66 EDITORIAL. 



the Philippine Islands : It is shown very conclusively from the epidemic 

 in 1905 in Manila that the Islands have never since been free from active 

 infection, — we have always had cholera doing serious damage in some 

 parts of the Islands. The investigations I made of the outbreaks during 

 the Spanish days may be of interest. 



In 1882, two hundred people died at Maybun on the Island of Sulu 

 in forty days. Prom here the disease spread to Zamboanga and from 

 Zamboanga to Manila on the San Francisco Reyes. We have positive 

 proof that on one day thirteen hundred persons died in the city of 

 Manila. Then came a typhoon and, as the disease had begun to fall off 

 at that time, the Governor-General thought it about time the cholera 

 should terminate and so he proclaimed the cholera at an end, and so 

 ended the outbreak. After this time there were some cases resembling 

 cholera, but the Governor-General gave another name to the infection. 

 Cholera continued during 1883 and 1885. In 1885 they were receiving 

 four, five, and six cases a day in San Juan de Dios Hospital. We can 

 draw some conclusion as to the number of cases when that number 

 presented itself voluntarily at one of the hospitals. In 1884, in accord- 

 ance with the directions of the Governor-General, these infections were 

 referred to as something else. In the beginning of 1888 cholera became 

 so bad that it could not be concealed, and the condition developed so 

 that it was impossible to cover up the fact of the existence of the disease. 

 The leading physicians of the city met the Governor-General and in- 

 formed him of the facts. They told the Governor-General what the con- 

 dition was and that it could not be further disguised. It was necessary 

 for the benefit of the public that the fact be no longer concealed and 

 the Governor-General suggested three names by which it might be called. 

 A short time afterwards, when the Governor- General had a falling-out 

 with the chief health officer, it suited his pleasure to discredit his state- 

 ments, and so the actual facts became known. 



Dr. Van R. Hoff: I ask, how can we hope to get rid of cholera in the 

 future? Of course, that is the essential part of the discussion. Doctor 

 McLaughlin made some admirable suggestions — can they be carried out ? 

 Wliat machinery of government is available or can be made available by 

 means of which we can eliminate the disease that has existed from the 

 time that man remembers not to the contrary? The Army is under 

 obligation to do what it can. 



Dr. Philip E. Garrison, United States Navy, medical zoologist, Biolog- 

 ical Laboratory, Bureau of Science, and associate professor of medical 

 zoology, Philippine Medical School: I think C^olonel Hoff's question gives 

 me the opportunity I have been waiting for. Last Pebruary at the annual 

 meeting of the Philippine Islands Medical Association a resolution was 

 presented to the government for a commission to investigate the methods 

 for properly disposing of human execreta in the Philippine Islands. 

 Animal parasites at that time seemed to have the center of the stage. 



