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This account is Past Assistant Surgeon Joseph B. Greene's report of the cruise of the U.S. Revenue Cutter HUGH McCULLOCH, from New York, to Hong Kong, Manila, and San Francisco,and includes his account of the Battle of Manila Bay.

The account is interesting in that it addresses in that it addresses many of the health concerns that confronted the past assistant surgeon. Greene addresses the death of  of the McCULLOCH's Chief Engineer Francis Randall as the Asiatic Squadron passed through the waters of Manila Bay toward Manila. It is interesting in that Greene advocates the transmission of malaria by mosquitoes, something that was only proven in 1898.

Joseph Greene was born in Birmingham, Alabama on October 18, 1869 graduated from the University of Virginia's School of Medicine in 1893. He entered the service of the United States Revenue Cutter Service on October 24, 1894. After serving aboard the McCULLOCH, Greene went on to command U.S. Marine Hospital at Cleveland, Ohio. By World War I, Greene was serving in the U.S. Navy Reserve, and was called back to active service. He died on October 10, 1949 in North Carolina and is buried at the Riverside Cemetery, Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina.

The Account:

"Pursuant to Department orders I joined the United States revenue steamer McCULLOCH at Philadelphia on December 7, 1897, and reported to Capt. D. B. Hodgson for duty and assignment to quarters. The McCULLOCH, a composite type of vessel, had recently been completed at Cramps' shipyard for service at the San Francisco station. Her decks were entirely unprotected and most of her machinery was above the water line. She had a displacement of 1,280 tons, draft 14 feet, and length 219 feet. Her engine was triple expansion, and she was capable of a speed of 17 knots. She was provided with a distilling plant and an electric lighting system with a searchlight. She was heated by steam, but was not provided with an ice plant. Her armament consisted of four 6-pounder Hotchkiss rapid-fire guns. There was no sick bay, nor a suitable space provided for medicines. The drug locker was on the lower deck aft, most inconveniently situated.

On December 12 the ship was formally placed in commission, and on December 17 we left Philadelphia for Baltimore, where her equipment was to be completed . After stopping at Norfolk for coal, we arrived at Baltimore December 26. Leaving Baltimore January 9, we arrived at Norfolk, the following day, where we refilled our bunkers and took on an additional deck load of coal. Our ship's company at this time consisted of a crew of 63 men, 11 officers, and 4 guests, one of the latter acting as disbursing agent.

On January 12, under the escort of the revenue cutters WINDOM and HAMILTON, we left the Chesapeake on the voyage, which we expected to last four months. We encountered rough weather from the beginning of our voyage, and it continued until we arrived at Punta Delgada ( Azores) , fourteen days later. The first few days of the voyage were utilized in vaccinating the crew with virus sent from the Bureau, and I was fortunate in securing a good percentage of "takes. " Remaining at the Azores long enough to take on coal and make a few repairs to the engines, we arrived at Gibraltar on February 7. While there I visited both the colonial hospital and British military hospital, the latter through the courtesy of Surgeon Captain Austin of the British army. I saw with him a number of interesting cases, among them cases of Malta fever.

The town of Gibraltar is a model as regards its sanitary conditions, every precaution being taken for the prevention of epidemic diseases. The necessity for these measures is the more urgent on account of the overcrowding of the population on a limited habitable area.

On February 16 we arrived at Vallelta, Malta. Here the news of the horrible destruction of the MAINE reached us. Naturally it had a depressing effect on the entire ship's company. Malta being the headquarters for the British Mediterranean squadron, we found a number of Her Majesty's ships in the harbor. While here I was privileged to see, in company with Surgeon Major Hayes, of the British army, a number of cases of Malta fever. In passing through the ward I was struck with the cheerful expression on the faces of the patients as compared with the "typhoid expression . " Saw the temperature chart of a patient whose fever had continued for ninety-one days. I was informed that the mortality in these cases was low, although relapses were common. The treatment is symptomatic, with special attention to the proper nourishment of the patient. A ward in the military hospital, formerly used by the Knights of Malta, is 970 feet in length, and 50 feet in height.

On February 22 we left this beautiful island with regret, and on February 26 arrived at Port Said. Remaining here long enough for a party to return from a visit to Cairo, we started through the Suez Canal, anchoring the first night at Ishmalia, midway the canal. The following afternoon, having passed through the canal, we were lying off Suez. Our course now, through the Red Sea, was almost due south, and everyone began to feel the great change in temperature. On March 11 we arrived at Aden.

While here one of the machinists became seriously ill with cellulitis of the forearm, that showed no tendency to limit itself. After a consultation with Surgeon Nepean, of H. M. S. Raccoon, I advised that the patient be left in the civil hospital. As much as we regretted to leave a member of our crew behind, it seemed the only course to pursue, in view of our anticipated cruise in a still warmer climate, and the absence of such articles of food as are required in these cases.

The patient subsequently recovered and was returned home, and ordered to the ALGONQUIN.

At Aden I made inquiries into their quarantine methods, especially as regards plague, which was then raging in Bombay. Passengers wishing to land are detained during the required period of incubation, and their clothing and baggage properly disinfected . Through steamers are allowed to take on coal from a barge alongside, handled by the ship's crew, even if cases of plague have broken out aboard ship.

Leaving Aden March 17 we encountered a northeast monsoon, and had delightful weather until our arrival on March 26 at Colombo, Ceylon. In conversation with the health authorities here I learned that they had little dread of plague in spite of their close commercial relations with Bombay. They considered the latitude in which they lived unfavorable to the spread of the disease. Smallpox was not a quarantine disease, on account of the almost universal practice of vaccination on the island. The general hospital is beautifully situated in a palm grove, and is a great boon to the natives. It is in charge of the English medical authorities .

Arriving at Singapore on April 8, the captain of our vessel found cable orders awaiting him, directing him to report at Hongkong to the commander of the Asiatic Squadron. We therefore remained here only a few days, and on April 17 reached Hongkong, where the McCULLOCH became attached to the Asiatic Squadron.

The fleet, under Commodore (now Admiral) Dewey, consisted of the OLYMPIA (flagship), BOSTON, RALEIGH, CONCORD, and PETREL, with two supply ships, NANSHAN and ZAFIRO. A few days later the BALTIMORE joined us . At this time there were about 20 deaths a day in Hongkong from plague, and it behooved us to take every precaution to prevent infection from getting aboard our ships. To this end the fleet commander issued orders that no fruits nor vegetables should be brought aboard, and no water was to be drank except that distilled aboard ship, and the crews were to be aboard ship at sundown. It was a great disappointment to me not to have been able to study cases of plague, but I felt that it would be unwise to take the slightest risk of infecting the ship. As soon as we arrived I began supplying our ship with additional medical supplies, especially surgical dressings and appliances . One of the crew was sent to the hospital with typhoid fever.

On April 24 the British governor, considering that hostilities had begun with Spain, directed us to leave the harbor of Hongkong. The same day we departed for Mirs Bay, a Chinese harbor about 25 miles distant. Here we awaited the arrival of Consul Williams, of Manila, who on April 27 came aboard the OLYMPIA. The fleet then left for Manila to carry out the President's order to "destroy the Spanish fleet."

On the morning of April 30 we sighted the island of Luzon, about 50 miles north of the entrance to Manila Bay. The CONCORD, BOSTON, and BALTIMORE were sent on ahead to reconnoiter in the vicinity of Subig Bay in search of the Spanish fleet. Coming up to the advance squadron in the afternoon, it was learned that nothing had been seen of the enemy's ships. About 6 o'clock in the afternoon Commodore Dewey, after consulting with his ship commanders, decided to take advantage of the darkness of night to pass the forts at the mouth of Manila Bay.

Our information as to the strength of the forts guarding the entrance to the bay, and also as to the location of the submarine mines, was extremely meager. With every light darkened except the stern light, which was screened so as to shine only to the rear, the fleet passed Corregidor Island in single column, the Olympia leading the way. The McCULLOCH came among the last, just behind the BOSTON, followed by the two transports. Just as we had almost cleared the forts a battery on El Frailie opened fire on our fleet. The BOSTON, CONCORD, and McCULLOCH promptly returned the fire and the battery was soon silenced . At this trying moment came the saddest part of our ship's cruise. Chief Engineer Randall was overcome with heat while at his station in the upper engine room. The usual restorative measures were used, but without effect. He never recovered consciousness, and lived only a few hours. I had a signal sent to the flagship requesting a consulting physician, but the answer came that it was impossible under the circumstances to comply with the request.

We steamed up the bay slowly and timed our arrival off Manila at daylight. The forts at Cavite ( Sangley Point) opened fire on us just as day was breaking. A signal from theflag- ship directed the McCULLOCH to guard the transports and stand ready to render aid to any ship in distress. Fortunately our assistance was not needed, but we were kept in such close proximity to the firing line that shells frequently burst above and around us. The result of this first engagement with the enemy is so well known as hardly to bear repetition. There were only eight men wounded in our fleet, all on the BALTIMORE, but not one was of a serious nature. In the second engagement, about noon, which lasted only about a half hour, the enemy offered little resistance. The number of their killed and wounded has been variously estimated ; certainly it was well up in the hundreds. In company with Dr. Price, the fleet surgeon, I visited the Spanish naval hospital at Cavite a few days after the battle. We were treated courteously, both by the doctors and patients, and they evinced toward us very little feeling of bitterness. They told us they had an ample number of surgeons on duty and an abundance of surgical dressings and food supplies. They requested that guards be placed around the hospital to prevent looting by the natives.

On May 5th, after taking on an additional supply of coal, the McCULLOCH left with dispatches for Hongkong. Within forty-eight hours we reached our destination, a distance of 600 miles, the shortest time in which the passage had ever been made.

On May 13th we made a second journey to Hongkong, and this time we brought back with us to Cavite, Aguinaldo and staff. Very soon the natives were organized and making war on the Spanish troops on the outskirts of Manila. The insurgent hospital at Cavite soon became filled with wounded Spanish soldiers and a few insurgents. The natives seemed totally unprepared and incompetent to care for the wounded, so Drs. Brownell, Carpenter, Bronnick, and myself interested ourselves in the ward of the hospital. Dr. Brownell, of the PETREL, was especially active in rendering most efficient aid to the wounded. It was surprising to all of us how well the wounded did, though the hospital facilities were decidedly poor. There were many cases of gunshot wounds from Mauser bullets that healed promptly without the least surgical interference. One case, I remember, was a Filipino soldier who was shot through the right lung, and returned for duty in the field at the end of three weeks. Another patient had a perforating wound of the right lobe of the liver, and was never sick enough to remain in bed. I have notes on only two cases where crushing of the bone was produced. Frequently there were clean holes through the long bones.

There was almost an entire absence of gunshot wounds of the scalp, probably due to the fact that such wounds proved instantly fatal. A number of ugly machete wounds of the face and scalp were noted, always inflicted on the Spaniards by the insurgents. The cases of gunshot wounds observed proved that the small rifle ball of high velocity is much less deadly than we were led to believe from experimental researches made prior to the war by the Medical Corps of the Army. It is certainly a humane bullet, for the fatal cases usually die on the field, and the majority of the wounded have an early and satisfactory recovery without loss of limb.

On July 15 Captain Hooper arrived on the China to assume command of the McCULLOCH, Captain Hodgson having been detached and ordered home on account of serious illness in his family. With Captain Hooper came 11 recruits for our ship. One of them was ill with typhoid fever, and by the end of the week three others were sick with the same disease. All were sent to the army hospital ashore and recovered. The men were probably infected from the water taken on at Honolulu. A number of soldiers were also ill aboard the China with typhoid fever, but fewer in proportion than among the sailors bound for the McCULLOCH.

On August 13 all the ships in the fleet weighed anchor and steamed towards Manila preparatory to an attack on the city. The army was cooperating by land. The OLYMPIA, RALEIGH, PETREL, and CALLAO shelled the forts and trenches and the outskirts of the city, while the army marched into Manila.

The McCULLOCH remained out with the BALTIMORE, CHARLESTON, BOSTON, and CONCORD. The MONTEREY steamed within close range of the 10-inch guns guarding the city, ready to respond with her 12- inch guns. Later the surrender was made without one of the ships having been fired upon. During the month of August I had quite a number of cases of malaria aboard ship. As we were anchored one- half mile from the shore, without communication with land, and using distilled water the evidence would be in favor of the malarial poison having been transmitted by air or by the mosquitoes. It was not thought best to exclude fruits entirely, so this is a possible means of infection , though not at all probable.

Every method was adopted looking toward the preservation of the health of the crew during the extreme heat of the tropical summer, and I always found Captain Hooper more than willing to cooperate with me in this matter. I had occasion to send some specimens of blood from fever patients to the Bureau for examination as to the widal reaction. The report from them in the main corresponded with the clinical symptoms. This would tend to show that blood specimens will bear transportation great distances through the heat of the Tropics, and yet be capable of giving the " typhoid reaction."

On September 28 I was relieved from duty on account of sickness that proved to be typhoid fever. Dr. Carpenter, of the OLYMPIA, attended me during the early part of my illness, and also looked after the health of the crew. Dr. Price also came once or twice to see me in consultation. Later the McCULLOCH changed her anchorage to near the MONADNOCK, when Dr. Steel attended me. To my physicians I am indebted not only for skillful treatment, but also for many kindnesses. By the end of October I was able to return to duty. About that time smallpox broke out among the troops ashore, which fact I promptly communicated to the Marine Hospital Bureau in Washington. There were no cases in the fleet.

During the early part of November our ship was ordered to anchor for a few days at Marivelles Bay, 25 miles distant from Manila. While there I visited the Spanish quarantine station, but found little to entitle it to the name. There were no means of disinfecting baggage and only a few beds for detained passengers. The situation was a good one for a quarantine station, 25 miles from the city, at a point where vessels must pass in fairly close proximity en route to Manila. The harbor is deep and well sheltered . There is a good deal of low marshy ground near the station, and a small stream running through the village. I am not informed as to how the health of the locality would be influenced by these conditions.

Having received order to proceed to San Francisco, we left Manila on November 16, by the way of Hongkong. We remained there a few days, leaving for Amoy, China, a city that well deserves its reputation of being the dirtiest in the world. It is surprising that it is ever free from epidemic diseases ; and the enormous size of the cemetery surrounding the city, would indicate that it has not altogether escaped. We continued, stopping a day at Shanghai, Nagasaki, passing through the inland sea to Kobe, and then to Yokohama. Everyone felt the sudden change from Manila (15° to 35° north longitude) , though it caused no cases of serious illness. We remained at Yokohama till December 15, when we started for Honolulu which was sighted on December 28. This distance of more than 3,000 miles was made over a smooth sea, and we arrived at our destination with a good supply of coal still in the bunkers.

At Honolulu Dr. Carmichael of the Marine- Hospital Service was on duty and to him I am indebted for a pleasant visit to the island. Here through the kindness of Dr. Alvarez, one of the recognized experts on the subject of leprosy, I visited the observation station at Klihi, about 3 miles distant from the city. Here I saw a number of cases of both the tubercular and anæsthetic form of leprosy. They are kept here for observation, or awaiting their turn to be carried to Molokai.

There were also a number of children kept here, born of leprous parents, and, contrary to what one would expect, few became infected. Nevertheless, they are removed soon after birth and kept isolated. Lack of time prevented my visiting the leprosy colony on the island of Molokai. On arrival at Honolulu I had three cases of typhoid fever aboard ship and two cases of catarrhal appendicitis. One of the patients with typhoid fever had pneumonia as a complication, which fact necessitated his being left ashore in the Queen's Hospital. The other cases continued to improve until our arrival at San Francisco, on January 9, 1899, when the cases of typhoid were transferred to the United States Marine Hospital, and those of appendicitis had sufficiently recovered to return to duty. Two days after arrival I was detached from the McCULLOCH and ordered to report to the San Francisco quarantine station for duty."

"Dr. Joseph Greene Will Soon Go To Sea," The Sunday Citizen (Asheville, North Carolina). May 12, 1918, 12.

Greene, Joseph B., "Report of the Cruise of the U.S.S. McCULLOCH, New York to Hongkong, Manila and San Francisco, with Account of the Battle of Manila Bay," Annual Report of the Supervising Surgeon-General of the Marine-Hospital Service of the United States for the Fiscal Year 1899. (Washington DC: Government Printing Office, 1901), 306

Wertenbaker, Dr. C. P.,  "University of Virginia Alumni in the U.S. Public Health and Marine Hospital Service,"Bulletins of the University of Virginia. (University of Virginia Press, Charlottesville, October, 1903), Vol. 3, #4, 197.