﻿206 The Philippine Journal of Science lai* 



prisoners at Bilibid showed that 402 were afflicted with filaria. 

 The highest percentage of those affected was among the pris- 

 oners from Leyte Province, which had 35 per cent. Sorsogon 

 follows with 31 per cent, Bohol with 27 per cent, Albay with 27 

 per cent, and Ambos Camarines with 24 per cent. The smallest 

 percentage occurred among the prisoners from Pangasinan, this 

 being 0.94 per cent; next is Pampanga, with 2 per cent; and 

 Bataan with 3 per cent. The factors which influence these in- 

 fections are not yet well understood. It is, of course, known 

 that the disease is transmitted by mosquitoes, and probably the 

 same measures which would succeed in eradicating malarial mos- 

 quitoes would greatly reduce the incidence of filariasis. 



TYPHOID FEVER 



Typhoid fever has been styled the disease of modern civiliza- 

 tion. In the Philippines, it is becoming of more and more im- 

 portance from year to year. Many positive cases, the diagnoses 

 of which have been verified by laboratory examination, have 

 occurred in the following provinces : Ambos Camarines, Bulacan, 

 Cavite, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Mountain, Pampanga, Pangasinan, 

 Rizal, Tayabas, La Union, and Zambales. The mortality rate 

 from diseases like typhoid, amoebic and bacillary dysenteries, 

 cholera, and other intestinal diseases clearly points the way to 

 the fact that if proper disposal of human excrement could be 

 brought about thousands upon thousands of lives could readily 

 be saved. 



TUBERCULOSIS 



It is estimated that there are at least 40,000 deaths annually 

 from tuberculosis in the Philippine Islands. General educational 

 measures have been taken against this disease almost since the 

 beginning of American occupation. In 1910 the Philippine 

 Islands Antituberculosis Society was organized, and an appro- 

 priation was made by the Legislature. The Bureau of Health 

 has established hospitals for chronic tuberculosis patients in 

 Manila and a hospital in Baguio for incipient cases. The sub- 

 ject has been actively taught in the schools, and the newspapers 

 have disseminated much useful information, but so far the desired 

 result has not been brought about. If the Philippine Islands 

 desires to be considered in the rank of progressive countries, a 

 campaign much more active than that of the past must be un- 

 dertaken. The best methods of combating this disease are now 

 the same in all countries, and the success that has been had in 

 the United States and Europe in reducing the ravages of this 



