HEALTH IN THE PHILIPPINES. 



271 



consequent increased efforts to carry out its rales with thoroughness, 

 would result in a further diminution of the sick report ; and that, roughly 

 stated, one-half of the sickness in the Army could have been prevented 

 if everybody had obeyed the sanitary' recommendations of the medical 

 officers. 



In 1902 "The greatest noneffeetiveness from disease and injury in the United 

 States was reported in January, February, and March, during which the sick 

 report of troops at home was larger than in the Pacific islands. In March the 

 cholera epidemic began in Manila and the island rates began at once to increase, 

 the greatest number of admissions and the highest monthly mortality being re- 

 ported in July of that year." 3 



The value of the application of sanitary science and its influence on 

 health conditions is shown by the decrease in the death rate and admis- 

 sions to sick report per thousand among American troops in the Philip- 

 pines from certain diseases, as follows : 



Diseases. 



1898. 



1899. 



1906. 



Death 

 rate. 



Admis- 

 sions. 



Death 

 rate. 



Admis- 

 sions. 



Death 

 rate. 



Admis- 

 sions. 





7.58 

 0.00 



68.21 

 63.04 







0.00 

 0.00 

 0.55 

 0.79 

 0.40 

 0.00 

 0.08 



3.88 



8.97 

 304. 20 



5.49 

 174. 55 



2.02 

 310. 34 



Undetermined fevers _- 







1.23 

 1.18 

 6.11 



705. 49 



5.54 



748. 59 

















0.34 



2.07 



















The statistics for the year 1907 show a marked further decrease for 

 nearly all diseases in admission, death, and noneffective rates in the 

 Philippines and in the number of sick invalided home from the Philip- 

 pines for that year. 



The mortality rate for the year 1906 of American troops in the Phil- 

 ippines was much lower than that of the native troops for every disease 

 except tuberculosis, which caused 17.5 per cent of all American deaths 

 from disease, 4 as against 6.66 per cent of all deaths from disease among 

 the native troops, but the discharge rate for tuberculosis was only 27.10 

 per cent of the total discharges because of disease among the American 

 troops as against 51.06 per cent for this infection among native troops, 

 thus probably making the actual death rate from this disease, if those 

 who died after discharge are included, greater among the native troops 

 than among the American. One-seventh of the deaths in Manila are due 



3 Report of the Surgeon-General, United States Army, for year ended June 30, 

 1903. 



1 The statistics for 1906 on death and discharge rates of American troops serving 

 in the Philippines include the number of those who were invalided to the United 

 States, died, or were discharged. 



