousand. Compared with that of the pTeceo!ls
increase of tWertyfouT deaths Almost all OF these,
bowe1er. u are due to typhoid fever tuberculosis.
cancer, diarrha enteritis in children under TWO
years OF age. On the other hand. there has been a
decrease in deaths from nervous diseases and Of
the respiratory system well as those due 10 con-
varied diseases Of the circuatory system nor
in deaths from external causes
The report shows an increase Of - in the group
of general diseases which is remarkable in view
of the fact that there have been no deaths nor
cases, imported or otherwise, Of yellow fever or
smallpox. and that the deaths from ma ara nave
There were twenty-three deaths from typhoid fever
in July. per cent for every twelve thousand in
habitants. which may not be considered an alarm
ing figure but the wide area over which the cases
have been distributed greatly increases the cnallcs
for epidemic. even in a locality like Havana IN
which the disease does not commonly prevail 70 any
great extent. 1t is not improbable, Also that the
excess in the mortality tuberculous and can
10 seoondary infections of the same nature. As
pointed in previous reports. the use OF raw raw
which had been watered with bad water was prop
ably responsible for sporadic cases % % = htn,+ of
the year, but Il is principally since the oretas
slaughter house on June 10. that the disease has
assumed more threatening aspect. Durlng ring me me
time that the canal was broken peTlou coNeiIIS @
nearly seven days. the people OF havana ~ Se %ere
they could Thus they dlpped II from .tte e1S
which were impure, and from wells clslerils anu It
With the result that they took into their systems
impurities that many were ot anle 70 Pe9ge- me
Sanitary Department and the government bacterloI-
II there were any disease germs therein. Only the
presence of non-viruIent varieties Of the col6a
a serious menace TO the public health 49,, -.,-,.
The department is issuing cautions 10 the people
on the Wav 10 prevent contracting typhoid fever:
The influence Of the water supply on the quality OF
as there is danger Of its contamination not only
through fraudulent mixture of impure wa ter oy
1nscrupulous rnilkrnen but also by the OF con-
tarninated water for the purpose of washing pans
Guns or tumbers into which the milk is poured
For this reason. the people are urged during the
summer months boil their milk every six or eight
hours
On the whole. the present report shows satls,
factory state things. far the most dreaded
diseases are concerned. with the only drawback OF
q threatened increase Of typhoid fever. which VIII
st hoped. be brought under control II the pubic
heed warnings
A society for the prevention of cruelty TO animals
was formed here to-day. The society has for its
honorary president General Maximo Gomez, and for
fits first honorary viCe-president Minister Squiers
The organization of the society is due TO the efforts
of Mrs Souiers the wife OF the American Minister
TO Cuba. She has taken q great interest IN the
work and her connection with the work has en-
listed the help of the exclusive and influential
society of the Cuban capital Mrs William Z:
Mason wife of the Senator from Illinois is one OF
the contributors the fund OF the organization