In November there was
a slight recrudescence, but the disease did not again threaten to
escape control and in February practically disappeared, there being
but two cases during the entire month.
The return of hot, damp weather again produced a slight recrudescence,
and scattering cases continued to occur until March, when the epidemic
of 1902-1904 ended in Manila.
In view of the conditions which then prevailed and of the extreme
risk of a general infection of the city water supply, which, had it
occurred, would doubtless have resulted in the death of a third of
the population, this is a record of which the Bureau of Health may
well be proud.
The effort to prevent the spread of infection by maintaining a land
quarantine around Manila proved entirely ineffective. The disease
promptly appeared in the provinces where the campaign against it
was from the outset in charge of newly appointed Filipino presidents
of provincial boards of health, aided, when practicable, by medical
inspectors from Manila.
Before it was finally checked in Manila there were 5581 cases with
4386 deaths; while in the provinces, in many of which it necessarily
long ran its course practically unhindered, there were 160,671 cases,
with 105,075 deaths.
On the 27th of April, 1904, the Board of Health passed the following
resolutions:--
"Whereas cases of Asiatic cholera have occurred in but three provincial
towns of the Philippine Islands since February 8, 1904; and
"Whereas only one case of Asiatic cholera has been reported as
occurring any place in the Philippine Islands since March 8, 1904; and
"Whereas the city of Manila was declared on March 23 to be free from
the infection of Asiatic cholera; On motion
"_Resolved_, That the islands composing the Philippine Archipelago
are, and are hereby declared to be, free from the infection of Asiatic
cholera; and
"_Be it further resolved_, That the Commissioner of Public Health be
directed to send a copy of these resolutions to the honourable the
Secretary of the Interior, the Municipal Board, the United States
Marine-Hospital Service, and the Collector of Customs.
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