A Moment in Time . . .

War Department Memo, July 29, 1898

Marine-Hospital Service Activities in the Spanish-American War Submitted by LT Russell J. Graham, USPHS

One of the largest on-going missions of the Marine-Hospital Service at the close of the 19th century was the prevention of the introduction of yellow fever and other tropical disease from entering the United States by way of maritime transportation. No ships were spared from quarantine, even those ships and vessels that belonged to the War Department that carried vital food, water supplies, war supplies, and troops to the front lines of the Spanish-American War. The Schooner Anne E. Stevens was one such vessel that carried fresh potable water from Mobile to Cuba. On her return trip from Santiago, Cuba, the Officer in Charge of the Marine-Hospital Service quarantine station Ship Island, Mobile, Alabama, made it clear the Stevens would not be released from quarantine until 2 August 1898. A letter from the War Department to Surgeon General Wyman requested the schooner be released at the earliest date possible. Early on in the Spanish-American War, Marine-Hospitals were made available to care for the sick and wounded troops. Medical officers of the Marine-Hospital Service were often used on transport ships between Cuba and the United States from 1898 through 1899. These officers triaged and provided care for troops, established quarantines, and provided “certificates of freedom from disease.” One Medical Officer, Dr. Joseph Greene, was on duty aboard the Revenue Cutter McCullough, which participated in the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898. The Spanish-American War also set the stage to establish provisions to militarize and use officers of the Public Health Service in times of war and other national disasters. On 1 July 1902, an Act contained the following provision: That the President is authorized in his discretion to utilize the Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service in times of threatened or actual war to such extent and in such manner as shall in his judgment promote the public interest without, however, in any wise impairing the efficiency of the Service for the purposes for which the same was created. Today, officers of the service can be declared a military service under Title 42 United States Code (USC) Section 217: In time of war, or of emergency proclaimed by the President, he may utilize the Service to such extent and in such manner as shall in his judgment promote the public interest. In time of war, or of emergency involving the national defense proclaimed by the President, he may by Executive order declare the commissioned corps of the Service to be a military service. Upon such declaration, and during the period of such war or such emergency or such part thereof as the President shall prescribe, the commissioned corps (a) shall constitute a branch of the land and naval forces of the United States, (b) shall, to the extent prescribed by regulations of the President, be subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice [10 USC Section 801 et seq.], and (c) shall continue to operate as part of the Service except to the extent that the President may direct as Commander in Chief.

San Juan, Puerto Rico, Quarantine Station, Summer 1899

The Officer in Command, a surgeon, is pictured in the center. To the right is an ‘Acting Assistant Surgeon,’ and to the left is a Hospital Steward of the first or second class. The men pictured in the white uniforms are the crew of the Marine-Hospital Service disinfecting barge Defender. During the Spanish-American War, San Juan was utilized as a staging point for troops going to Cuba and returning to the Gulf Coast of the United States. Marine-Hospital Service surgeons were routinely assigned to Army transports in and out of San Juan.

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