The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1914-11-13
VERA CRUZ
NOW SANITARY
Work of United States In
Mexican City.
Bring Order Out Of Chaos Clean
illness and Help For
The Sick.
by Charles Jenkinson.D

The early withdrawal of the Am
erican military forces from Vera
Cruz makes il oppOrtune to review
some of the social consequences OF
their occupation to the native popu-
lation-in normal times a community
of roughly $4,000 people.
From April 23. two days after the
occupation of the port. to September
., the American Red Cross maintain
ed headquarters and carried on an
active work of relief. This was early
limited to cases of suffering due eth
er directly or indirectly to the Am
erican occupation of Vera Cruz.
For example. many OF the Federal
soldiers became panic-stricken upon
the entry of the American soldiers,
and fled. leaving their wives and
families in destitute circumstances.
Others remained with the army. but
inasmuch as the various companies
were detailed to different parts and
no accurate records were kept of in
dividuals, families were unable to
locate the husbands or fathers.
Families of wounded soldiers must
sustain life until the soldiers had re-
covered sufficiently to support them
by other means: families of the dead
must be cared for: famies who had
Int toll nj hv a n
of lottery tickets must be helped to
find other employment. since the Am
orleans prohibited the sale of such
tickets. So. too. the workers along
the water front must be helped. who
had depended upon the passenger
traffic; and also the political prison
ers who had been released by the
American authorities from the no
torious prison of San Juan de Ulloa.
Where medical or surgical atten-
ton alone was requested. this was
given or refused as examination in
dictated necessity. Where food, money
or clothing was requested, a personal
visit was made to the home and the
statements of the applicant were YER
flied. Where money was asked for to
cover burial expenses, the death GER
tificate was examined and the body
was personally seen by a worker.
This was found to be necessary be-
cause a few attempts had been made
by neighbors to collect money from
the Red Cross under different names
for the burial of the same body.
Wherever employment was desir-
ed. this was usually given as soon
as the right place could be found.
Through the cooperation of the Am
erican army officers, who had been
given charge of all public instruc-
tons and who needed native help,
the Red Cross was able to place prac-
tically every applicant.
The 5000 medical and surgical
cases dealt with In the succeeding
weeks covered all the ailments of the
native population. ordinary and ex-
traordinary. and the good records
show that more than two hundred
varieties of illness received atten-
ton.
Mexican Burial.
A few remarks about the burials
(of which fifty-five were paid for by
the Red CROSSE may be interesting.
In many parts of Mexico 1t is GUS
tomary, upon the death of a person,
for the family to go to a casketmak-
er and rent casket usually of the
toughest and cheapest boards, and
without lining) for $3.50 or 50 in
Mexican money. and the father or a
male member of the family will put
the casket on his head and trot
home with 1t. He also brings with
him candles. which he has bought.
and artificial flowers and a robe or
shroud. which he has rented for one
or two pesos more.
A grave two feet deep has been
prepared and the annual rental of
one or two pesos paid in advance.
Then the body. shorn of its rented
flowers and shroud, is rolled into
the grave. The grave is filled. and
the casket. shroud and flowers are