Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-04-19
Ma1ady Peri1s in Mexico
By DR.. w. A. EVANS.

south of the frost belt. ON the other
hand, i'm the so-uthernmost state there
are elevations on which there are ice
and snow at times. The land has three
climates. Running south from the
United States there is Il narrow strip
along the Gulf of Mexico and the Paci-
fic ocean which the N~ieXicans know as
the TERRA calientes, or hot country
Along this strip the temperature rarely
goes below so. The mean temperature
is ~ to 50. In summer time the tenn
p%erature frequently goes to 100 and
sometimes to l04 ana even higher.
Inland The elevation divides into the
TERRA temptadas and terra frias. The
elevation Of the TERRA temptadas varies
from 5000 to 5000 feet. The mean tenn
perature is g. to 10, The temperature
of this section is nearly the same sum
MGR and winter. The elevation of the
TERRA frias is over 5000 feet. The mean
Temperature is 80 to SO.
The rainy season in Mexico starts in
the latter part of May and last until
October. The rainfall varies greatly.
In the highlands OF northern Mexico 1t
is about II inches and in places even
less. In the City Of Mexico it is about
30 inches. In the hot country the rain
fall is very heavy. In the city of
Vera Cruz the numbe of rainy days
varies from GA to les and the rainfall
from q to &C inches. T~wo-thirds OF the
total years rainfall occurs in June,
July, September.
Scventy-live per cent of the popula-
ton lives in the TERRA frias, Is per cent
in the TERRA temptadas, and Z to 10 per
cent i'm tho terra c~aiientes. The popu-
lation is distributed as follows: Whites,
19 per cent; mixed. 40 per cent; In
dams. IS per cent.
Villa has always lived in the Terra
frias. Rarely has he carried any of his
% " no trp ~, t1,N %N-,@
and never has he had personal direc-
ton of any armies fighting in the terra
~cailientes. We can safely say that the
campaign to capture him will be waged
in the terra frias. The United States
troops engaged in this campaign will
not be subjected to extraordinary
health hazards. Much the greatest
hazard will be typhus fever. The dam
ger from this disease, under ordinary
circumstances. will be less than the
danger from bullets, but it is possible
ina 1t may be much greater.
Typhus fever is spread everywhere
throughout Mexico. The cities Of Chi
between them and around them are a
hotoed OF typhus. In 1911, when the
Dia troops surrendered to the Madero
forces at Juarez and the Red Cross
corps were given a chance to visit the
troops. 1t was found that typhus
in both armies. Since that
time outsiders have had few oppor-
tunities to look behind the scenes. They
have always found typhus present. It
has been with considerable difficulty
that typhus has been kept out Of
American cities along the Rio Grande.
Typhus is spread by the bite Of lice.
70 prevent the spread of typhus. the
BODY must be kept free from lice. To
DO this. there must be facilities for
bathing the skin and hair with prep
arations OF kerosene, or gasoline, or
some other preparation capable OF kill
Ing lice. There must be facilities for
killing Inc lice in the clothing. There
1t Is wise to vaccinate with typhus vac
cine.
This seems easy enough. but there
are practical difficulties. Two months
a commission to fight typhus went
into Mexico from the United States.
Two of the physicians in that expedi-
tlon contracted the d~easease, one dy-
ing DR.. Ricketts,, who discovered the
relation Of lice to the spread Of ty-
phus. died Of the disease. The Ameri-
can commission which went into the
alka to control typhus in the Balkan
armies succeeded in graduating the dis
ease. but we must remember that in
spite of their efforts the disease put
the armies out Of commission for sew
eral months.
II our troops are to be spared infec-
ton by this disease it will be because
the commanding officers recognize the
menace and give their medical officers
the fullest support.
Insre is plenty Of typhoid fever in
the parts of Mexico in which the cam
paign!ng is to be done. Under ordinary
circumstances the troops would have to
pay a heavy toll TO typhoid. Most of
the country through which they will go
In very D0nrl 4. vl.oY aVaI 1NH -
compelled to drink any water they can
get. The own are built with refer
ence to h supply Of water. Most Of
the water Is polluted. A Mexican gen
eral has warned the American com.
manders that they are to keep out of
hcult to see how h a can be managed
II certain parts Of the country, since
.-ie only water Is that In or by the
.oYps.
The danger from typhoid should
prove OF little consequence. The army
~ sxn tns III, fov Grande has been free from
before in the history Of the world has
an army been SC free from typhoid.
All of the soldiers of that army were
and therefore immune to ty-
photd. There Is some danger that
among he recruits rushed into Mexico
siderable number. who have not been
v%accinated against typhoid. II SO, there
will be trouble. In the Cuban war we
made about the worst typhoid record
ever heard of. There will be nothing
l that this time. but we will not
escape some typhoid.
Ia spite Of the splendid organization
of the armies fighting in central Eu-
rope q certain proportion Of the troops
have not been vaccinated against ty-
ph0id and In consequence that disease
:is exacting a small toll.
Smallpox IL always everywhere pres
Senf. or nearly no. In Mexico. Our froQns