The Washington herald., 1909-01-17


was at all bad when compared to. the
old records Of the disease IN Cuba. There
had been an immigration OF almost
quarter OF a million n0RiTnmune people
during the four years CT the absence Of
the disease. The number Of people open
10 attack was ten times greater than
al any period before the first American
occupation. Yet the disease was kept
within bounds that would have been con-
sidered normal and nonepidemic fifteen
years before.
Here again vas the triumph OF science.
Every person found to have a fever OF
any kind whatever was Immediately ts0-
lated and screened No chances were
taken The destruction ot the naosquI-
toes was made absolute. There were
some unaccoGntable infections, but they
were not permitted TO spread.
II IS worth remarking that the war
against the mosquito which carries the
yellow fever germ has resulted in the
partial elimination Of rs cousin who car
res malaria, and his other knsman who
doesn't carry disease germs, but who Is
very unpleasant companion for a human
being. In the city OF Havana in 1850 there
were 81 deaths from malaria. fifteen
more than from the more dreaded yellow
fever Since that time the number OF
/ .Iizlarial cases has steadily decreased
Until in 1905 there were only eight deaths
During the present American interven-
ton the sanitary department OF the gov
eminent has been under the general sup
/ ervisiOn OF MAJ J. 2. Kean, He has
perfected the sanitary system so as 10
avoid the errors OF tfe Palma admins
tration. The iaxity Of the sanitary cam
paign under the republic was not due
80 much 20 the carelessness of officers
as to the imperfect system The NUM-
cipalities could not work together. there
vas a conflict Of authority and n many
places there was an IuaVOiCable short
age Of money.
II has already been arranged that m
der the new republic the sanitarv de-
partment viii be naticnaHzed. The na-
tiOnsl government wiz have direct cen-
troll OF sanitation all over the island. and
the expenses viii be paid By the national
treasury. A system OF taxation has been
arranged which viii make the burden
tall eqvitably, but the collection and
disbursement viii be rational With the
reorganization OF the sanitary depart
ment, and with awakened vigilance. i
Is confidently believed that Cuba is frse
from the yellow fever for all time 10
come II the cooperation of the govern
ments OF Mexico and the Gulf states o.
the American union is secured. It Is en-
tirely possible that Rif1in generation
the disease viii be biottsd out entirely.
Vigilance IS the price of security. E,v-
erybody in Havana Is expected to be a
volunteer officer OF the sanitary guard.
II one hears mosquito bUzzing in his
room he Immediately telephones 10 the
sanitary Office Inspectors come and
search the ReighboThOOd. hunting for
breeding places. The mosquito does not
80 far from his birthplace. and the stag
nsnt water with its xiggie-tails Is soon
( found. If possible Il Is destroyed. II Il
IS a cess-poOl OF some other receptacle
which can not be done away with. a lib
eral quantity Of Grade oil Is used ana
The mosquito breeding business IS discon-
tinued at that place
However, the sanitary department does
not wait for volunteers 10 report the
presence Of mosquitoes The city Of Ha-
vana Is divided into sanitary districts,
each with an inspector and a corps OF
assistants Every house in the city 5
searched once IN every ten days Cor NOS
give the inspectors every facility for
search. under penalty OF fine The
search IS repeated SO often that the ever
lasting cycle Of the mosquitoes life is
broken into
II mosquitoes are found OF II the wig
gle-tzils are discovered the insects and
larvae are taken 20 the sanitary Office.
There they are examined and classified
4 record is kept OF the number Of mos
QuitOes ana larvae. whether they are of
the Stegonlyia. the yellow fever carrying
variety. OF otherwise. The discovery OF
an unusual number OF mosquitoes IN any
particular section means the enforcement
OF an extraordinary Inspection and the
use Of more oil Havana. last year. used
over $4,000 gallons Of crude oil II the
anti-mosqUito campaign-
Havana has no sewerage system. and
the presence Of the Inevitable cess-pOOis
means a greater consumption OF oil and a
greater vigilance than VIII be required
wnen the contemplated and projected
sewerage system is installed.
The city is blessed Win water sup
ply which IS not exceiled by any other
city IN the world Of It's size The wster
is pure and palatable. although a little
hard. Il comes from the famous Teato
Springs. and is distributed by a system
OF aqueducts which is even a greser
monument to the engineer, Gen Fran
cisco de AIbea-. than that marble efgy
which stands at the junction Of two
principal business streets OF the city
The first decade OF freedom from he
Spanish rule has made many changes IN
the life OF the Cuban. Perhaps the great
est Of all these changes has been accom-
plished by the sanitary officers. Yeibw
fever has been practically abolished.
malaria has been placed under contol.
and the people Of the small towns gd
rural districts have been provided With
hospitals.
Whether OF not the gseat sanitary work
inaugurated by the americans in the
government OF intervention viii be ,er-
mitted to lapse. as Il did during the
former period Of the self-governing re-
public. is something that time alone can
tell This matter may be frsught NTH
great political importance II II is gain
proved that the Cubans win not keo up
The necessary sanitary work 70 prvent
yellow fever epidernicS- that fact vii be
a sufficient reason for the United Tates
again to stan in The American grern-
ment cannot permit an island II II; very
doors to become a breeding pIae for
dangerous epidemics which are etfrely
preventabie
Leaving aside politics and Questons OF
administration. the science OF sattatlon
undoubtedly has achieved its feaJest
triumph in Cuba To have dstroyed
the scourge OF yellow fever is on OF the
greatest accomplishments in all history
That it was done by America army
medical officers Is something which
every American ought 10 be prod Army
medical officers died 10 test themosquito
theory OF yellow fever Transmission, IN
der circumstances that called D a finer
quality Of courage than is Necessary 70