﻿138 The Philippine Journal of Science 1914 



CONTENTS 



1. Introduction. 



2. Geography and Geology. 



3. The General and External Sanitary Problem. 



4. The Internal Sanitary Problem. 



5. The Mosquito Survey in and near San Jose. 



6. The Disease Index. 



(A) Laboratory examinations. 



(B) Clinical examinations. 



7. Special Reports. 



(A) A comparison of the spleen index with the microscopic examina- 

 tion of the blood for malarial parasites in 1,003 persons. 



8. Summary and Conclusions. 



9. Recommendations. 

 10. Appendix. 



1. INTRODUCTION 



By W. E. MUSGRAVE 



The property included in this survey lies on the west coast of 

 Mindoro (fig. 1), and comprises from 210 to 260 square kilo- 

 meters of territory. It is bounded on the one side by the ocean, 

 on the opposite side by the mountains of the island, inhabited 

 by the wild tribes of the country, while up and down the coast 

 are located a number of very insanitary and unhealthy barrios. 

 Along the ocean front, within banca distance of the property, 

 are a number of small islands and inland points inhabited by 

 thriftless, ignorant, and disease-infected settlers. 



For more years than can be remembered by the oldest living 

 inhabitant or than may be traced in history, the place has been 

 known as the "white man's grave" and probably with a consider- 

 able show of justification. During the last few hundred years, 

 the Spaniards made several attempts to avail themselves of the 

 fertile lands of this estate, and, in each instance, failed because 

 of the unhealthful conditions and the high mortality among 

 their employees. The Maiigyans, wild tribes of the adjacent 

 mountains, refuse to make more than transient visits to these 

 lowlands, and have a superstition that, if they remain more 

 than seven days without returning to the hills, they will become 

 sick and die. So far as can be learned, malarial fever was then, 

 as it is to-day, the principal cause of the high mortality rate 

 among residents of this community, although other infectious 

 diseases are about as prevalent as they are elsewhere in the 

 Philippine Islands. 



To place this property, generally known as the San Jose Estate, 

 in a satisfactory sanitary condition and subsequently to maintain 

 it in a normal sanitary equilibrium will require an enormous 



