Evening star., 1914-04-26
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT Is DOING

| II the United States Army should have
to enter upon long. drawn-out campaign
in MeXico-which most peo-
OSe1Se In pie hope that 1t will not have
M.v;oo to do-the germs Of malaria,
yellow fever, typhus fever and
smallpox will become a greater source of
oanser TO the American soldier than all
the leaden bullets and exploding shells
which may be fired by. opposing forces.
This is the opinion Of officers Of the med
ical corps of the army and navy and Of
the United States public health service.
Although physicians and public health
authorities Of Mexico have given consid-
cradle attention to the study of SANTA
tion and preventive medicine. less prog
ress has been made in getting the CO.
operation Of the people in the enforce
ihent OF health laws than in almost any
other part of the civilized world Many
OF the Mexican people are most indiffer-
eh1 10 personal hygiene. The natives
submit to attacks of contagious diseases
as matter of course, and many of the
people have become immune to further
attacks after they have suffered from
yelioW feVer, smallpox or one of the
other diseases which are always preva-
lent in one section or the other Of the
chaotlc southern republic
surgeon Generals William C. Gorcas Of
the army. William c. Braisted Of the
navy and Rupert Blue of the United
states public health service believe that
in the study and prevention of conta-
g1ous diseases places this government in
a better position to solve the health
problems OF its army and navy than has
been enjoyed by any other country en-
gagged in wars of the past
American soldiers and sailors have hee,
vaccinated for both smallpox and typhoid.
typhoid is not one of the more common
diseases in Mexico. but smallpox is well
scattered in the country stretching from
the Rio Grande to south of Vera Cruz.
Many of the communities have been visit
ed by epidemics. and the faces of many
of the natives show the marks left by the
disease.
Malaria will have to be feared in Mex
leo more than smallpox. for this insidious
disease. whose germs are carried by the
mosquito. is found virtually in all of the
warmer parts of the country. A plen-
teous supply of auinine will be carried
along in the medical stores. and the use
of this drug in accordance with methods
of treatment which have been worked out
by government physicians is expected to
lessen the danger of Uncle Sans boys
contracting malaria.
Yellow fever and typhus fever are both
sources of danger to health of people IN
country and typhus in the cooler plateau
section. The bite of an infected MOSQUITO
carries yellow fever. and the care1ui
screening of, living quarters is the sur
est means of prevention Of contagion in
any territory where the disease is known
to exist. Yellow fever turks in 4ucatan
and throughout the tropical country Dor
dering on the Gulf of Campeachy. There
is possibility of its occurrence in Vera
Cruz at times.
Persons who have Travelled in Mexico
will remember having heard Of the The, raSa- ava
ges of "tabardillo." pronounced tah-bar-
dee-yo," disease called "tifo' by the
natives. This is typhus fever. which ,s IS
carried by the bite of the body louise
which joy-rides in the clothes of many ,
of the poor and unclean natives. This
disease which is most DANGEROUS. IS
found in Mexico City and. throughout
the cooler plateau country from saitlilo
to Puebla. The principal method OF
guarding against the disease is to Keep
away from unclean places and persons
The physicians of Mexico caution Tor,
eigners against getting in crowds ana
allowing their clothes to brush against
dirty natives on the streets.