▁to ▁protect ▁American ▁soldiers ▁during ▁times ▁of ▁war . ▁There ▁are ▁hundreds ▁of ▁thousands ▁of ▁examples ▁of ▁soldier ▁death s ▁that ▁were ▁not ▁the ▁result ▁of ▁combat ▁w ounds , ▁but ▁were ▁instead ▁from ▁disease . ▁Among ▁wars ▁with ▁high ▁death ▁to ll s ▁from ▁disease ▁is ▁the ▁Civil ▁War ▁where ▁an ▁estimated ▁ 6 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁soldiers ▁died ▁from ▁disease . ▁American ▁soldiers ▁in ▁other ▁countries ▁have ▁spread ▁dise ases ▁that ▁ultimately ▁dis rupted ▁entire ▁soci eties ▁and ▁health care ▁systems ▁with ▁fam ine ▁and ▁pover ty . ▁ ▁Spanish – American ▁War ▁The ▁Spanish – American ▁War ▁began ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁and ▁ended ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 8 9 8 . ▁During ▁this ▁time ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁gained ▁control ▁of ▁Cuba , ▁Puerto ▁Rico , ▁and ▁the ▁Philippines ▁from ▁Spain . ▁As ▁a ▁military ▁police ▁power ▁and ▁as ▁colon izers ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁took ▁a ▁very ▁hands - on ▁approach ▁in ▁admin ister ing ▁health care ▁particularly ▁v acc in ations ▁to ▁n atives ▁during ▁the ▁invasion ▁and ▁con quest ▁of ▁these ▁countries . ▁Although ▁the ▁Spanish – American ▁War ▁occurred ▁during ▁the ▁era ▁of ▁" b acter i ological ▁revolution " ▁where ▁knowledge ▁of ▁disease ▁was ▁bol ster ed ▁by ▁germ ▁theory , ▁more ▁than ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁soldier ▁cas ual ties ▁in ▁this ▁war ▁were ▁from ▁disease . ▁Un know ingly , ▁American ▁soldiers ▁acted ▁as ▁agents ▁of ▁disease ▁transmission , ▁fost ering ▁b acter ia ▁in ▁their ▁ha ph az