Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-25


islands. or the total area of I2o coo
received superior education. while 81
per cent Of the population over ten
ana >" per cent could write in no Ian.
SuaSc, sikty-eisht per cent % the
ponu'ation Of voting age could neither
Fean nor write in any language"
After giving this outline OF the CON
niti"ns which confronted the Ameri-
cans when they undertook the admin.
istration OF the Philippines. GennrsI
Waicutt then proceeded TO set forth
the facts OF American accomplishment.
,hrous hout the islands. IL is !sf, d 80 :,
lravei anywhere IN the islands with
out carrying weapon. There arc
no American troops maintained in the
islands at the present time for the
purpose OF maintaining peace and or
The constabulary consists o, ass
onicers; mostly Fiiipinos, and $500
n ,,it,,s men. They have served as a
press instruction. They are also Sery
.nir'ent as auxiilaries IN sanitary worn
especially during cpidemics.
Death kneIi TO pIaguea.
There has been provided a SAM.
t,ary organization which. while at ars,
bitterly opposed. has supnr.sscd
plague. practically eliminated small
lily com oateG cholera. malaria Du-
bonic plague. beri-beri, dysenterv and
reuuced the death rate to a marked
IL is probable that in no other wav
nave the results obtained by the SAM.
tarians in the Philippine Islands, since
lactorlly and conclusively demon
$ irated than by vaccination for iha
Premention OF smallpox.
mere we're years when the death
rate from smallpox alone exceed
IOo,eoo and the annual average de,tb
rae rae rom THIS dread disease can DC
During the year 1917 there occurred
IN the provinces 500 cases and 253
1eaths' and in the city OF Manila
,ne!r w,re reported inree eases ana
There were 100000 vaccinations
I;nd formed in the Philippine Islands
responsible for this almost unbeiiev
ape REDUCTION in me death rate from
this dread disease
The reports OF the chief vaccinator
IN the Spanish regime show that from,
november ), 1894. to November % ls.S
total of'9.ls6 vaccinations we're per.
.Durtug the. year OF 1899, the first
ycar OF American control. total OF
,,9S.95l vaccinations were performed in
Beri,beri formerly caused hundreds
or deaths annually in government in
sta SUI ions After extended research. it
as the main article of diet bore a
direct relationship TO the Incidence of
IN, me disease. on May Z. 1910 an execu-
use OF polished rice in the government
institutions, and the effect of the sub
ttiiu'ions IL Unpublished rice for polished
rice was very soon apparent.
Few Rcri-Brri Victims Now
puring the year 1908 total of Pa
deaths from beri-beri was registered
TWO years ending June So 1914 during
which time unpublished rice was fur,
nished, total OF three deaths from the
rah
similar results were obtained.
IT is probable that about 10000
cases ca OF leprosy existed in the islands
The necessity for the segregation
or lepers was recognized. but beyond
the isolation of a limited number OF
nila and two smaller institutions in
complished until May. 1906. when the
on May IS. 1906. 3G5 Iepers were
which is situated on a beautiful island
landed at the Culion leper colony
known as the largest and one OF the
best institutions of its kind in the
world.
Lcpcrs Segregated.
'More than 5000 lepers have been
segregated at Culion since its open
ing. They have almost a self-govern-
ing colony, and the inmates have been
made happy and comfortable. IN 1918
at Culion. The number Of new cases
encountered outside the colony is now
greatly diminished.
Under the wise precautions adopted
by the board of health. bubonic plague
has been successfully kept out of tho
islan ds for years. Recently several
threatened invasions of that disease
from IlonSkong have been warded off
~ supply of pure water for drinking
purposes has been provided in all the
S Se of population. and the people
arduous campaign In the schools to
protect themselves and their children
from tho impure waters of the surface
More than twenty water supply
systems have been constructed in
larger municipalities.
Pure Water Cuts Mortality.
There are 72s, artesian wells in
mcnse benefit. and the government has
number OF well-boring machines,
which arc in great demand and con-
stantly in operation. The fact that
in several Municipalities the death rate
decreased twenty per 1000 after the
opening Of artesian wells demonstrated
Tho people had no adeuuatc wafer