I then wrote him, demanding a retraction, and sending him a correct statement to publish.

[502] He was at first disposed to argue the matter, but finding that I meant business published the article which I sent to him and made the following retraction:-- "We are exceedingly glad to affirm in the honour of truth and justice, that the news given by us on the seventh instant under the title 'Painful Scenes,' and 'Naked Dead,' is absolutely absurd, false and unreasonable.
"We have investigated the truth of the said notice, and can affirm to our readers that it is entirely inaccurate, as in the courtyard of the said hospital the naked dead that we have spoken of are not now exposed, nor have they ever been so exposed.
"The truth is above all things, and to rectify a baseless piece of news should not be a doubtful action on the part of the person who gave the news, but rather something in his favour that the public should appreciate it at its full value.
"To conclude, we must record our gratitude to the Secretary of the Interior, the Hon.

Dean C.Worcester, for the investigations made in the premises with the purpose of ascertaining the truth of the alleged facts, and for the courteous way in which he received us this morning when interviewed by one of our reporters." In the provinces the results of the campaign against cholera were far less satisfactory than in Manila as was to be anticipated, owing to lack of adequate personnel, but the cases, which numbered 34,238 and deaths which numbered 22,938, were far fewer than during the previous epidemic.
I shall not attempt here to trace the course of the subsequent epidemics which have occurred from time to time, but shall content myself with giving the deaths by years.

In 1908, they numbered 18,811; in 1909, 7306; in 1910, 6940; in 1911, 203.

In 1912, there were none, and thus far in 1913 there have been none.