The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-07-17
CHOLERA IN ITALIAN PORTS
9OO CASES OFFICIALLY RE.
fORDED SIN(E JUNE y.
Government Has OnicIaiiy Notired L. y.
Took 1nsuf1,cient Precautions Last
Winter Facts Hid From Tourists
Naples Mob Resents sanitation.

Special Cdb's Dssp1fohts 10 The SuN.
NAPLES. July l8 nti-cholera and
other sanitary precautions are agitating
the populace here. They say that the
regulations are causing foreign ships to
avoid the port. entailing enormous loss
to all classes. especially to the boatmen.
A general strike Ia threatened
NfNT1M10LIA. july 18.-It is a matter OF
general knowledge that Venice, Naples
and Palermo are infected with cholera.
The newspapers are silent. though the
scourge is spreading so rapidly that it is
likely soon to reach Austria.
WASHINGTON. July 10 The cholera
situation in countries bordering on the
Mediterranean Sea Ia far more serious than
the general public appreciates. Thus far
the prevalence Of the disease has attracted
little public attention. although the on
GERS of the State Department and Of the
Public Health and Marine Hospital SER
vice have been kept fully advised and on
the basis Of their official reports have
directed that stringent quarantine he
maintained against vessels arriving in
this country from infected ports
Italy has been the principal source OF
cholera. although the disease has also
developed in Egypt and Greece. A
majority Of the cases have occurred in
Naples and Palermo
According to the latest reports re-
ceived by the marine hospital service
the present outbreak dates from June 8
Since then there have been total of 2ls
cases and az deaths in Naples. In the
rest of continental Italy 374 cases and iis
deaths have occurred
At Palermo there we're 2s2 cases and IS
fatalities. Messina is free from the dis
ease The remainder of Sicily has had
81 cases and II deaths
The present outbreak is a recurrence
Of the epidemic OF last summer in Italy
coming after a lull in the spread Of the
disease in the winter months. The con-
ditions we're such lsst summer as to cause
the abandonment Of the proposed cruise
OF the Atlantic battleship feet to Mediter-
ranean ports.
In the fall Of 1910. when the officers
Of the Navy Department we're working
on the detailed itinerary OF the battleship
cruises. newspaper dispatches were re-
ceived in this country reporting the preva
lence OF cholera at several Of the Italian
ports to which it was intended to send
the war vessels BY direction of Secre-
tary OF the Navy Meyer Surgeon Gen.
Charles +. Stokes investigated the situa-
ton and recommended against sending
the battleships into thee Mediterranean
on the ground that the proposed cruise
would jeopardze the health Of the officers
and men Accordingly the itinerary
was abandoned and the war vessels we're
sent to British and French ports on the
English Channel
In it's official relations with the United
States the Italian Government has made
no effort to conceal the seriousness of the
cholera situation. About ak weeks ago
when the outbreak occurred at Naples
and Palermo the Italian Government
formally notified the American Embassy
at Rome OF the existence Of the disease.
as is required bv the sanitary convention
between the United States and Italy
On the strength of this information and
the regular reports receive ed by the Marine
II ospitai service from It's surgeons sta
toned in Italy and also from the American
consuls there Surgeon General Walter
Wyman directed that a strict quarantine
be mant aimed against vessels coming
from Italian ports The Italian Govern
ment ha s cooperated with the Marine
| Hospital surgeons in Italy in strictly
medical matters and has aided in prevent
| ing The spread of the disease,
For instance. on every ship that comes
| from Italy naval medical officer Of the
Italian navy is sent and a medical officer
is also attached TO the Italian consulate
in New York to aid in the inspections
when the vessels arrive there. There
have been complete reports from the
consus and medical officers in Italy,
| although heretofore the extent of the
disease has attracted little notice in the
American press
| While the Italian Government has
complied with all it's international obliga-
tions in regard TO the situation the officers
OF the Public Health and Marine Hospital
service are not satisfied with the meas
ures taken last winter to prevent the
spread Of the disease in Italy Last Jan
uary Surgeon n. ID. Gcddings az Naples
sent a caustic report to Surgeon Genera
Wyman in which he charged that the
Italian Government had not taken the
| precautio nary measures necessary Ia
Icontrol the disease At that time Sur
geon Gpddlngs said the disease was again
developing in Naples. Palermo and other
cities of southern Europe and he advised
American tourists to keep out Of Italy
This warning did not attract much no
tice in this country, but IT stirred up the
Italian press because Of the invitations
which had been issued broadcast to the
expositions which are being held this sum
mer at Rome and Turin As Surgeon
Geddings's y report was likely to damage
the summer tourist business he was criti'
csed in the Italian press for alleged ex.
aggeration in his reports of health con.
ditions in Italy
FOR patriotic and business reasons the
newspapers of Italy have not devoted
much attention to the cholera epidemic
Health conditions there have been mini
mi7ed rather than overdrawn. II il
not known here whether the Italian
Government as indicated in IA cable de
spatch published in THE Sun to-day hat
! deliberately suppressed and prevented ths
sending abroad of press dispatches about
cholera. II is generally believed, however
that the Italian Government has used M
!, influence to prevent publication abroac
OF health conditions in Italy. II was sale
at the State Department to-day that nj
official complaint had ever been filed by
the Italian Government against DR.
Geddings for his unusually frank warning
to American tourists,
II is admitted. however, that he has
baop Sarorolv criticised and annoye0 by