The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-24
YELLOW FEVER
AGAIN RAMP ANT
Neglect of Sanitary Precau-
tons in Cuba Before Amer
leans Resumed Control.
NATIVES ARE INDIFFERENT
MACON STARTLEs THE MEDI-
CAL OFFICIALS.

Washington. d. c.. Aug 2S.-The war
department has made public a long cabled
report from Governor Magoon of Cuba,
which startled the medical Officers show
ing, as it does, that in the short period
since the withdrawal of the American
government of intervention and the reas-
sumption Of the American government BY
the Cuban army of pacification there has
been woeful neglect Of sanitary precau-
tons and-an almost complete disregard of
me treaty obligations under which the
Palma government was placed to keep
the island clean and healthful so that it
should no longer be a source of danger
and infection to the United States and
other countries
The governors report also disclOses the
fact that the fever in this last outbreak
has not been confined to the hospital
corps men, but has extended to other SOL
dlers He also Indicates that the evils
or the sanitary conditions cannot be
cured this year, in spite of the most
vigorous efforts on the part of the Amer
lean authorities. in which ii appears they
received little support from the native
Cuban physicians.
IT Worried Taft.
Before he left Washington Secretary
Taft became seriously concerned for the
safety of the American troops and resi-
dents in Cuba as the result Of the recur-
renee of yellow fever IN CieEfuegeOs. He
cahled to Governor MaSOOn a request for
a full statement Of the conditions, and
urged the governor to take every step
mat prudence and experience should sug-
gest 10 eradicate this disease. Governor
Magoon complied by sending today this
report:
THE report SAYS there are three cases
in town, exclusive of soldiers. Twelve
soldiers contracted the disease and three
of them died. All soldiers contracted the
disease in hospital No cases have. ap-
peared in soldiers quarters"
The rPOOTt adds. "PrOba blV case of
yellow fever so mild as to be unrecOgniz-
able was admitted to private hospital and
stegOmyia in hospital became infected and
afteTward got through screen into quar-
tiers occupied by soldiers in hospital. In
fected mosquitoes may have remained dor
mant during cool weather in winter
months and became active when warm
weather returned and escaped detection
The Cubans are Indifferent to this dis
ease. and it is difficult to induce or COM
pei native physicians to take the time and
trouble TO distinguish yellow fever from
other fevers and make report thereon.
Hard to Stamp Out.
IF we accept the mosquito doctrine, We
must believe the local civil officials from
responsibility, except for failure to Sc
cure reports of all cases of fever or in
creased temperatures for ii is a practical
impossibility to eliminate the stegomyia
from Cienfueg0s until the completion of
WaterwOrks, sewers, paVementS. complete
of water containers.
After yellow fever made its appearance
in the hospital at CienfuegOs II was found
that the jar used to hold water run
through the filter in main hall of hospi-
tai contained stegOmyia larvae"
After detailing measures to investigate
and designed to remedy the situation,
Governor MagoOn says he hopes the sit
uation will permit immediate cOnstruc-
ton OF the CienfuegOs waterwOrks and
sewers now held up by the Reilly con-
tract controversy. He adds: Il am press
ing public works department to complete
plans for waterWorks and sewer systems
and hope to get work started in ten or
fifteen cities within the next few months.
Outside Cienfuegos there are three
cases two in Matanzas and one in Ala
GRANTEES, near Matanzas. The remainder
of the island is free from the disease.
The situation calls for prompt and Wig
orous attention and will receive it, but IL
is much better than II was last fall at
This time and I hope will not occasion con-
tiuued alarm. The military authorities
of the United States and all branches of
the Cuban government are cooperating
heartily and fully"