One of the incidents connected with the relations of this country to Cuba, of which Americans can be justly proud, is the improved hygienic conditions that resulted when the United States assumed control after the Spanish-American war. The Army of Occupation found very insanitary conditions. The administration and management of almshouses, asylums, orphanages and hospitals of all sorts and sizes had fallen into a chaotic condition throughout the island. Some of the institutions had means but only a few inmates; others were almost without money to keep the unfortunate inmates from actual starvation and yet were crowded with patients. There was a lack of system everywhere.
General Wood cast about for men to bring order out of chaos; the conditions demanded men above the average, who understood the needs of such institutions, and with a faculty for organization. Major J. R. Kean, surgeon, U. S. Army, was one of those