Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-01-22
The Republic
of Cuba
BY Frederick HaSkin

Havana, Jan. 1S-Scientific sanitation
for the purpose Of preventing epidemic
disease has achieved its most spectacular
triumph in the Island Of Cuba. For cen
turtles this island had been scourged each
year by the dread yellow fever. The ma
tives became immune. but the imml-
grants were the ready prey OF Yellow
Jack. From Havana the disease was Oft
en- spread to foreign ports, and the south
ern portion OF the United States paid
dreadful toll TO its progress.
American army medical officers discov-
cred that yellow fever germs were trans
mitted by a certain variety OF mosquito
that the mosquito must bite the patient
within the first three days OF his fever
in order 10 carry the germ, and that the
way 20 night yellow fever was TO destroy
the mosquito. Under the direction OF Ma
Jor w. c. Gorgas. during the admins
tration of General Wood in Cuba, the war
was wased .relentlessly. The way to fight
the mosquito was to deprive II Of breed
ing-places. That meant to clean up. Ha-
vana and the whole island OF Cuba were
secured and scrubbed II was cleaner
than any other 44,oo0 square miles OF in
hahited territory ever was. before or
since.
Finally the day Of triumph came, when.
in September 1901, for the first time Gu
ba was entirely free OF the fever. 1t had
existed here in endemic form since the
days OF Ojeda and De Soto. II was be-
Heyed TO be the scourge OF God, and its
absolute destruction was not believed to
be possible. In that great victory the
Americans were given the invaluable as
sistance Of two famous Cuban medical
men. DR.. Guiteras and DR.. Finiay. These
two men know more about yellow fever
than anybody else on earth They form
ulated the theories which the Americans
tested, proved and put into practice.
Under the military government of the
first occupation of Cuba the general au-
thority at Havana was supreme, and the
sanitary work was carried forward all
over the island. When the Americans
left and the Cuban republic was estab-
lished, the system was changed and the
various municipalities were charged with
the responsibility Of sanitary work II
Havana, supported by the national purse,
the work was kept up. In many parts
OF the island It was sadly neglected and
in other places 1t was altogether aban-
doned. .s,.-.s
For nearly four years there was not q
case OF fever reported from the whole
island. Men began to believe that yellow
fever was thing of the past. This
fancied security induced a relaxation OF
the guard. The quarantine restrictions
were not strictly enforced, and in octo-
Der, 1905. two cases OF yellow fever were
discovered In Havana. 1t was found that
the disease had been brought from abroad.
The epidemic did not assume great pro-
portions, yet for two months ii was quite
serious.
In the year 1900, when the Gorgas war
on the mesquite was begun, there were 80
deaths from yellow fever IN Havana. In
1901 there were only Is. For the next
whole island. In the last three months Of
1906 there we're r. in 1907 and 1908 there
was one death for each year. Since Sep
TENDER 9. 1908. the island has again been
entirely free from the disease.
After the reintroduced disease had been
brought under control in Havana there
was a breaking out at Cienfuegos, the
origin of which has not been definitely
traced. Yet neither of these outbreaks
was at all bad when compared TO the
old records of the disease in Cuba. There
had been an immigration OF almost q
quarter Of a million non-immune people
during the four years Of the absence OF
the disease. The number of people open
to attack was ten times greater than at
any period before the first American oc-
cupation. Yet the disease was kept with
In bounds that would have been consider
ed normal and non-epidenic fifteen years
before.
Here again was the triumph OF science.
Every person found TO have fever OF
any kind whatever was Immediately iso-
lated and screened. No chances were
taken. The destruction OF the mosquitoes
was made absolute There were some UNI
accountable 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 his cousin who
carries malaria, and his other kinsman
who doesn't carry disease germs, but VINO
Is a very unpleasant companion Tor a
human being. IN the city OF Havana In
100 there were s25 deaths from malaria,
aftsen more than from the more dreaded
yellow fever. Since that time the number
OF rnalarial cases has steadily decreased
until tn 1905 there were only eight deaths.
During the present American interven-
tion the sanitary department OF the gov
eminent has been under the general
SUPERVISION OF Major ]. r. Kearn. He
has perfected the sanitary system so az
to avoid the errors Of the Palma admins
tration. The laxity Of the sanitary cam
paign under the republic was not due SO
much 10 the carelessness OF officers as 70
the imperfect system. The municipalities
could not work together, there was a con-
aict of authority and In many places
there was an unavoidable shortage OF
money.
II has already been arranged that un-
der the new republic the sanitary depart
ment win be nationalized. The national
government win have direct control OF
sanitation all over the island, and the
expenses will be paid by the national
treasury. A system OF taxation has beer
arranged which viii make the burden fall
eouitably, but the collection and dis
I bursement will be national With the
REORGANIZATION of the sanitary depart
ment. and with awakened vigilance. IT Is
confidently believed that Cuba is free from
the yellow fever for all time to come. II
the cooperation of the governments Of
Mexico and the gulf states of the Ameri-
can union Is secured, IL is entirely posi-
Bile that within a generation the disease
win be blotted out entirely.