The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-25

of the work accomplished by the United
States sanitary service, and has brought
home with him statistics regarding yellow
fever which prove conclusively the value
Of the department.. In a report issued
by Major w. G. Gorgas, chief sanitary Of
ficer to General Leonard Wood, military
governor, the yellow fever tables show an
average yearly, mortality of 440 in Havana
alone from the disease, during the ten
years prior. to 1901. Last year the deaths
numbered only FIVE. :, The figures are as
follows: 1890, 900; 1891, 339; 1892, 331;
1898. All; 1894, 1853; 1895, 532; 1896, 1852;
1897, 1856; 1885,, 1926; 1899. 101; 1900, 289;
1901, S.
Says Mr. Decker:
/ Major Gorgas report shows that Their.
has not been a case Of yellow fever or
smallpox in the city of Havana since last
September. The department. in handling the
yellow fever problem, has paid no atteD-
ton to infected clothing; but has devoted
it's energies to cleaning up the city and to
preventing the breeding of mosquitoes. This
last was accomplished by pouring common
kerosene oil upon the soughs and marshes
surrounding the city. Wherever practicable,
standing water was drained off, but where
this could not be done, oil was used What
is known as the 'stygomyia brigade used
petroleum oil in no fewer, than 1921 house
yards in various parts of the city, and
made 262 wells cisterns and tanks mos
quito proof by the same means. The "Ano-
pheles brigade cleaned 26,612 cubic yards
Of ditch space within the city limits. The
result of this work is shown in the records
Five deaths from yellow fever in 1901, as
against 1852 in 1896. Experience In Cuba
has shown that mosquitoes are responsible
for infection in the majority Of yellow fever
cases. and consequently they. ARE Deing ex-
terminated by the millions. .~,24,,
On my trip went as far south as Valen-
tia in Venezuela, and visited the island OF
Trinidad, stopping two weeks in Cuba on
the return trip There I was impressed
with the islands advantages as q sugar
raising country; but the industry, just at
| present, Is not advancing as it should. No
money can be made at selling the product
in the United States at the present low
prices, unless the tariff Is reduced at least
one third. ...
Havana Imports Large.
Havana is a city considerably larger than
! Minneapolis, and in it's architecture and gen.
eral plan resembles closely the older cities
Of southern Europe. Il WAS surprised to
learn that the custom house receipts ex-
coed s1OO0, 900 per month ); y. that they are
greater than those of almost any American
city outside of New York. However, this
Is due largely to the fact that scarcely any
! manufacturing Or general farming is done
large in consequence. The sugar and to-
bacco industries have been very profitable
in the past, and there are many wealthy
men in Havana. -
The most industrious laboring men in
Cuba are the Spaniards. One man, who is
engaged in market gardening on large
scale. near Havana, told me that he paid
his Spanish laborers SIS a month, whereas
Cuban laborers were not worth 50.
| Extensive city improvements are now I'M
der way, and General Wood is very. popular
with the; Intelligent classes on account OF
his wise administration Of the affairs Of the
| island.
The statistics brought home by MIR.
Decker, show that August is the worst
yellow fever month in the year. The
average number of deaths per month, be-
| tween 1890 and 1900 are as follows, the
fraction being omitted: April, -; May,
| 10; June, 40; July, TO-. August, 81; Sep
| TENDER, 10; October, IS; November, 4s;
December, 80. OF the five deaths in 1901,
one occurred in July, two in August and
two in September.