- 14 - 
As this is the season during which there exists in certain 
sections calentura,or pernicious malaria of explosive type,diagnosis 
of the first oases of cholera is sometimes difficult. 
Medical 
officers throughout the Department are on the alert and are cheer¬ 
fully and zealously performing the extra duty imposed upon them 
by this epidemic. About 600 cases have occurred in the city of 
Manila and about 1900 in the provinces,- a total of 250.0 cases 
since the outbreak of the disease. The mortality in the provinces 
has been somewhat lower than in Manila,having averaged only 71$. 
This may be due to some cases of mistaken diagnosis in distant 
towns,where means of bacteriological examination are not available 
and where all cases presenting the clinical symptoms of vomiting, 
purging and collapse are doubtless called cholera. Gases of the 
disease have occurred, among troops of the 9th Cavalry and 36th 
Infantry in and about Nueva Caceres,which has been the principal 
focus of disease outside of Manila. 21 cases have been reported 
in those organizations with 18 deaths. These cases have developed 
in men who,in violation of 'orders,have entered native house's and 
partaken of native food and drink, since April 28,1903 eight 
cases with eight deaths have occurred among the 8th Infantry In 
Laguna Province. These cases developed among men recently trans¬ 
ferred from Manila,who are thought to have drunk water from the 
Pasig River while en route. April 28th cholera appeared among 
the 38th Infantry,three eases with one death at San Mateo,Rizal 
and one fatal case at San Felipe Neri,Rizal. These cases were 
caused by drinking unboiled water in native houses in the cholera 
infected town of Pasig. 
Leprosy exists among the natives to a limited extent in various 
