The water was often so thick with sediment that one could not see through a glass of it, and it was out of the question to attempt to get it boiled unless one had facilities of one's own.
Conditions in the provinces were proportionately worse.

As a rule, there was no evidence of any effort to put provincial towns into decent sanitary conditions.

I must, however, note one striking exception.

Brigadier General Juan Arolas, long the governor of Jolo, had a thorough knowledge of modern sanitary methods and a keen appreciation of the benefits derivable from their application.

When he was sent to Jolo, practically in banishment, the town was a plague spot to which were assigned Spaniards whose early demise would have been looked upon with favour by those in power.