1902 cholera outbreak of the Philippines

On March 20, the board of health which consists of U.S. Army medical officers, was notified that two patients at the San Juan de Dios Hospital was showing symptoms of this Asiatic cholera.

[4] Due to the worrying cases of the patients, Lieutenant General Adna Romanza Chaffee, Military Governor of the Philippines at the time, conducted an armed patrol near the Marikina River.

An alleged outbreak in the Philippines were also suspected to began when locals consumed cabbage washed ashore from an infected Chinese trading ship.

Although the origin is contested, Charles E. Woodruff, a U.S. Army surgeon noted that uncooked vegetables can harbor bacteria from infectious diseases, contributing to their spread when eaten.

[6] To prevent infectious diseases entering the islands, American authorities would check if a watercraft such as boats or ships are permissible to land.

Additionally, Filipinos are banca drivers who knew the local geographical locations of beaches, some of them even avoided docks guarded by authorities.

[7] Although, there were some exceptions such as Manuel Gomez, who provided immense work on investigating cholera cases in the islands, and Luis Arbella, a medical inspector.

Questions aroused regarding its safety and Strong admitted that it might take years to produce a strain of the suffieciently weakened organism suitable for safe use.

[3] In Manila, a medical officer informed George Miller Sternberg, an American army surgeon, that he was using a normal salt solution to the vein.

[12] Most of the cases and deaths occurred were underreported by Filipino physicians due to cultural taboos and fear of property loss from American authorities.

Some believed that the cholera outbreak was a "hoax" and others propagated that Americans intentionally put poisonous powders on wells to kill unsuspecting villagers.