The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-11-10
UNCLE SAM'S WORK IN VERA CRUZ
Help for the Sick and Destitute The Fight Against Dirt and Disease
CHARLES JENKINSON Director Atlantic Division, American Red Cross. (Ezclusive Service Survey Press B11reau.)

vaccination for smallpox of every body, both native and foreign, within the American lines, we'll as of all people entering Vera Cruz from the outside. After the American forces had been in-Vera Cruz one month. there were only two cases of small pox within the American lines and places.
 Pure Water.
 The water supplies, both public and private, were carefully investiga- ted, and all water used for drinking purposes was thoroughly tested by sanitary officers of the United States army. Wells containing impure wa and the greatest precautton was talk en to prevent the use of unpotab1e water. Stagnant pools or puddles were drained off or filled up and the ramp patches of ground, whether ts side of houses or outside were given heavy coating of dry earth and gravel. People were instructed not to use cows milk unless it had been boiled.
 The American forces were given a. plentiful supply of quinine and prac- ticaIly everybody that appeared at the Red Cross headquarters was dosed with it Is he showed any malarial
 
 and pools of stagnant water ,obliter- ated, and low places which might collect also filled, there was no place for malaria mosquito to breed and therefore malaria disappeared from Vera Cruz as If by magic
 Perhaps the most noteworthy feat performed by the United States naili- tary officers in the way of house cleaning was that of cleaning the an- cient and notorious fortress prison of San Juan de Ulloa, in the harbor of Vera Cruz. It was evident that the entire history of several centuries. and the filth was indescribable
 A Mexican Prison.
 AS an illustration, there was one large room in the interior of the pris- ons with very thick stone walls and stone roof, the only light and venti- Iatton which came. through 8 few small s1its in the walls not over six inches wide. The room was as dark as night and had no sanitary arrange ments of any sort. I had personally visited this prison in the summer of 1918. At that time there were 600 prisoners confined in that one room T stepped to the door, as it was opened a few inches by the guard. but was not at all enthusiastic about enter ing, because of the terrible gtench and
 
 The conditions werescertafuly no bet. ter in April, 1914. Tons of sulphur and other disinfectants. large quanti-3 ties of soap, much steam, and many days Of hard Iabors were required on the part of the American soldiers and the native laborers before the army sanitary officers gave their approval of the prison. Y
 All prisoners who were found to 5 unjustly incarcerated,. or confined on merely political charges, were releas- ed at once and only criminals. who had been Justly sentenced and who had not finished their terms, were de- tained. The prison was then turned into a barracks for 8. detachment of the American soldiers and marines.
 Previous to the arrival of the Amer ican forces, Vera Cruz was sorely by the thousands in restaurants and cafes and Kitchens, and for block around the market places. Wagos.- loads of garbage which had accumu- lated for years behind ranges and on the walls and floors, were removed from some of the best patronized cafes.
 Another important factor in the cleanliness of the city was the plac- ing of galvanized iron garbage cans with covers, all over the city. and the regular collestion three times each day of all garbage deposited in such cans.
 Attacking the White, Plague.
 The tuberculosis problem in Vera Cruz is an especially serious one, be- cause of the very congested living conditions in poorer quarters and the inherent uncleanlinesS of the people,.
 Soon after the Red Cross establish ed headquartersi in Vera Cruz the United States sanitary officers re- quested the Red Cross to assist it in it's anti-tubercu1osis campaign by em- ploying nurses to visit all persons known to be suffering from tuberculo- sis and to instruct them in the nec- essary steps to prevent the spread of the disease and in the first elements of home hygiene.
 The nurses encountered really ap- palling conditions. From eight to ff- teen people, including those afflicted with tuberculosis, lived in one room not over twelve feet square without sanitary appliances of any kind, the only means of light and ventilating being the one door which opened as a rule on interior patio or, court yard.
 no certainty as to the stay of the realized that only small permanent but it was considered worth while to take every possible precaution to pre- vent the spread of tuberculosis i~ Vera Cruz while the American sol diers, blue-iackets and marines were stationed there.